Minatamis na Kamote (Sweetened Sweet Potato)
That probably didn’t sound too appealing to many. Why will one sweeten an already sweet sweet potato? Nyahahaha! 
I love my late Nanay’s (maternal grandmother) and Tita (aunt) Luming’s minatamis na kamote (sweetened sweet potatoes). But that’s me…I love anything that’s sweet. ;) I had two big sweet potatoes waiting desperately to be “useful”. I had to do something with them before they grew roots on them. So I decided to turn them into sweetened sweet potatoes.
The end product isn’t exactly the one I was used to having. One reason could be that the sweet potatoes I used are of a different variety from the ones that we have back home. As you can see in the photo, the color is on the orange side, while the ones in the Philippines has a similar color to those of regular potatoes. Plus, I wasn’t so happy with the syrup. It took way too long to caramelize and as usual, I got impatient and just turned off the fire before it achieved the thickness I was hoping and waiting for.
This is how I eat my sweetened sweet potatoes…with milk and ice. It would have been better if the ice were crushed. But we don’t have an ice shaver and I was too lazy to get the blender out. Anyway, Abby seemed to like it. I thought it was all right. Maybe next time, it will come out a lot better.
In making this dessert, I boiled 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 3 cups of water over medium (Next time, I probably will just reduce all of these measurements in half.) I lowered the fire when the syrup came to a boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then I added the sweet potatoes. It is done when the sweet potatoes have become tender and the syrup has thickened and turned slightly golden brown. But as I’ve said, I didn’t wait for the sugar to turn brown. Ugh. Next time, I’ll be more patient, promise. 
Desserts/Sweets/Baked Goodies | Comments (2)
Peak Body
Is your body at its peak potential? You know…toned, lean, trimmed. Do you exercise? At all? My answers to my own questions would be no, no, and no. I currently have gym membership, which I don’t get to take full advantage of. And to think the gym is just a stone’s throw away from where we live. It’s a mere 10- minute walk!
I wonder if having my own fitness equipment here at home will make a difference. I have been to the Peak Body website and their equipments are just gorgeous. If one is into fitness, this site will make a person salivate.
Peak Body, I hear, is the preferred supplier of gym equipment in the UK. They also supply sport and nutritional supplements. The company has been in business since 1988 and clients include schools, gyms, colleges, even local authorities! If budget is a major concern, the company also carries used and refurbished equipments. The brands they carry include Life Fitness, Adidas, Instyle, Nautilus, Bowflex, just ot name a few.
Hmmm, all this fitness talk is making me hungry….for a workout! Did you think otherwise? Hahaha!
Milk & Honey | Comment (0)
Holy Toast
Why anyone would want to have a toast like this is beyond me.
This is called “Holy Toast: The Miracle Bread Stamper that makes a heavenly breakfast! ”
Tsk, tsk! I just don’t get it. It’s supposed to be a “gag gift for those who believe in miracles.” Not funny, I say. Not funny. Or is it just the Catholic in me talking? Oh well.
Breads, Cookware & Gadgets | Comment (1)
Look of the Year
Do you dream of being the next big name in the world of modelling? If you are young and possess the beauty to be a model in Paris, New York and Milan, then Look of the Year.Com, an on-line beauty contest may just be your passport to superstardom. Wherever you are in the world, male or female, all you have to do is send your best picture and you’ll get a chance to win the US$10,000.00 cash prize. Even if you don’t win, you’ll at least get a chance to be spotted by a modelling agency. For more info and contest details, visit : http://www.lookoftheyear.com.
Milk & Honey | Comment (0)
Bloggerwave
Yesterday, I got an acceptance email from Bloggerwave. Woohoo! I guess this little venture of mine is going full blast. If you’ve got time on your hands, a blog and want to make money, you might want to sign up with Bloggerwave as well. It is aiming to be Europe’s biggest advertising media on blogs and it is just way cool to be part of it. I guess I can now really consider myself a “WHAMMY”, that is, a “work-at-home-mommy”. 
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The Healthy Eats Shopping List
If you’re making a conscious effort to eat healthy, like I’m so desperately trying to, then the first step is to shop healthy! I got this list from a naturopath (Doctor of Ntural Medicine) and she swears that whenever she does her grocery shopping, she brings this list and makes sure that each of the vitamins/minerals in the list are well represented in her shopping cart. You and I might want to try to do the same…try being the operative word. All the food listed are known to help the body fight off cancer proliferation. Consider this your cancer fighting shopping list:
Vitamin A - carrots, peppers, apricots, spinach, yams, winter squash and mangoes
Vitamin C - peppers, celery, broccoli, cucumber, guavas, cauliflower, strawberries, papaya, pear
Vitamin D - cold-water fish (salmon, cod, halibut), dark green leafy veggies (kale, broccoli, spinach, mustard, collards, parsley, cilantro, turnip)
Vitamin E - whole grains, seeds, nuts
Folic Acid - beans, asparagus, beets, lentisl, walnuts, cabbage and spinach
Calcium - kelp, goat or sheep cheese, almonds, sprouts and watercress
Magnesium - wheat bran, brown rice, cashews, peanuts, tofu and figs
Potassium - bananas, oranges, lima beans and avocados
Selenium - brazil nuts, whole wheat breat, orange juice
Zinc - fresh oysters, pumpkin seeds, ginger root and pecans
Flavanoids - colorful fruits such as cherries, grapes, blueberries, pomegranate, cranberries, strawberries
Essential Fatty Acids - fish, shellfish, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, sea vegetables
Other Dietary Considerations
Soy - edamame, tofu, soy milk can be good choices for breast cancer prevention as they reduce estrogen’s effectson tissue. However, do not use a great deal of soy if you have received a breast cancer or have a high family risk level.
Cruciferous Vegetables - this is a family of vegetables that have the ability to help metabolize your estrogen to more favorable, less cancer producing forms. It also contains substances that have been shown to prevent development of cancer in women with BRCA1/2 genetic mutations. Add these to your shopping list:
arugula bok choy broccoli
brussel sprouts cabbage cauliflower
chard chinese cabbage collard greens
daikon kale kohlrabi
mustard greens radishes rutabagas
turnips watercress
Green Tea - several studies have shown that green tea can help prevent breast cancer cell formation and inhibit cancer growth. Women with Stage I breast cancer who drank 5 cups of green tea a day lived disease-free longer and had lower recurrence rates. Drink at least two cups a day, hot or cold. It can be stimulating, so you may want to have your last cup prior to 3 pm.
Curry - spices such turmeric (which is a leading ingreadient in the seasoning called curry in East India cuisine) are great to reduce cell damage from oxidation and seems to reduce cancer tumor growth in studies. This is an easy spice to have around the kitchen, so spice things up!
This “Cancer Fighting Shopping List” is by Dr. Jeanne Galloway, ND.
Healthy Eating | Comment (1)
Custom Jewelry
There are people, men and women alike, who are just fond of jewelry. Some prefer diamonds only and would refuse to look at anything else, while there are some who go gaga over precious metals like gold, silver and not to forget, platinum. But then, there are people who just want to be unique and prefer custom mens jewelry or custom womens jewelry. I know a number of very creative people who even make their own jewelry.
If you belong to the lost group of people I mentioned and want custom jewelry, one store worth checking out is AJ’s Jewelry. The owner/designer, Jordan Eddi has been in the business for about 20 years and has been known to create exquisite jewelry in precious metals and also stainless steel. In fact, in 2007, the Trump Taj Mahal collaborated with him on a spectacular prize for the 2007 US Poker Championship.
With AJ’s Jewelry, you can design the jewelry that you want, and they will create for you. They also have an extensive product list which include bridal, men’s, children’s, stainless steel, moissanite, titanium watches, colored gemstone, cultured pearls and many more.
Custom jewelry is a very nice gift to give and Mother’s Day is just around the corner. If you haven’t thought of a gift yet, jewelry is always in a woman’s secret wish list. Hint! Hint!
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