Food Diet Remedy

It is easy to cut the use of unhealthy seasonings and preserved flavorings to your foods; and still consume delicious meals! Simply add fresh or dried herbs.

Herbs also offer many health benefits. Hence, use a wide variety of them to reap their benefits.

Here are three of my favorite herbs this Christmas:

1. Garlic. In a 2005 review in the American Family Physician, it was revealed that eating 1-2 cloves of garlic on a daily basis can help reduce cholesteroal by 5%. It also helps to lower blood pressure a few pounds. Here’s a recipe that my kids love: roasted garlic chicken. Rub a clove of garlic and butter all over the chicken and stuff its cavity with a handful of garlic. Sprinkle with rosemary herbs and then roast chicken.

2. Cinnamon. This is a very versatile spice. It helps to reduce blood sugar levels for diabetics. Studies show that half a teaspoon per day can help cut blood sugar by 10 to 20 percent. You can try adding about a quarter teaspoon to each meal. Add cinnamon to pancake mixes, bread mixes, in curries or even in your coffee or tea.

3. Ginger. Ginger can help prevent motion sickness. Half a teaspoon a day of ginger power is all you need to prevent nausea. However, to prevent motion sickness, ginger should be taken in advance - about 30 minutes before travel. You can consume about 500mg of ginger in capsule form. In the east, ginger strips are also taken by pregnant women. However, you should check with your doctor before taking any herbal remedies if you are pregnant. Don’t forget to eat ginger slices too, if you feel nauseas the next day after a night of Christmas booze!

It’s time for me to take a short break. With so many party invites, it is hard not to.

So if I do not get to post in the next few days, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Merry Christmas!

Here are 6 tips that can help you dress up your dish for the Christmas party that you have been planning:

1. Puree. Use a blender to puree chopped tomatoes into a smooth sauce or white beans into a light whipped dish. Have different sauces and dips as options to choose from.

2. Arrange. Rather than just piling everything onto one plate arrange foods in an eye-catching manner. Consider stacking vegetables or stuffing them into a pepper or another vegetable.

3. Glamorize. Give your dish a posh name eg. Truffled Wild Mushrooms With Rocket Salad. Check out menus at fine dining restaurants or refer to magazines for naming ideas.

4. Top. Add a high quality ingredient such as a good balsamic vinegar or something exotic.

5. Decorate. Garnish with edible flowers or fresh herbs.

6. Color. Make your food a riot of colors. Rather than have just totally green salads, add red instead of green peppers, a sprinkling of nuts, yellow squash etc.

Lastly, check out pictures in food and culinary magazines for ideas on presentation. Note even the crockery and the table ware that is being used.