0 Lentil Soup with Sausage Brown Rice and Spinach Things Are Looking Up

Today on Serious Eats: Swiss Chard and Turkey Sausage Over Polenta. So simple. So seductive delicious.

Painful things I have done recently (SPOILER ALERT):

Dislocated and/or broke my left pinky toe on a door frame. That’ll teach me to ... uh ... walk.  

Read the entire Lord of the Rings series. Fellow nerds! Hear my call! Why did no one tell me the books were butt-awful? Sweet bejeezus, Tolkien dedicated entire CHAPTERS to whether Frodo and Sam should take a left at the scary-looking rock, and exactly two pages on the death of Gollum, destruction of the ring, and collapse of Mordor. By the ancient sword of Elendil, Charles *freaking* Dickens would been like, “This needs fewer words, old chap.” 

Admitted my English degree has been fairly useless. With apologies to the Bronte sisters, Jane Eyre does not prepare you for the intricacies of expense reports. 

Watched Precious. “Hm,” I thought halfway through the film, “The only thing that could possibly make this more depressing is if they gave Precious AIDS.” (ten seconds pass) “Aaaaand there you go.” 

Threw out my old music cassette tapes. Oh, man. Here’s something they don’t tell you when you move: Carrying 90 boxes up a flight of stairs isn’t the hardest part. It’s chucking beloved, but outdated and useless possessions, like Open Up and Say ... Ahh!, the 1988 multiplatinum classic from Poison. Every rose has it’s thorn, indeed.

A very enjoyable thing I did recently: 

Ate Double Lentil, Sausage, Brown Rice, and Spinach Soup from the stupendous Kalyn’s Kitchen. Speaking of which, Kalyn just published her Top 10 Recipes of 2010, which you should gaze upon immediately.

HOTUS and I had guests for the first time at our new apartment. As it turns out, it’s impolite to starve company, so thus, the soup. And it tasted good. Real good. So good, there was slurping. From guests! Even my sister liked it, and she hates food.

I made two medium-sized changes to Kalyn’s original recipe: I substituted water in for part of the chicken broth, and used a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika for Spike Seasoning, which I couldn’t find in Brooklyn. Also of note: Kalyn and I both used a 3.5-quart slow cooker. If you don’t own one, she includes instructions to adapt the recipe for the stovetop at Kalyn’s Kitchen. (They’re not included here).

A wonderful thing I have recommenced recently: 

Blogging. Its good to be back, sweet readers.

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If this recipe floats your boaty, these will surely make you gloaty. (Sorry.):

• Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes
• White Bean and Kale Soup with Turkey Sausage

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Double Lentil, Sausage, Brown Rice, and Spinach Soup
Serves 6.
Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen.

1/2 medium onion, diced small
1 carrot, peeled and diced small
2 stalks celery, diced small
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
A few shakes each: kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika
3 links pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausage, chopped into 1/3-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can petite dice tomatoes, undrained
2 (15-ounce) cans chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup brown or green lentils
1/4 cup red lentils
1/4 cup long-grain brown rice
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1) Heat olive in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until ever-so-slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Saute an additional 2 minutes.

2) Pour onion mixture into crockpot. Add sausage, tomatoes, broth, water, and all lentils. Stir to combine. Cook on high 3 hours.

3) Add rice and spinach. Stir to combine. Cook 1 more hour.

4) Add balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Cook 15 minutes. Serve, with crusty bread and “Parmesan cheese if desired.”

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
226 calories, 7.8 g fat, 7.3 g fiber, 15.5 g protein, $1.72

Note: Calculations are for Chef Bruce Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausage from CostCo., since the numbers were easily available online. I personally used a different, yet similar brand, the label of which I cant remember, and is currently buried under two feet of garbage.

Calculations
1/2 medium onion, diced small: 23 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.8 g fiber, 0.5 g protein, $0.17
1 carrot, peeled and diced small: 25 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.08
2 stalks celery, diced small: 17 calories, 0.2 g fat, 2 g fiber, 0.9 g protein, $0.25
1 tablespoon olive oil: 199 calories, 13.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.13
3 cloves garlic, minced: 13 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.20
1 teaspoon dried thyme: 3 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.4 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.12
A few shakes each: kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.03
3 links pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausage: 480 calories, 30 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 42 g protein, $4.34
1 (15-ounce) can petite dice tomatoes, undrained: 70 calories, 0 g fat, 3.5 g fiber, 3.5 g protein, $1.69 (ugh, I know)
2 (15-ounce) cans chicken broth: 67 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 13.1 g protein, $1.33
2-1/2 cups water: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.00
1/4 cup brown or green lentils: 119 calories, 0.5 g fat, 14.7 g fiber, 12.4 g protein, $0.37
1/4 cup red lentils: 119 calories, 0.5 g fat, 14.7 g fiber, 12.4 g protein, $0.37
1/4 cup long-grain brown rice: 171 calories, 1.3 g fat, 1.6 g fiber, 3.7 g protein, $0.18
4 cups chopped fresh spinach: 28 calories, 0.5 g fat, 2.6 g fiber, 3.4 g protein, $0.86
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar: 20 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.20
TOTALS: 1354 calories, 46.8 g fat, 43.7 g fiber, 93.2 g protein, $10.32
PER SERVING (TOTALS/6): 226 calories, 7.8 g fat, 7.3 g fiber, 15.5 g protein, $1.72

0 Saturday Throwback 11 Things Dwight K Schrute Taught Me About Food and Frugality

Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG vault. Today, we salute the end of the 2010 television season with this feature from October 2007. Beets. Bears. Battlestar Galactica.

Hardworking. Alpha Male. Jackhammer.

A renowned beet farmer, volunteer Sheriff’s Deputy, and Assistant to the Regional Manager at the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company Scranton branch, Dwight K. Schrute embodies all these enviable qualities, and then some. (He’s also merciless and insatiable.) Yet, the goose-bating, martial arts-trained Schrute makes cultural contributions that go far beyond his multiple jobs.

Of course, I er to his insights.

Our lives can only benefit from Schrutes somewhat obtuse, yet priceless aphorisms. Especially the ones about food. And cooking. And saving money.

So read on, dear … uh, readers. Learn from our fair farmer, and one day you, too, may join the DWIGHT ARMY OF CHAMPIONS.

DWIGHT SAYS: “Michael always says ‘K-I-S-S. Keep it simple, stupid.’ Great advice. Hurts my feelings every time.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Fresh, simple ingredients are the best way to a cheap, healthy meal.
In other words, eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, dabs of dairy, healthy fats and lean meats are the building blocks of delicious dinners and happy digestive systems. In the long run, they cost less and taste better than pre-packaged stuff, too.

DWIGHT SAYS: “My grandfather left me a 60-acre working beet farm. I run it with my cousin Mose. We sell beets to the local stores and restaurants. It’s a nice little farm ... sometimes teenagers use it for sex.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Buy local.
Not only does it support neighborhood farmers (who need security to keep randy kids away), but food that’s shipped from nearby tastes better, is better for you, and is easier on the environment. See here for more.

DWIGHT SAYS: "First rule in roadside beet sales, put the most attractive beets on top. The ones that make you pull the car over and go, Wow, I need this beet right now. Those are the money beets."
DWIGHT MEANS: Knowing how food is marketed is vital to saving cash.
There’s a reason grocery stores put expensive, good-looking food at eye level. It’s the same mentality behind placing pricey victuals in gigantic, showy displays. When you go food shopping, don’t forget to look at the top and bottom shelves - beyond what’s immediately apparent. You’ll spend less. (Also: Stick to the perimeter of supermarkets, shop from the circular, only use coupons for stuff you’d buy anyway, keep a price book, etc.)

DWIGHT SAYS: “Studies show that more information is passed through watercooler gossip than through official memos, which puts me at a disadvantage because I bring my own water to work.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Bottled water is a big, wet cheat.
Packing a thermos from home, using the cooler at the office, or simply gathering H2O from the tap can conserve up to $600 per year, depending on how often you buy bottled. (See here, here, and here for more.)

DWIGHT SAYS: “Yes, I have decided to shun Andy Bernard for the next three years, which Im looking forward to. Its an Amish technique; its like slapping someone with silence. I was shunned from the age of 4 until my 6th birthday, for not saving the excess oil from a can of tuna.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Save leftovers, or suffer the terrible consequences.
Whether it’s excess mashed potatoes or those last two slices of pizza, try to pack your extras away. It’ll keep your portion size down, make a delicious office meal the next day, and put your lunch money back where it belongs – in your pocket.

DWIGHT SAYS: "Oh you know that line on the top of the shrimp? Thats feces."
DWIGHT MEANS: Don’t play around with food safety.
Yeah, I think this ones pretty self-explanatory.

DWIGHT SAYS: “In the wild, there is no health care. In the wild, health care is, ‘Ow, I hurt my leg. I cant run. A lion eats me and Im dead.’ Well, Im not dead. Im the lion, youre dead.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Eating smart and modestly will save your money and your life.
Obesity contributes to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer – all difficult and expensive illnesses to treat. (See Get Rich Slowly’s The High Cost of Being Fat.) Plus, it makes it very difficult to run away from lions.

DWIGHT SAYS: “Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ And if they would, I do not do that thing.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Find a food anti-idol.
Imagine your most extravagant friend. You know, the high roller - the one that doesn’t think twice about his finances. For what does he dole out the most dough? If he’s anything like my big-spender buds, it’s food. Learn from his bad example and try to use good judgment when buying groceries, ordering out, or settling down for a restaurant meal.

DWIGHT SAYS: [to Tobys daughter] “Hello, tiny one. YOU ARE THE FUTURE!”
DWIGHT MEANS: Teach your children well.
When it comes to eating and budgeting, kids learn largely from the examples set by their parents. Whether it’s having dinner together or serving more vegetables, changing a bad habit or starting a few good ones will benefit them for life.

DWIGHT SAYS: “When you are ready to see the sales office, the sales office will present itself to you.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Honest change can not come until one is truly ready.
If you’re looking to cut costs or make a switch to simpler foods, you must first commit yourself to the idea, and then be ready to follow through on the behaviors. Think of it like smoking: every single person on Earth can warn you to stop, but until you want to, there’s no chance.

DWIGHT SAYS: “I do not fear the unknown. I will meet my new challenges head-on, and I will succeed, and I will laugh in the faces of those who doubt me.”
DWIGHT MEANS: You don’t know unless you try.
So you’d like to make more money, cook more wholesome meals, lose a few pounds. What’s stopping you? Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from reaching your dreams - gastronomic, economic, and otherwise.

(Catch more of Dwight on The Office every Thursday on NBC.) Photos from Flickr and Buddy TV.

0 7 Things you should know about wrinkles

7 Things you should know about wrinkles - Wrinkles are one of the biggest fears women. This is because the wrinkles will ruin the appearance of wrinkles mereka.Padahal is the aging process that can not be avoided.

However, with diligent skin care done, then one can avoid wrinkles.

Here are 7 reasons behind the appearance of wrinkles you should know as quoted magforwomen.com.

1. Wrinkles are derivatives

Wrinkles can be caused by pollution, sunlight, and stress interfere. But in addition to these factors, it turns out wrinkles can also be caused by genetic derivatives. You will tend to have the same wrinkles parents or your grandparents.

2. Food can cause wrinkles

Eating too much or too little can cause wrinkles. When you decide to go on a diet then your weight will drop that causes saggy skin. On the other hand, people who eat too little wrinkles will also be affected because they are not getting enough nutrients to meet their skin health.

3. People who often drive more vulnerable wrinkles

They are too often drive will easily stressed and too much exposure to sunlight. If this continues, it will cause wrinkles to appear.

4. Eating habits cause wrinkles

Eating too much junk food will cause the skin to certain nutritional deficiencies that can cause wrinkles. Theore, change your diet to be more healthy by eating vegetables and fruits and drink plenty of water.

5. Natural vitamins good for preventing wrinkles

In addition to moisturizing the skin as well as sunscreen, vitamin A and vitamin C is also good for preventing wrinkles in the skin.

6. Sleeping position can cause wrinkles

Although it may sound a little strange, the position you sleep can also cause wrinkles in the skin. If you tend to like sleeping position tilted to one side, then you will easily wrinkled skin.

7. Stress can cause wrinkles

Stress that you experience can cause skin wrinkled and ends with skin wrinkles. Theore, when you approach stressful, try to resolve it in order not to affect the firmness of the skin.

Wrinkles can interfere with your performance. Theore avoid wrinkles with various ways of preventing both from within and from outside the body.

0 Cheap Electronic Cigarette Some Imperative Things To Ponder

There are many health benefits offered by e-cigs. It would be better if all the people shift to electronic cigarettes from the traditional cigarettes. You can find loads of brands of these vapor cigarettes in the market. So collect all the details of different brands to avail the best and cheap electronic cigarette of your choice.

E-cigs are very economical and they never expose you to any hazardous chemicals that are present in the traditional tobacco cigarettes. Today in this new e-cig era, people have started thinking that it is possible to have a healthy smoking. The health experts have won their battle by introducing this revolutionary device in the society. The smokers are spending thousands of dollars on traditional cigarettes every year. Since this magical device is reusable and rechargeable, they can save a subsequent amount of money on smoking. Moreover, e cigs can bring enormous health benefits since they do not produce any smoke or tar, and contain no harmful products. There is no restriction on using them in public places too.

People always prefer to go for the cheapest electronic cigarettes due to increasing inflation and financial crisis. You can buy the cheapest e-cigs online by comparing the deals and discounts offered by different companies. A thorough search can fetch you the best and cheap smokeless cigarettes. But choosing the cheapest e-cig will sometimes lead you to a substandard purchase, which will leave you unsatisfied.

Many leading companies are offering these vapor cigarettes at substantial discounts. Now a starter kit is available cheaply. The branded companies are offering attractive deals and discounts to promote their products. They offer introductory offers to introduce them and create a positive impact on the consumers. You can get a starter kit, small kits that contain two or three pieces of e-cigs and comprehensive e-cig kits that include all the accessories.

You can buy your cheap electronic cigarettes from branded companies and their stores online. Some companies offer e-cigs free of delivery charges. There are innumerable websites and articles on e-cigs and their benefits. Conduct a thorough search for updates, deals and discounts on different websites since it can fetch you information about best rates of e-cigs online. You can also log onto e-cigarette forum and post your queries for reply. All these things can be done online sitting at home. Though cheap models will not give you complete satisfaction, but it is best suited for starters or beginners.

Authors Resource Box

If you are looking for a good online store to buy cheap electronic cigarettes for bulk purchases, check out the ultimate catalog for a quick purchase at: http://www.ecigsunlimited.com.

Article Source : Cheap Electronic Cigarette--Some Imperative Things To Ponder

Author : Jack

0 5 Things to Do to Maintain Your Dental Hygiene

Inadequate dental hygiene can cause numerous problems not only to your mouth but throughout your body. Most people consider regular dental checkups to be something you do when you’re younger.

However, as you age your body tends to breakdown and this also includes your teeth so keeping consistent with your dental hygienist is important at any age. Of course this doesn’t mean you can slack on your regular practice of caring for your teeth. In fact, I’ve read quite often that you should brush and floss daily. Quite honestly, that leads me to believe once a day is enough. Quite frankly, it isn’t. You are required to eat three meals on a daily basis.

Generally, it’s taught that people should brush after meals. Therefore, brushing three times a day would be more appropriate. Flossing is important because most often, brushing doesn’t get all the particles from between your teeth. Food left behind turns into bacteria quickly. This bacterium sets the stage for a majority of problems with your teeth. Flossing will prevent this from happening.

Rinsing also helps in killing bacteria not to mention, makes your breath smell fresh and clean. For those who are generally found within groups, the company you keep will be grateful. Regular routine cleanings by your hygienist are also crucial because no matter how hard you try there is likely to be little microscopic nuisances lying around in your mouth. It is also important for us to understand the effect our nutritional habits has on our teeth.

Poor diet can lead to significant dental problems especially in adolescents because of their tendency to indulge in foods with high sugar content. Soda, is especially damaging. Eating foods which are high in vitamin and mineral content will help your defense against potential dental difficulties. Keeping your dentist informed is also very important. People tend to overlook telling their dentist about clicking, locking, or grinding in relation to their teeth or jaw.

Grinding your teeth can be very damaging and possible cause them to crack or break. The problem is, some people tend to do this in their sleep and don’t realize it. So discussing with your dentist symptoms such as soreness and pain can be significant in diagnosing the problem and getting treatment. Maintaining your dental hygiene does take effort but it’s far more difficult to restrict your smile.

The article has been submitted Anonymously to MedsAvailable

0 4 Things to do before breast augmentation surgery

Breast augmentation surgery involves changing and improving one or both breasts. Like all surgical procedures, preparations must be made before the patient can have the operation. After consultation with a plastic surgeon, there are some steps that a patient may have to take before surgery. Some are rules to follow or involve temporary changes, while others are permanent. They are intended to help the patient to have the best possible outcome of the procedure from a medical standpoint. Depending on the type Alter Medication augmentation done, some patients are given an anesthetic general, while others receive a local anesthetic. IV sedation is also an option. In order to operate safely and effectively, certain requirements must be met first. The plastic surgeon will review the types of medications the patient. The person may be asked to stop taking certain types of prescription drugs in advance to avoid interacting with the anesthetic, the operation itself or the healing process. Blood pressure medications, psychiatric and pain, among others, may have an adverse effect. When stopped or altered early, there is less risk of harm to the patient or the success of breast enhancement surgery. Stop Smoking Smoking snuff has several physical effects on people. One is that smoking reduces the supply of oxygen in the blood. These surgical procedures are subject to the risk of pulmonary complications if smoking within several weeks after surgery. There is also an increased chance of infection. Another complication facing smokers about surgery is that the scars do not heal as well. Still redder and more visible. Diagnostic mammograms test should be done before surgery can be performed. Although this can cause breast pain, helps plan the teams plastic surgeon the procedure. This will serve as a diagnostic tool for the surgeon. A mammogram beforehand benchmark is to judge surgical settings and physical changes that may occur after breast augmentation is complete. Another likely will be done a few months down the road, for comparison purposes. Lose Weight Some patients who are overweight or obese may be directed by your doctor to lose weight before surgery. There are certain health risks involved in operating in people who are overweight. The weight loss not only makes the healthy patient, but also reduces the risk of complications during and after surgery. Author writes about a variety of topics.