Monthly Archives: July 2012
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie
Who doesn’t love a Reesa cup as I call them. LOL. I mean when Chocolate & Peanut Butter are joined together in the mist; What a combination. And this dessert is no exception. Just picture a Oreo cookie crust, smooth peanut butter filling, fresh whipped topping and loads of chopped Reese’s cups on top. Oh Baby!
Ingredients
Filling
1 Oreo cookie pie crust
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream Topping (for garnish)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
ganache or chocolate ice cream topping for garnish
Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups for garnish
Instructions
In a mixer, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth and airy. Now in a separate COLD bowl whip heavy cream until it hold soft peaks. (Be careful DO NOT over whip; It will turn into butter if you do). Next fold in the whipped heavy cream to the peanut butter mixture until fully incorporated. Spoon peanut butter mixture into crust and stripe with chocolate ganache or chocolate ice cream topping. Refrigerate pie until set.
Now it is time to make the topping for garnish. In a separate COLD bowl whip heavy cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks. (Again DO NOT over whip because it will turn into butter). Decorate pie with whipped cream and roughly chopped peanut butter cups. Mmmmmm…..
*Chef’s Note – If you want a more lower fat recipe just substitute the sugar with splenda, and the cream cheese with reduced fat cream cheese.
Butterscotch Oatmeal
So I grew up on the stuff that came in a little package that you simply add water to. That was until I met my husband; who introduced me to the old school way of oatmeal. I tried it once and have never looked back. It is So Simple, So Good; Not to mention So Good For You. No more instant for me. I want the real deal.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Instructions
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, brown sugar and egg. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-7 minutes or until mixture boils. Add oats; cook and stir for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat. Add butter; cover and let stand for 3-5 minutes. For garnish sprinkle some extra brown sugar on top.
* Chef’s Note – For an extra touch garnish with your favorite fruit like sliced bananas or blueberries.
Keep The Passion In Your Relationship
Remember a time when you couldn’t keep your hands off your partner? When with one look, one touch, you’d spend all day glowing in what felt like an all-consuming passion?
You used to have endless energy and time for romance and lovemaking, but now that you’ve been together a while, things have changed. Your days are filled with to-do lists and social obligations rather than steamy all-nighters and love notes. When your partner caresses you, you might get sleepy rather than turned on. A nap or watching TV might sound better than sex. You love your partner, but maybe you’re just not “feeling it” anymore.
When we first fall in love, the romantic thrill happens effortlessly because pleasure-boosting hormones create a neuro-chemical cocktail that drive us toward greater intimacy. Nothing is more important than being with that one person who makes you feel like you’re on fire. It certainly didn’t take planning or feel like work to keep the flames of lust burning and your interest in one another growing.
Unfortunately, this euphoria rarely last forever, especially when the demands and responsibilities of real life take over. Suddenly, there’s precious little time or energy left over in your day for an affectionate caress, an intimate conversation or a night of romance.
It isn’t long before your partner seems more like a roommate than a lover. You lay down each night next to a person who feels miles away from you. You begin to wonder if you even know each other anymore. When this emotional disconnect starts to happen, you’re entering the danger zone.
For monogamous couples, is it just a matter of time before the romance is dead and the relationship begins to drift apart?
Not necessarily. It depends on the little things you do on a daily basis that can mean the difference between a passionate, thriving relationship and one that’s on a slow death walk towards infidelityor divorce.
Is it really possible to keep the passion and romance alive after 5, 10, 20 years together?
Absolutely. Giving each other a daily dose of what I call the 3 A’s — attention, appreciation and affection — are the critical factors in keeping any relationship alive with interest and desire.
If taking a nap, watching TV, being on Facebook or chatting with friends sounds better than making love to you, here are six strategies to immediately apply to get the enthusiasm and closeness back in your relationship, pronto!
1. Show your love in small ways.
3. Be generous with praise
5. Create intimate time
Hooked On Caffeine?
If you can’t get by without that morning jolt or afternoon pick-me-up, you could have a caffeine addiction. Here’s how you can know for sure.
By Regina B. Wheeler Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Do you rely on your morning coffee to get you out the door — and reach for another cup as soon as you get to work? You could be feeding a caffeine addiction. And once you’re hooked, kicking the habit can be tough.
You might not realize it, but caffeine is the most common mood-altering drug in the world. It is a mild stimulant that works on the central nervous system. Just ask any java junkie — caffeine can make you more alert, give you an energy boost, and keep you from snoozing when you need to stay awake.
Caffeine can be found in many products like tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and some over-the-counter medications, but coffee is the leading dietary source of caffeine among American adults. Generally, three 8-ounce cups of coffee per day is considered moderate consumption and won’t hurt you, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, excessive caffeine use — more than 10 8-ounce cups of coffee per day — can produce physical side effects including tremors, anxiety, insomnia, and a “crash” of extreme fatigue once the caffeine starts to wear off.
Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal
The brain fog and headache that some people get if they don’t have their typical amount of coffee or other caffeinated beverage might actually be a sign of caffeine withdrawal syndrome, according to a recent study.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Medical School in Baltimore and American University in Washington, D.C., reviewed 66 experimental and survey studies on caffeine withdrawal. They identified these common symptoms:
- Headache
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Depression and irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Flu-like symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and muscle aches
Typically, symptoms began 12 to 24 hours after stopping caffeine and peaked within one to two days. Some subjects reported symptoms that were so severe they couldn’t work. Generally, the heaviest consumers of caffeine reported the most bothersome symptoms, but even people who missed 100 milligrams, or one regular cup of coffee, experienced withdrawal symptoms. Study participants agreed that avoiding withdrawal helped motivate them to continue using caffeine.
Caffeine Tolerance Is on the Rise
Daniel Evatt, PhD, research fellow in the department of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, says people can stop feeling the effects of caffeine, or become tolerant, leading to the need for more and more to feel alert. But Dr. Evatt also points out that most people find a comfortable level and stick with that. “It usually doesn’t keep going up forever, and not all caffeine users develop tolerance.” However, high doses of caffeine (more than 750 milligrams over the course of every day) can produce complete tolerance. That means the drug no longer has a discernible effect.
The Warning Signs of Caffeine Addiction
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms and tolerance are signs that you are becoming physically dependent on caffeine, Evatt says. He also notes that if you are experiencing the following signs and symptoms, you may have developed an unhealthy caffeine addiction:
- You experience insomnia, frequent headaches, or difficulty concentrating
- You continue to use caffeine despite being told to stop by a health professional
- You have difficulties cutting down or quitting even if you want to
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) doesn’t recognize caffeine addiction as a mental disorder, but it may be included in the updated DSM-V. The World Health Organization’sInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) does recognize caffeine addiction as a disorder.
Kicking the Caffeine Habit
Evatt is part of a Johns Hopkins team working on a caffeine dependence treatment program. If you want to quit, “I would first recommend becoming aware of how much caffeine you are consuming daily,” Evatt says, adding that many people underestimate their use. He advises people against trying to quit caffeine cold turkey. “Withdrawal headaches can last days in some individuals,” he says. Instead, cut down slowly to lessen withdrawal symptoms.
The American Dietetic Association gives these tips for cutting down on caffeine:
- Mix decaffeinated coffee in with regular coffee
- Drink a latte with more low-fat milk than coffee
- Brew tea for less time
- Pick soft drinks without caffeine
If these measures don’t work and you think your caffeine consumption is turning into a troublesome caffeine addiction, it might be time to find an addiction specialist for treatment.
Copyright © 2012 Everyday Health, Inc.
Make The Lord Your Trust
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust…” (Psalm 40:4, NKJV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria Osteen
Did you know that trusting in the Lord is a decision we make just like we choose anything else in life? You chose what you are wearing today, you probably chose what you would have for breakfast, and you can choose to trust God every day, too! When you choose to trust God, there is peace that settles in your heart. There is joy because you know the outcome, and there is blessing in store for you because your hope is sure.
No matter what you are facing in life today, trust that Almighty God will come through for you. Trust that His Word is always true. In Psalm 32, David calls God his “hiding place.” In other words, when you place your trust in God, you can find refuge in Him. You are actually hidden from the enemy when you choose to trust.
Always remember, when circumstances seem overwhelming, don’t look at what’s happening around you; look to God. He is the author and finisher of your faith. Choose to trust that He is the one who is ordering your steps. Find security in knowing that He is making your crooked places straight and your rough places smooth. Trust in Him and live in the blessing and everlasting life He has prepared for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, today I choose to put my trust in You. I know You are a good and faithful God, and I trust that You have my best interest at heart. Help me stay focused on Your goodness today in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
© 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
What Products Do Natural’s Really Like?
This was the question: Let’s say you were going on a two week vacation, and when you get there, you will not be able to buy hair products. Your hair cannot be in a protective style, where your hair is safely tucked away, but your beautiful hair is going to be free. You can only take 3 products (your brush, comb and bobby pins are already packed!)
What 3 products would you take?
You Are Beautiful!
So many times in todays society women are pressured to be something they are not. Whether it’s by coworkers, friends, the media. Sometimes we forget about the things that make us unique and beautiful. We put ourselves down so much that eventually we can’t even think of anything good about ourselves. Sometimes it’s so bad that we get mad at other women who we think are more beautiful and we get angry when women talk about what they like about themselves. But today I’m going to challenge you to think about the things that you think makes you beautiful and feel free to post them in a comment, no holds bar, even if you think your starting to sound vain. Love You Much & Have A Beautiful Day 🙂
The Best-Tasting Juice Cleansers
Someone has bottled Gwyneth Paltrow’s magical glow, and now we’re all drinking the Kool-Aid. And yes, we’re literallydrinking it.
Juice cleanses have become so ubiquitous that, despite their exorbitant price tag, consumption has extended beyond celebrities to us regular folk. Though the health benefits of a detox cleanse have been debated, everybody’s trying it anyway. Sure, there’s the promise of feeling better, looking brighter and younger, and functioning like a well-oiled machine , but let’s be real. You’re really doing a cleanse because you want to drop a few pounds.
Here’s what we really want to know: Do any of these cleanses taste good enough and satisfy us enough to be worth some major dough and food deprivation? Is anythingworth food deprivation? Because I’ve got a homemade blueberry pie on my counter, and you’re going to have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands.
Health claims aside, we’re here to see how drinkable these cleanses are. If the juice doesn’t taste good, chances are you’ll end up throwing money down the drain, along with that putrid cabbage-kale juice.
First of all, a quick education on how cleanses work. Most juice cleanses consist of six juices a day, which are delivered fresh to your door. These aren’t your typical Mott’s apple juices — they’re pressed, raw, unpasteurized juices made from fruits and vegetables, with no sugar added. Start the cleanse immediately, because the juices’ nutrients allegedly begin to deteriorate after three days (with the exception of BluePrint, which lasts six days). Drink a bottle of the juice every two hours, with a glass of water in between, and eat absolutely no food — herbal tea is your only other allowance (not even gum!). The typical cleanse lasts three days, but you can tinker with the length of the duration. The cost, on average, is $75 a day. Yep, you read that correctly.
We conducted a taste test of the five major brands that will ship their juices directly to your home, no matter where you live (as long as it’s in the United States, that is). Despite our worst fears, we found we actually enjoyed the flavors across the board, making the prospect of a cleanse seem almost realistic. A juice with red cabbage in itactually tastes like a popsicle. Would we want to drink these juices all day long? Sure we would. But there are some differences from brand to brand, so we’ve put together a tasting guide in the slideshow below. Check it out to see which cleanse best suits your taste buds.
#1: Life Juice
Cost per day: $60
Lasts: 3 days
lifejuiceshop.com
Comments: “Happy Belly has red cabbage in it, which scared me, but it actually tastes like a popsicle. Amazing.” “The carrot in the Energizer Bunny is outstanding. So fresh and smooth.” “Good juices. All bright and tasty.” “Beautiful colors! Each one was very distinct. Happy Belly was amazing. Only the Alkaline Blend wasn’t delicious.”
#2: Cooler Cleanse
Lasts: 3 days
Celeb fan: Salma Hayek
coolercleanse.comComments: “Steer clear of the Essential Greens, but everything else is good.” “The almond nut milk is like a vanilla milkshake!” “I would die for this almond nut milk — the best nut milk of all the cleanses.” “Strong flavors! I would drink some of these every day.”
Lasts: 6 days in refrigerator
Celeb fans: Olivia Wilde, Bethenny Frankel, Julia Stiles
blueprintcleanse.comComments: “The white cashew juice tastes like a milkshake.” “The red is intensely delicious.” “The green juice is a little more bitter than other brands.” “The green juice is a little muddy, almost swampy.” “The gold pineapple mint is outstanding — but I’d rather have it in a cocktail.” “I just wish the taste of the cashew milk were a little sweeter.”
#4: Ritual Cleanse
Lasts: 4 days
Celeb fans: Kim Kardashian
ritualcleanse.comComments: “The almond mylk reminds me of horchata.” “There’s hardly any difference between the sweet greens and the green lemon, but they’re both delicious and fresh.” “The nut drinks are both way too gritty.” “Very austere. I definitely couldn’t maintain this.” “The vegetable-based drinks are a little depressing, but the fruit drinks are delicious.”
Lasts: 3 days
Celeb fans: Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler, Mary-Louise Parker
organicavenue.comComments: “The pear juice is outstanding and very sweet, but thin.” “Nothing exciting, but drinkable.” “Thumbs down on the almond milk.” “The cucumber juice tastes just like … cucumber juice.” “The juices are a little bland, but not unpalatable.” “Both green juices are pretty foul.”
How Much Salt Is In That?
There’s no gentle way to say this: we eat entirely too much salt. As part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the USDA recommends a maximum of 2,300 mg of daily sodium — what correlates to about one teaspoon of salt — and the majority of us get about 3,400mg.. And for senior citizens, African-Americans and those at risk for hypertension, the disparity is even more extreme; for them, the USDA recommends just 1,500 milligrams each day.
But where does all that excess salt come from? Processed food. The sodium in everyday packaged, bottled and canned items is insidious: we have no sense that we’re eating something loaded with sodium, and yet the proof is on the packaging. We’ve all heard before that things like canned soups and some canned meats are salt-heavy, but what about breakfast cereals, bread and even sweet drinks?
Think you can pick out the hidden salt among these common grocery items? Try out this quiz:
1. Which has more sodium, a one-cup serving of Cheerios or a 15-chip serving of Lay’s Classic potato chips?
( ) The chips
( ) The Cheerios
( ) They’re about the same (within 10 mg)
Answer (They’re about the same): Your bowl of cereal in the morning might not feel like a salty treat, but it’s packed with 160 mg of sodium. The chips have 170 mg in a one-ounce serving. But that’s not an excuse to eat potato chips for breakfast — 15 of the Lays have 160 calories and a whopping 10 g of fat (Cheerios sans milk have 100 calories per serving and 2 g of fat).
2. Dressing face-off: Which has more sodium per two tablespoon serving?
( ) The Wish-Bone Chunky Blue Cheese dressing
( ) The Wish-Bone Italian dressing
( ) They’re about the same (within 10 mg)
Answer (Wish-Bone Italian Dressing): The Italian dressing has 340 mg of sodium, while the blue cheese has 270 mg. We know vinaigrettes are often the lower-cal, lower-fat dressing option compared with their creamy counterparts — but don’t forget to check sodium levels, too, when evaluating your nutrition labels. Or, why not make your own at home?
3. The amount of salt in a slice of this Sara Lee Classic New York Style Cheesecake adds up to how much of your recommended daily intake?
( ) 12 percent
( ) 22 percent
( ) 32 percent
( ) 42 percent
Answer (42 Percent): It might be dessert, but that doesn’t mean it’s not loaded with sodium. Each piece also packs 480 calories and 29 grams of fat.
4. Condiment reality check: Two tablespoons of Heinz tomato ketchup has how much sodium?
( ) 80 mg
( ) 160 mg
( ) 320 mg
Answer (320 mg): While a one-tablespoon-sized serving has 160 mg (still high at 7 percent of your recommended intake), a more realistic (at least on our plates!) two-tablespoon portion has 320 mg.
5. Which breakfast item has the most sodium?
( ) A one-cup serving of Cheerios
( ) A one-packet serving of Quaker Instant Grits
( ) A one-cup serving of Raisin Bran
Answer (One packet of Quaker instant Grits): While all the breakfast items have some positive nutrition characteristics (the grits are high in iron, the raisin bran is loaded with fiber and the Cheerios have heart-healthy whole grains, to name a few of the most notable), the grits are loaded with the most sodium. They have 310 mg in one serving, compared with 160 mg in the Cheerios and 250 mg in the Raisin Bran.
6. Yup, drinks have sodium, too — in fact, all three of these do. Which is the worst offender?
( ) A bottle of Nesquik Chocolate Milk
( ) A bottle of Snapple Pink Lemonade
( ) A can of Starbucks Double Shot Energy, vanilla flavor
Answer (A bottle of Nestlequik Chocolate Milk): At first blush, the Starbucks can and the Nesquick seem neck and neck, but there’s actually two servings in the chocolate milk bottle. And that brings the grand total for the whole thing up to 320 mg. The Starbucks and the Snapple have 180 mg and 85 mg, respectively.
7. Which has more sodium, a Weight Watchers Blueberry Muffin or a Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Turnover?
( ) One muffin
( ) One turnover
( ) They’re about the same (within 10 mg)
Answer (One Muffin): They might be a “diet” food, but that doesn’t mean the muffins are low in sodium. While they trump the pastries in terms of fewer calories and grams of fat, they have 270 mg of sodium, compared to 230 mg in the turnover.
8. Chocolate showdown: Which single serving size has the most sodium?
( ) One pack of Oreo Cakesters (two cakes)
( ) Four Entenmann’s Pop’ems donuts
( ) One Klondike sandwich
( ) One Jell-O sugar-free chocolate pudding cup
Answer (Four Entenmann’s Pop’ems donuts): The donuts take the cake for this one — though all four treats have sodium. The Cakesters have 250 mg, the Entemann’s donuts have 310 mg, the Klondike bars have 150 mg and the JELL-O pudding has 180 mg.
9. Which cup contains a serving of peanut butter, with 170 mg of sodium?
( ) One tablespoon (left)
( ) Two tablespoons (center)
( ) Four tablespoons (right)
Answer (Two Tablespoons): Here comes the portion police: just two tablespoons of peanut butter comprises a serving, which has 170 mg of sodium and also 180 calories and 12 g of fat.
10. Which has more sodium?
( ) Breakstone’s 2% Milkfat Lowfat Cottage Cheese
( ) Philadelphia Regular cream cheese, salmon flavored
Answer (Breakston’e 2% Milkfat Lowfat Cottage Cheese): While the cottage cheese has more protein and less cholesterol, it also has more sodium — 340 mg per 1/2 cup serving. The cream cheese has 210 mg per 2 tablespoon serving.
11. When it comes to sodium, what percent of your recommended daily intake does a whole package (three cups) of this rice pilaf have?
( ) 30 percent — about enough for a day
( ) 100 percent — about enough for a whole day
( ) 120 percent — enough for a whole day … and then some
Answer (120 percent): One serving (about one cup) of this rice pilaf has 970 mg of sodium, or 40 percent of your recommended daily intake. Triple that to eat the whole box, and you’ve exceeded a whole day’s worth.
12. Potato chips vs. Goldfish crackers: Which snack has more sodium?
( ) One serving (15 chips) of Lay’s Classic potato chips
( ) One serving (55 pieces) of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Baked Snack Crackers, cheddar flavor
( ) They’re about the same (within 10 mg)
Answer (One serving of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Baked Snack Crackers): The crackers might be baked instead of fried, but that doesn’t mean they have less sodium than fried potato chips — one serving is loaded with 250 mg.
13. Think sweets don’t have sodium? Think again — how much will a slice of this cake (1/10 of the whole thing) and two tablespoons of frosting set you back when it comes to sodium?
( ) 110 mg
( ) 210 mg
( ) 310 mg
( ) 410 mg
Answer (410 mg): Yup, that’s right — the cake alone has 13 percent of your daily sodium intake — before the icing, which clocks in at about 100 mg.
14. Thirsty? A one-cup serving of this Tabasco brand Bloody Mary Mix has 70 calories … but how many mg of sodium?
( ) 19 mg
( ) 190 mg
( ) 1,900 mg
Answer (1,900 mg): You may want to hold off your “cheers” until you read this — just one cup of the mix has 1,900 mg of sodium, which is almost 80 percent of your recommended daily intake.
15. Which breakfast item has the most sodium?
( ) One Thomas Cinnamon Raisin bagel
( ) Two Kellogg’s Eggo Homstyle waffles
( ) One Pillsbury Reduced Fat Cinnamon Roll, with icing
Answer (One Thomas Cinnamon Raisin bagel): All three of these have a similar amount of sodium — the bagel, waffles and cinnamon roll pack 380 mg, 370 mg and 340 mg, respectively. But the bagel (and that’s sans cream cheese) still has the most.
I Am Lady Fab 