laracely

Mint Choc Smoothie

Looking forward to trying this simple recipe with my fave flavors - mint and chocolate! I got this on www.kaiafoods.com

Simple Recipes
mint-chip smoothie

Cool off and refresh with this healthy version of an old classic!
4 sprigs fresh mint
handful raw cacao nibs
1 banana (frozen for a cooler smoothie)
1/2 avocado
almond milk or water to desired consistency
agave nectar to taste (optional)
ice cubes to desired consistency and temperature

Combine everything except cacao nibs in a blender until smooth. Then add cacao nibs and blend for a few seconds until they reach the desired size.

Dear John, thy name is Spam

According to a recent Cambridge study, you are more likely to get spam if your name is a popular one like Christopher, Andrew, Ashley, Michael, Mary… even more so with the first letter ‘A’, ‘M’ or ‘S’.

If your name starts with ‘Q’, ‘Z’ or ‘Y’ - you receive 20% less spam than the rest of us. Queenie, Zach and Yasmine - rock on!

Check out Dr Richard Clayton’s weblog here for more info on computer security.

Tips for turning vegetarian (part 2)

To continue the tips from the AM NY article…

3. Tell family and friends - They may not understand or approve, so be ready to explain your reasons. [ Remember, you were probably drawn to a vegetarian diet for ethical or medical reasons, perhaps environmental reasons. Growing up, my dad inspired me to be careful about the foods I was eating - he always preached about the evils of refined sugar and flour like 20 years ago when no one was paying attention. Including me! However, he wasn’t so understanding about the veggie diet plans - I think his words were ‘if you want to kill yourself, go ahead’. ha! When I visit my folks, I always prepare some yummy veggie meals and he never complains then. ]

4. Don’t go cold turkey - Two strategies are to eliminate one type of meat a week - red meat first, say, followed by chicken, pork and seafood - or to swap in a vegetarian meal each week. [ I had no problem skipping the red meat and chicken - it’s the bacon and the serrano ham on my tapas that I miss. ]

Tips for turning vegetarian

The AM New York paper included an little article about going veggie, and I found it pretty insightful for those toying with this idea. I’ll go over the tips a couple at a time, and add some notes about my own experience…

While going meatless isn’t for everyone, it can improve your health. Here are tips from nutritionists on making the transition:

1. Know why you’re doing it. Having firm reasons - moral, ethical, medical, environental or otherwise - can keep you on track. [ For me, it was to pursue a healthier lifestyle and avoid all the antibiotics and chemicals that industrial farms feed the animals we eat. I also have loads of veggie friends who changed their diet because the idea of eating a sentient being. That is, something that can experience pain or pleasure. ]

2. Set guidelines. Many vegetarians decide to keep eating eggs and dairy, while others opt to cut all animal products. [ I had to experiment a bit and find a balance that suited my system - sometimes I will avoid dairy and eggs, but also enjoy those once in a while. After avoiding dairy a while, I have noticed that my body doesn’t have a 100% positive reaction to it. ]