All posts tagged: weight watch

healthy eating: eggs and asparagus

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I love fine cuisine, I don’t deny it, but once in a while I truly appreciate finding a recipe online that is not only healthy but has my favorite ingredients in it. Now the interesting thing for me about eggs and asparagus is that I  often made a frittata with them with a touch of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, but the recipe here is a much simpler way of incorporating the two together and I have to tell you,  it was amazing!  I loved it and I know you will too. But I am always curious about what your take is on the recipes I provide, so please let me know how it turned out for you? Parmesan Roasted Asparagus Topped with a Poached Egg: Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net Olive oil cooking spray 5 spears of asparagus Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste Parmesan cheese, shaved or shredded 1 egg Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray then add the …

inspiration: outdoor special occasion table setting

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Call me crazy but I am ready for Spring, although it isn’t officially Spring until around March 22nd, I am ready for it right now. So, as I feel my stress level escalating to code orange from being cooped up indoors most of the day, I have decided to turn to my collection of outdoor special occasion table setting photos  to put a smile back on my face and give me a moment to daydream about Springtime. If you feel like I do today, find something that inspires you  and take a moment to escape mentally.

for the love of cupcakes

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What is the craze with cupcakes? I mean they have been around for years but just in the last 5years or so, every woman I can think of considers cupcakes for their get togethers more so than cakes. I suppose they are more fun, less fattening and perfectly sized for most anyone and any occasion – in America that is – just in case everyone else is scratching their heads with what I am stating here. Anyway, I won’t deny it, I love them too and often search for cupcake specialty stores most anywhere I go in the states. My favorite is Sprinkles here and although quiet pricy, they are the best I have ever had, especially on the first day – not so much second day and after. So in light of this subject matter, I have included photos of some of my favorite cupcake decor for your viewing pleasure. Also, please drop me a line with your favorite cupcake speciality store.

healthy eating: salmon tacos

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I must admit, I cannot resist Mexican food, although some of the California gourmet variations are not the true sense of the cuisine.  But either way, I do appreciate all the attempts to spin off from the original Mexican style taco and embrace them in my own home. With that said, I have found this really interesting Salmon taco recipe here which  I have added to my list of healthy meals for the family. Hope you like it. Santa Fe Salsa 1 can(s) (11 ounce) mexi corn, drained 1 cup(s) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered 1/2 cup(s) black beans, rinced, drained 1/2 cup(s) shredded carrots 1/2 cup(s) green chile salsa 1/4 cup(s) diced red onion 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro Salmon 2  (about 1 1/2 pounds) salmon steaks, 1-inch thick 1 tablespoon(s) jalapeno and lime flavored olive oil, or any favorite flavored or plain olive oil 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1/4 teaspoon(s) pepper 8  taco shells Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce for garnish Directions In a medium bowl, combine the salsa ingredients; set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush oil over salmon steaks; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook salmon in skillet 3 to …

the do’s of bangs for the woman over 40

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I have always appreciated bangs and have supported one myself for years. Believe me I tried without one and it didn’t work on me. So, I am glad to see them back again for 2011 because now I can actually say I am current on a fashion trend. Since I gear most of my fashion topics to the women over 40, I decided to research the do’s and don’ts of supporting a bang and I found out from here what works and doesn’t. By the way the feature photo of Jill Zarin (top) is my favorite pick of hairstyle  and color I want to see on myself in 2011.

inspirational women over 40: elle mcpherson

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I just realized I haven’t paid homage to an inspirational celebrity in a long while and for that I have decided to add Elle McPherson to my list of celebrity women over 40, who I have grown to admire over the years. In her case, not only because of her ability to maintain an amazing body at 48,  but also because of her drive to become a successful businesswoman, designing lingerie for the woman of any age. Macpherson is a European Ambassador for RED, an initiative set up by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise money and awareness for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and to help eradicate AIDS for women and children in Africa. She is also an ambassador for UNICEF. In her native Australia, she is an ambassador for the Smile Foundation, which helps the families of children with rare diseases and organizes government research grants She has also modelled for charitable causes including fundraising for 2007 British flood victims, wounded veterans, and child welfare group Absolute Return for Kids. (per Wiki) For more on Elle McPherson please click here and …

healthy eating: chili with lentil

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I found this amazing chili recipe here and wanted to share it with my readers. Most busy women appreciate making food in bulk in order to feed their family and have a little bit left over for lunch the next day.  But even if that isn’t the case in your household, you will appreciate the chili with lentil recipe below. Just in case you are curious about the health benefits of lentil: It is a member of the legume family, which is highly recommended in healthy eating. Not only do lentils lower cholesterol, they  also manage blood-sugar disorders due to its high fiber content. Lentils also contain six important minerals, two B-vitamins, protein with virtually no fat. So, next time you are in the mood for chili, consider my favorite legume, lentil instead of the usual beans chili is made with. Serves 8 This simple vegetarian chili recipe uses lentils instead of beans. Brown lentils work best as they will hold their shape even when tender after cooking. Serve with our Health Starts Here hearth …

healthy eating – beef stew with red wine and dried plums

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For some  reason I love beef stew, I suppose because it is the American version of Boeuf Bourguignon, which happens to be one of  my favorite French dishes (yes I said French again).  The wonderful thing about beef stew is that you can actually make it a day in advance and in a large quantity for a fun meal, for the entire family or while entertaining friends during the winter months. Now, although I enjoy traditional beef stew with potatoes and carrots, on occasion I am always looking for “out of the norm” recipes to make the meal exciting and yet weight watcher friendly and thankfully I was able to do just that with the beef stew recipe that I found here. It has no potatoes or carrots, instead it’s made with dried plums and celery celeriac. I actually made this version minus the vanilla bean and it was pretty good and I didn’t feel guilty about watching what I ate.  I paired it with a  *robust Cabernet and sliced, *rustic French (yes I said …

challenges of wrinkle creams

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Here is a topic I have been avoiding for a while, but since those annoying wrinkles are beginning to creep up on me, I am no longer able to avoid the problem at hand. However, finding the right wrinkle cream is probably the most frustrating thing I have experienced in the history of my shopping endeavors.  I have visited every make up counter and spoken to dozens of make up consultants, I have surfed the net and  read  reviews on most any cream out there and yet, I am just not convinced any of them will  help nor  are worth the amount of money they cost. What I did do however, is compile here and here some sites of the most highly recommended wrinkle creams out there and I would love to  hear from anyone who has tried any of them and what you actually  thought about it?

intro to spring 2011 fashion trends

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Although it may seem a bit early to think about Spring fashion, since most of us can’t seem to stay warm enough during this Winter season,  in reality it is actually the perfect time. Well, maybe not from the consumers point of view, but for sure from the retailers perspective. So with that seed being planted in your minds, I have included some photos of the Spring 2011 collection from the various designers for your viewing pleasure. Check them out and tell me what you think? Also, in the next few weeks I will be discussing the fashion trends in great detail, so stay tuned!