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Rabu, 25 Maret 2009

(Indonesian Traditional Food) KLEPON

KLEPON
Ramadhan is a special month of the year for muslims throughout the world. During this month muslims fast from dawn to sunset everyday. It's time for inner reflection, self-control and devotion to God.

In the month of ramadhan, we usually eat sweet for breaking our fast. Maybe because I'm far far away from my home country, Indonesia, I got excited to make anykind of Indonesian traditional dessert nowadays.

Klepon - Sweet Rice Balls Stuffed with Coconut Sugar

In Indonesia when ramadhan comes, we could find traditional desserts everywhere, especially in the street vendor. They sell variation of sweet before iftar. These kind of desserts known as jajan pasar (jajan means buying some food from the street vendor, pasar means market) because usually they sell food in the market instead of the street.

In this special month, I'm going to make posts about some of Indonesian traditional food. Enjoy!!

Tips Eating

Tips on Eating Well

Remember that there are no "good" or "bad" foods. All foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle with a little planning.

Fresh Fruits: Fresh seasonal fruits can actually help your body melt away fat. Fruits likes watermelons, berries, papayas are sweet and water dense, too, so you fill up fast and stay satisfied longer.

Eating actual fruit is better than drinking juice. You take in the fiber.

Use your microwave to cook vegetables. Microwaves can cook veggies quickly, with little or no water. This helps retain nutrients in the vegetables.

Skipping breakfast can cause you to eating more foods than you need later in the day, which contributes to weight gain.

Remember to eat a VARIETY of foods because no food is perfect. To get all the nutrients you need, mix and match as many different foods as possible.

Snacks are great for helping you meet your nutritional needs, filling in the gaps, and keeping your energy levels high. When choosing snacks, look for those that are low in fat, make a valuable contribution on the nutritional front and are a good source of fiber.

Having vegetables and fruit at each meal and snack will help you get more into your day.

Heavy meals late at night can make our digestive system work overtime even after we sleep. This may cause insomnia or dreams and we will not be well rested. Hence it is best to eat our last meal early in the evening.

Eat slowly, giving your brain time to catch up with your stomach and tell you when you have already had enough to eat.

When you feel hungry, chomp on something like a piece of carrot or celery. It soothes your hunger effectively, gives you valuable nutrients for almost no calories.

Some ideas for healthy eating when dining out… and eating on the run! Prepare food using following cooking methods: Grilled/ Blackened /Broiled /Baked /Poached/ Steamed.

A bit confused about what is and isn't good for your family? Here are some simple facts:

Eat a Nutritious Breakfast : After a long nights sleep it is important to refuel. Eat a balanced breakfast every morning. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Eating a balanced breakfast everyday gives you the energy and nutrients to take on your day and helps you maintain a healthy weight.

A balanced breakfast can be a bowl of ready to eat cereal with milk, a glass of juice .

5 Tips for Healthy Eating: *Go for whole grains * Go easy on added fats *Pick a lean protein *Make your day with milk products *Take a bite from more vegetables and fruit

Eat a variety of foods: Your body needs nutrients and many different vitamins and minerals from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking nutrition labels will help you to get the nutrients you need.

Get moving....don’t be a couch potato: Walk, bike or jog when going somewhere. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator. Try to do something active for a total of 30 minutes every day.

Participate in activities you enjoy: Always start with warm-ups to get the muscles going. Do 20 minutes of an aerobic activity followed by activities that will make you stronger like push-ups or sit-ups.

Choose healthy snacks: It is wise to choose snacks from different food groups. Include whole grains and fiber in your diet.

Drink plenty of water: Make sure you drink a total of 8 glasses of water each day. That can include the water from foods such as fruits.

Say no to the refreshing cold drinks, stick to plain water and have plenty of it. It not only replenishes lost liquids and fills you up, but also diminishes your hunger level and unlike sodas, nourishes your body.

Fat helps you gain shiny looking hair and smooth, glowing skin. Natural is better than artificial.....Fresh is better than shelf stable..... Digest Your Food Properly as An average adult needs 8 minutes to eat, 20 minutes to digest.

Selasa, 03 Maret 2009

Tips for Baking

Top 10 Tips for Baking

Ever wonder how the pros make baked goods taste so great? Follow cookbook author and teacher Sarah Phillips' 10 tips to find out:

  1. Do not overmix and do not overbake.
  2. Carefully read the recipe before proceeding. Use the specified ingredients, and pre-measure them.
  3. Always use metal measuring cups for dry ingredients and a glass measuring cup for liquid ingredients
  4. Take your time to properly preheat the oven, and practice safety.
  5. Measure flour according to the recipe.
  6. Use an oven thermometer, readily available in grocery stores. Ovens can vary by 50 degrees.
  7. Properly store ingredients and use the highest quality and freshest ones possible.
  8. Use metal nonstick baking pans, not thin disposable aluminum ones. Glass pyrex pans are preferable for pie baking.
  9. For cake and loaf recipes that require unmolding, place the pan on a wire cake rack and let it stand for 10 minutes. Then unmold.
  10. Before baking, always wash your hands and carefully wash any fruits and vegetables used in the recipe.