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DIET STRATEGY The Salt &
Pepper Treatment
We all have been out to restaurants where the portions are too
large. A simple way to show your willpower without letting others
at the table see you are dieting is the salt and pepper treatment.
Simply portion out the excess servings and pour on extra salt and
pepper. This way you know right away that you are eating the
excess portions and it is not as good as the smaller, more
reasonable portion. Others at the table will be impressed with
your restraint and self control.
For more tips on dieting,
weightloss, health and fitness, visit Dot Com Women's
Health &
Fitness channel.
RECIPES
Stir Fry Garlic Cabbage
One small Savoy cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
7 garlic cloves
salt and freshly ground black pepper chopped parsley
Quarter and shred cabbage.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan on the boiling plate
add crushed garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the cabbage: cook stirring for 5 minutes.
Season stir in the chopped parsley and serve.
Shred the darker coarser leaves of the cabbage finely and the
paler ones more broadly to even out the cooking time.
This recipe also works well with spring cabbage, spring greens and
shredded sprouts.
Serves 8
FAMILY TIME
Fresh Ideas
for Summer Picnics
Warm, sunny
weather beckons us outdoors for picnics. For some people, though,
preparing a picnic can be daunting. Not anymore. Sandra Lee, the
internationally acclaimed lifestyle expert, bestselling author and
host of Semi-Homemade, offers tips for an easy, fun and satisfying
picnic experience without all the work.
Here are her easy tips. The “quicknic” is all about simplicity.
Use items that don’t require cooking such as an assortment of
gourmet crackers, cheeses or fruit and nuts. Pre-washed raw
veggies and sliced fruits from your grocery store are always
refreshing on a hot day. Just put them in a plastic container and
squeeze a little lemon over the fruit to retain freshness.
Grab it and go! Fast-food restaurants are a great source for
quicknics with salads, low-fat yogurt and fruit and made-to-order
sandwiches. One new option is Wendy’s Frescata deli sandwiches.
The four varieties are made with fresh baked artisan bread,
premium-quality turkey and ham and topped with tasty condiments
like pesto mayonnaise and honey mustard.
Semi-Homemade is based on the 70/30 rule: 70 percent ready-made
products and 30 percent creative, homemade touches allow you to
take 100 percent of the credit for a great quicknic experience.
For example, pair a homemade side dish with a rotisserie chicken
from the grocery or takeout from a favorite restaurant for an easy
shortcut to a great meal. Ms. Lee has created a special side dish
perfect for a quicknic – Poppy Seed Cole Slaw a mixture of fruit
and vegetable.
Also, add special touches to a quicknic by garnishing packaged
foods. Sparkling water gives a casual picnic a sophisticated feel
when spruced up with a sprig of mint or sliced lemons and limes.
Slice them before you leave the house and throw them into a
plastic bag. Or, bring disposable containers of your favorite ice
cream toppings like sprinkles, marshmallows or other treats to
dress up frozen desserts purchased from a near-by store,
restaurant or park vendor.
And, always be ready to turn any meal into a quicknic! Turn your
winter car-emergency kit into a summer quicknic kit by filling a
tote bag with a blanket, Frisbee, plastic flatware, dishes and
cleanup items like paper towels and a garbage bag. So when you hit
the drive-through next, you’ll be ready to drive to the nearest
park and enjoy summertime. Consider bringing along a portable
radio or iPod for a little mood music. Or a good summer read.
According to Sandra remember to keep it fresh and keep it simple.
BABY/PARENTING
Five Top Tips For
Making A Diaper Cake
Diaper Cakes are becoming more popular for baby showers and newborn
gift ideas. These cakes, which offer everything a new mom needs for
her new bundle of joy, can make any baby shower unforgettable. Not
only do they leave a lasting impression, but the new mother can use
every item in the cake, from the blankets to the diapers, thus
providing a fun and useful gift for the proud mom-to-be. You can
make them a three layer to just a one layer depending on the size
gift you want to send.
Here are top five tips to making a diaper cake.
1. Fill your cakes with items you know the mother will be using.
Diapers and blankets we all know, but items like baby lotions,
powder, hand sanitizer, nail clippers, bottom balm, or Vaseline. You
may also include a bottlebrush, baby bottle, scratch mittens and so
on.
2. Choose quality products when you can. I use Luvs diapers as they
are bigger and make your cake more stable. Blanket size does matter.
Keep that in mind when deciding on the size of your cake. For
example, 7, 8, 10, or 12 29x29 will give you an 8” cake and 30 x 40
will give you an 12“ cake, a burp cloth will give you an 7” (they
have really cute and colorful burp clothes out now) for a 10” this
size is in between so you can use a 30 x 40 and just bring in one
end a little more to make it a 10”.
3. Make sure you wrap cake as this will deter others form touching
or moving items around. Use cellophane wrap or cellophane bags, or
tulle. Use lots of curly ribbon makes your cakes look so pretty.
4. Have fun and create your own style everyone has their own. Themed
cakes are very popular (Disney). Also if the sex of baby is unknown
don't fear...mix it up a bit go with neutral colors. If you know the
babies room color that is even better.
5. If your choosing this as a business-congrats. Making diaper cakes
for a living is so much fun and very rewarding. A few starter tips
are: Have professional pictures taken of your cakes. Use these as a
portfolio and put them in a book for show and tell. Have business
cards made up and brochures. Set your pricing. Tell everyone about
your cakes. This is a great time to start because more then likely
very few people have heard of a diaper cake so you get in on the
ground floor.
To learn more about
making diaper cakes for fun or profit or to order a diaper cake go
to
http://www.makeadiapercake.biz.
Barb Ireland is the
founder of Make A Diaper Cake,
http://www.makeadiapercake.biz.
Related Articles on
Dot Com Women:
Baby Shower Planning,
Decorating Baby Rooms,
New Baby
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Pets to Get
Thinking of having a pet for your family? We
have information on the most popular choices for pets. Take a
look and choose whichever you feel is right for your family.
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