Tips For Health

And heres another study, this time published in JAMA about Kaiser in Northern California that found that the following five components resulted in an increase of population-based blood pressure control: 

1. "Registry" (which the Disease Management Care Blog says is really a stand-alone database that is outside of the electronic health record);

2. "Control Rates" (which the DMCB figures is really an updated "dashboard" that displays key metrics to administrators and docs that provides feedback and helps keep everyone on the same page);

3. "Guideline" (in reality, it was a campaign to gain provider buy-in consisting of emails, publications, pocket cards, conferences, lectures and decision support);

4. "Medical assistant" follow-up operating under protocol to adjust medications (a.k.a population-based care management)

5. "Single" pill treatment (in other words, keep it simple by using pharmaceuticals that are combined in a single once a day prescription pill).

DMCB readers will not be surprised to know that the registry showed a progressive improvement in BP control (defined as less than 140/90 with the usual HEDIS® caveats) from 43.6% in 2001 to 80.4% in 2009.  Because everyone with hypertension at Kaiser was in the registry, there is no internal comparison group.  However, national and northern California HEDIS® rates for blood pressure control ranged from 55.4% to 69.4%.

While the results are 1) not necessarily generalizable outside of integrated systems like Kaiser (so we dont know for sure that this would work in a network of primary care clinics in Idaho), and 2) may have been influenced by an influx of patients with mild and easy-to-treat hypertension during the campaign), the DMCB is impressed. 

An 80% control rate for hypertension is damn good. 

The DMCB also figures that each of the interventions above are mutually supportive and even synergistic.  The whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.

How to translate this kind of success to networks of independent practices?  The answer, says the DMCB, is population health management: sponsored programs that can be owned by an insurer or a provider network that synergistically identify a population, maintain a data base, create a virtuous cycle of measurement and adjustment, get the doctors on board, deploy care managers and are smart about the pharmacy benefit.

If your a PHM service provider, vendor, consultant or stakeholder, the DMCB suggests this is one of those research papers you should bookmark, quote and aspire to.

Image from Wikipedia

A new study by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University reveals that eating a good breakfast can have a positive impact on women with problems of infertility.

In recent years, nutritional research has found that our weight is affected not only by the level of calorie intake, but also by the question of when to consume large amounts of calories.

Now, research, conducted by Prof. Oren Froy, director of the Nutrigenomics and Functional Foods Research Center at the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University, and Maayan Barnea, plus Prof. Daniela Jocabovitz and Dr. Julio Weinstein from Tel Aviv University and Wolfson Medical Center, shows that a big breakfast increases fertility among woman who suffer from menstrual irregularities.

The study examined whether meal times have an impact on the health of woman with menstrual irregularities due to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS affects approximately 6-10% of woman of reproductive age, disrupting their reproductive abilities. This syndrome creates a resistance to insulin, leading to an increase in male sex hormones (androgens), and can also cause menstrual irregularities, hair loss on the scalp though increase in body hair, acne, fertility problems and future diabetes.

The experiment was carried out at Wolfson Medical Center on 60 women over a 12-week period. The women, from the ages of 25 to 39, were thin with a BMI (body mass index) of less than 23 and suffered from PCOS.

The women were divided into two groups and were allowed to consume about 1,800 calories a day. The difference between the groups was the timing of their largest meal. One group consumed their largest meal, approximately 980 calories, at breakfast, while the other at dinner. Researchers wanted to examine whether the schedule of calorie intake affects insulin resistance and the increase in androgens among woman suffering from PCOS. The women kept records of exactly what they ate.

The findings, recently published in the journal, "Clinical Science," showed improved results for the group that consumed a big breakfast. Glucose levels and insulin resistance decreased by 8%, while the second group ("dinner") showed no changes. Another finding showed that among the "breakfast" group, testosterone (one of the androgens) levels decreased by nearly 50%, while the "dinner" group level stayed neutral. In addition, there was a much higher rate of ovulating woman within the "breakfast group" compared to the "dinner" group, showing that eating a hearty breakfast leads to an increase in the level of fertility among woman with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

According to Prof. Froy, "The research clearly demonstrates that indeed the amount of calories we consume daily is very important, but the timing as to when we consume them is even more important."

Lets talk about death today! Sorry, just trying to make it seem exciting. If you know me well, you may know that I live with my grandparents, who are 90+ years old. If you know me really well, you may also know that my grandfather is losing his mind... some sort of dementia, maybe Alzheimers, who knows. Regardless, much of the time he doesnt know who I am, nor where he is, and from time to time, he still thinks its the 1940s. He also has a hard time taking care of himself. He seems to forget how to perform even the most basic tasks, like brushing his teeth or shaving. Every day is a struggle for him and for those around him.

Essentially, his quality of life has diminished to the point where I question why he wants to keep fighting. Lately Ive been thinking hard about some of this stuff... yes, were living longer lives, but are we really living?


Disclaimer
Before I go any further, Id like to say a few things. First, no one close to me has ever died. At 28 years old, Im not quite sure how this is possible, but I havent personally experienced the loss of a close family member or friend. Second, I have no idea what its like to be close to death. Im young, and havent suffered from any life-threatening trauma myself, so Ive never personally been in a situation where I felt like I was dying. My point is, Im looking at death as an outsider, as someone with no first-hand experience. If you find anything I say to be offensive, or ignorant... now you know where Im coming from.

Im a firm believer in the idea that we die when were ready to die. You know, outside of trauma or something like that. How many times have you heard that someone "died with his family at his side, as if he knew it was time", or that "it was like she waited for everyone to leave so she could die in peace"? No matter how we want it to happen, it seems we have some control over when we let ourselves go. Its as if we have one foot in the afterlife, and its up to us to take that last step.

But today, with modern medicine leading the way, it seems that many of us hang onto that step for as long as is humanly possible. Ive met some who are far beyond the point my grandfather is at. Spending just a few minutes in a dementia ward at a local nursing home, Ive met people with virtually no mental function who need assistance in every activity of daily living. Its one of the most depressing things Ive ever seen. These people are simply no longer functioning human beings.

So this brings up some questions... Whats keeping people like this alive? Have we forgotten how to die? Why do we keep going, despite such a horrible quality of life?

I think we would benefit from thinking a little harder about death.

Looking at Death in a Positive Light
To me, death can be a beautiful thing. Were all born, and we all die. Those are just about the only certainties in this life, and I think theres something beautiful in the simplicity. To quote my favorite Bright Eyes song, "there is nothing as lucky, as easy, or free". Its the inevitable ending to a human life, the culmination of all that has been accomplished, and a celebration of the freedom of the soul from the confines of the body. Whats so bad about that?

I think its time we embrace death. Not literally of course, for most of us, but we should change the way we think about it. It marks an ending for sure, but with all endings come new beginnings. The death of a loved one will never be easy. But if we approach it with a different mindset, understanding the positives that can come from it and appreciating the beauty of a life that has run its course, we can appreciate it for what it is. Think of the death of a loved one as a chance for personal growth. You cant change it. You have no choice but to keep on going. Embrace it, accept it, and grow from it. Change is the only constant in life; its best we all learn how to use it to our advantage.

And when that time comes to face the end of our own lives, and I truly believe that we will know when that time comes, we shouldnt feel obligated to fight it. Sure, modern medicine can keep us alive for many years more than ever before, but as our quality of life declines, each of us needs to decide for ourselves whether thats a good thing. Theres nothing wrong with letting go if thats what we feel. And we should do it with smile, experiencing the full spectrum of emotions of the moment... happiness, sorrow, relief, hope, guilt, love, fear, all of it... knowing that we took the next step on our terms, not at the mercy of a respirator.


Phew, that was some heavy stuff. I just cant talk about death anymore, even if it is the positive side of it. Its killing my mood!! I wont even properly conclude this post, just take these musings for what theyre worth!

Ill leave you with something a little lighter... an article called "Top Five Regrets of the Dying". Its a great list that might just help you put things in perspective. Hint: be happy and love people. Now thats how you end a post about death on a happy note :)

If so, then why not agree with the governments regulation of hospital fee rates?

This article in JAMA explains how largely Democratic Maryland is using its "Health Services Cost Review Commission, or "HSCRC" to do precisely that to its 51 hospitals.  Its independent 7 member Board of Commissioners is appointed by the governor for four year terms.  Only 3 can be hospital administrators, hospital board members or hospital staff physicians.  Its budget of 7 million is paid for by a fee assessed on hospitals and much of it is used to collecting and publicly reporting cost and quality data.  The HSCRC uses patient risk adjustments, uncompensated care adjustments and other statistical factors to determine a "charge per case" which all insurers in the state are required to follow.  Medicare and Medicaid follows suit through a waiver system.

After the system was instituted in 1976, the rate of hospital cost inflation plummeted, making Maryland the lowest hospital charges of any state in the Union.  And by the way, the HSCRC is also incorporating pay-for-performance and a no-pay for certain complications in its fee schedule.

While the DMCB tends to be pro"market" and anti-regulation, thats not going to stop it from congratulating Maryland for taking a health care bull by the horns.  It thinks this is another example of a state that is stepping up with its own local version of health orm without having to necessarily wait for the federal government.  While the DMCB doubts that other states could pull this off, the HSCRC works in Maryland and the voters seem to like it.  Thats quite a contrast when its compared to  the Affordable Care Act.

Oh man, guys. I just had the best/worst idea for how to start today’s column.

It’s getting icy.

Brr, y’know, cause winter’s coming? But also because I want to talk about freezing food. Like, for storage.

I know, it’s awful. My dad would be proud.

I could also aim this in the direction of Thanksgiving sides. The recipe herein is an amazing Thanksgiving side, and I will be making it for my family next week. (Oh crap, next week?!) But the food-blog corner of the internet is already overflowing with Thanksgiving recipes right now, and they really just serve to make me panic about the fact that Thanksgiving is next week and how am I making two pies and four side dishes and cranberry sauce in half a day in my mom’s kitchen??!?

So, back to freezing.

As fall starts hinting that winter’s on its way, my mind turns toward my freezer. Not for the popsicles and other frozen goodnesses of summer, but because, like a squirrel with its acorns, I’m suddenly compelled to start putting food away. Every week in fall brings another visit to the farmers market, another fearful peek at the produce for sale, to see what’s gone out of season next.

In spring and summer, vegetables go out of season to be replaced by the next round of tasty produce – we go from asparagus to bell peppers to broccoli to kale, strawberries to raspberries to stone fruit to apples – but once we get to fall, foods end their season unreplaced. Or replaced by apples, onions, and potatoes. Piles and piles of apples, onions, and potatoes.

Now’s when I start to panic. What can I freeze? What can I save? Come February I’ll be wandering the supermarket aisles, pallid under the fluorescent lights, trying to decide between California kale and Mexican Brussels sprouts. I’ll make eggs with frozen spinach. I’ll mix frozen cherries into my yogurt. And I will feel sad, disconnected from my local growing season, like a poor steward of the Earth, and broke.

So I’m trying, this year, to shore up my stores of local, seasonal, cheap vegetables, to pack them away in ways they can last, and last tastily. (Let’s not talk about the frozen beet greens fiasco of 2009.) Sure, just about any home-frozen vegetable can feature passably in a soup, but I want food that actually tastes good.

The trick to freezing most vegetables is blanching. When you freeze raw vegetables their cell walls burst – thanks to waters magical expands-as-it-freezes-ness – and burst cell walls equal mush. Blanching vegetables – a quick boil or steam – eases that problem and neutralizes enzymes that can wreak havoc on icy goods. Unfortunately, I don’t like a lot of vegetables blanched – I rely on hot sautéing to make things like kale and Brussels sprouts delicious, and once you’ve blanched, you can’t go back. (Sorry, is that not an awesome new catchphrase?)

So far I’ve found two awesome recipes that freeze well. They’re easy to make in large batches, defrost without any degradation, and are preparations of these foods that I actually love. Points there. One is the spiced applesauce I wrote about a little while ago.

The other is mashed cauliflower.

Ignore any bad connotations it carries as a sad low-carb substitute for mashed potatoes; mashed cauliflower is delicious in its own right. It satisfied the creamy, salty, comfort food part of your heart/stomach/brain, but with a bit more flavor than plain potatoes. It’s still a great vehicle for anything mashed potatoes play with well, and, oh right, it’s a giant pile of super-good-for-you vegetables.

This is the time of year for cauliflower. At the big Union Square farmers market in New York City, giant 5-pound heads are going for two or three bucks each, and they’re fresh and gorgeous. I’ve got a stack of little one-cup containers of this stuff lining the back of my freezer (interspersed with apple sauce, of course). A few more weeks, a few more massive cauliflowers, and I should be set for winter.

I mean, set in terms of cauliflower. I can’t quite live on apples and cauliflower alone, though. So I ask you, dear readers – how do you freeze or store fall produce to last into the winter? Jaime-in-February-without-vitamin-deficiencies thanks you.

A note on this recipe: This is a very basic version. The options for embellishment are nearly endless. Anything you can do to mashed potatoes, you can do to this. Possible additions: roasted garlic, red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast, shredded cheese, olive oil, a little milk (cow, soy, or otherwise), paprika, scallions, roasted kale, sautéed zucchini, baked tofu, bacon, bacon bits, etc. I find that, just as with potatoes, a little fat goes a long way as long as the food’s thoroughly salted.

~~~

If you like this, get a load of:

• Cauliflower with Ginger, Garlic, and Green Chilies
• Miso Mashed Potatoes
• Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese

~~~

Mashed Cauliflower
Serves 4
NOTE: The picture didnt come out too great, so this is an amazing facsimile taken from Flickr Creative Commons user roolrool. Needless to say, its the stuff on the left.


1 large head of cauliflower (about 8 cups chopped)
1 Tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

1) Chop cauliflower into florets.

2) Steam cauliflower until very tender, about 8-10 minutes. (Alternately, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower, and boil until tender. Timing here depends on the power of your stovetop to bring the cauliflower and water back up to temperature. Maybe 15-20 minutes? Or maybe my stovetop is weak.)

3) Drain cauliflower, and let cool until not too hot to touch. Pat cauliflower dry with paper towels.

4) Return cauliflower to pot, or to a big bowl, add butter, and puree with an immersion blender until creamy. (Alternately, puree in food processor.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
76 calories, 3.1g fat, 5g fiber, 4g protein, $0.54

Calculations
8 cups cauliflower: 200 calories, 0.8g fat, 20g fiber, 15.8g protein, $2.00
1 T butter: 102 calories, 11.5g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.10
1 T salt: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.03
1 t pepper: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.02
TOTALS: 302 calories, 12.3 g fat, 20g fiber, 15.8g protein, $2.15
PER SERVING (Total/4): 76 calories, 3.1g fat, 5g fiber, 4g protein, $0.54

Ahh, summer. Full of hazy days, humid nights, and lots and lots of blueberries. Those sweet orbs of azure joy are welcome anytime of year, but especially right now, when they provide a fruitacular (fruitacular?) balm for the grossest weeks of summer.

Thats a flowery way of saying that blueberries are currently on major sale at both my supermarket and Costco, going for about $0.16/ounce. Thats just about as cheap as theyll get around here, and I want to preserve the bounty for the winter months. (Thats when I  crave blueberry pancakes, but have to usually settle for acorn squash pancakes. Its just not the same.)

Fortunately, freezing blueberries for future use is easy as (blueberry) pie, and a heckuva lot cheaper than buying off-season ones come January. All you need to do is follow these simple steps. Youll thank me come Christmas (because surely, theres no one more deserving of expensive gift-like things than a babble-prone, extremely lax blogger you barely know.)

Anyway, lets get to it. 

Step 1: Cut a hole in the box. Buy an Ark-of-the-Covenant-sized carton of blueberries from your local farmers market, big box store, or perred fruit venue.


Step 1.5: Get some freezer baggies while youre at it. Honestly, theyre nice to have around, regardless. Tom Bosley was right on.


Step 2: Take a picture that you may someday use as a computer background. Make sure it is well-lit and in focus, so people (note: your mom) think(s) youre super awesome.


Step 3: Measure out your desired amount of blueberries. It could be in cup or half-cup increments, or by weight. Whatever you per. For my own nefarious purposes, I did eight ounces at a time.

Step 4: Place the blueberries on a small baking sheet. Stick that sheet right in your freezer.

NOTE: Blueberries are weird in that you should generally wait to wash them until right before using em. Less mushiness that way.


Step 5: Freeze for a few hours. Overnight is best.

Step 6: While the freezing process is occurring, watch the finale of Friday Night Lights and contemplate your values. Hope that someday you may make Coach Taylor proud.


Step 7: Once berries are frozen through, pour them into a freezer-safe Ziploc baggie. Get as much air out as possible, using a straw or your purty, purty mouth. Then, label that sucker.

NOTE: You do not have to write "Frozen Blueberries," as so brilliantly demonstrated here. Odds are youll know theyre frozen when you remove them from ... wait for it ... yep, the freezer.


And thats pretty much it. The blueberries should keep for a couple of months this way. (If you start seeing major freezer burn or frost buildup, its probably a pretty good indication they should be used soon.) Try them in smoothies, crisps, or the aforementioned flapjacks. Viva la France!

Sorry about the late post yesterday, faithful readers, and thank you so much for your patience. Blogger was giving me fits. I thought Id never get you goods.

But got they were, and now were to be back in action. Veggie Might will be up shortly, and in the meantime, please spend a few delightful minutes with Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. (Thanks for the link, CB.)

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

Lint is a shells best friend.

Broccoli is one the most hated vegetable in my home before few years, but now its one of our most favourite vegetable. Recently i tried my hands in making a fantastic starter aka snacks with this antioxydant rich vegetable, yes i tried kola urundai with broccoli florets. Usually kola urundais are prepared with minced meats, but somehow we do make kola urundais with veggies like raw banana,banana blossom. Since i chosed this weeks blogging marathon with after school bites as theme, am posting this healthy, addictive and very crispy snacks.

You can serve very well this broccoli kola urundais for any occasions,these balls are definitely a crowd pleaser and quite easy to feed anyone with this veggie. Personally making kola urundais with broccoli is one of the best way to sneak this healthy vegetable and its a kids friendly dish. Once you finished frying these balls, just serve your kids and see how fast these crispy balls will gets vanish. Am sure this kola urundai will become a family favourite if you prepared them at home. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#31.


1no Small broccoli head
1tbsp Fennel seeds
1tsp Poppy seeds
2nos Garlic cloves
4tbsp Coconut
4nos Dry red chillies
7tbsp Roasted gram/pottukadalai
1no Onion (chopped finely)
Few curry leaves
Oil (for frying)
Salt

Grate the broccoli and saute it in a pan with some oil until they get shrinks and the water gets evaporated.

In the same pan,heat few drops of oil and saute the chopped onions,curry leaves until the onions turns transculent.

Grind the poppy seeds,coconut,garlic cloves,fennel seeds,dry red chillies as fine powder.

Also grind the roasted gram as fine powder.

Now take the sauteed onions, cooked broccolis, grinded spice powder, roasted gram powder and salt in a bowl.

Mix everything well to form a dough.

Pinch out medium sized balls from it and keep aside.

Heat the oil for deepfrying. Drop the rolled balls to the oil..

Fry in medium flame until they turns golden brown,drain the excess of oil with a paper towel.

Serve with ketchup.

Delicious Food and Make Immune from Diseases - When conditions are extreme and erratic weather like right now, your body may become more vulnerable to minor disturbances, such as flu or colds. In order not easy to get sick, you certainly have to maintain the condition and stamina with a variety of ways, including improved durability and immunity or immunity through the intake of nutritious food.

The following are some healthy foods that you can choose to boost immunity. By taking them properly and balanced, your body will be primed and protected from disease.

1. Oysters: Is it true that oysters contain substances that stimulate lust or boost immunity? Perhaps both are true. Oysters contain zinc (zinc). Research shows that low zinc intake associated with male infertility. In addition, the mineral content of zinc in oysters have antiviral effects. Though research has not been able to explain the process, the minerals zinc proved a big role in the immune system, including in wound healing.

2. Watermelon: Besides containing lots of fluids and reshing, ripe watermelon also contain high antioxidant and glutathione. Glutathione is known to help strengthen the immune system so it can fight infection. Glutathione itself is found in the red watermelon flesh.

3. Cabbage: In addition to watermelon, cabbage is also a useful source of glutathione, which strengthens the immune system. Cabbage is easy to find in every season and its cheap. Try adding some kind of cabbage (white, red, china) to soups and beverages to increase the nutritional value and source of antioxidants in your food.

4. Nuts "almonds": You know, when experiencing stress, then it is synonymous with lowered immunity? Try a handful of almonds to overcome them. You are advised to consume 1/4 cup almonds because the dose is already contained 50 percent of the amount of vitamin E needed by the body to help boost the immune system. Almonds also contain riboflavin and niacin, vitamin B that can help you recover from the effects of stress.

5. Oranges "grapefruit": The content of vitamin C in grapefruit is very high and good for the body. However, until recently, research has not been able to prove that you can easily meet the requirement of vitamin C through diet alone, without supplements, to help treat the flu or a cold. Even so, grapefruit may be an option because it contains flavonoids (natural chemical compounds that are useful boost the immune system). Do not like grapefruit? You could try oranges or tangerines (tangerines).

6. "Wheat germ": Wheat germ is a core part of the grain of wheat which is rich in nutrients. The content contained in the wheat germ of which is the mineral zinc, antioxidants, and vitamins B, as well as other essential vitamins and minerals. Wheat germ also contains a mixture of fiber, protein and some fat is good.

7. Low-fat yogurt: A cup of yogurt each day can prevent your body from the cold. Look for yogurt label that wrote the "bacteria live and active cultures". Some researchers believe that yogurt may stimulate the immune system to fight disease. In addition, recent studies of vitamin D have found an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk of cold and flu.

8. Garlic: Garlic contains a number of antioxidants which are useful in the immune system against H pylori, the bacterium that causes inflammation of the stomach lining and even stomach cancer. Cooking tips are: peeled garlic, cut, and allow 15 to 20 minutes before cooking to activate an enzyme that works to increase immunity.

9. Spinach: Spinach is known as a super food because it is rich in nutrients. This is because spinach contains folate which helps your body produce new cells and repair of DNA. Spinach also contains fiber, antioxidants, like vitamin C, and more. Nutrition at most spinach is obtained when spinach is eaten raw or lightly cooked.

10. Tea: Like green tea or black tea? No need to hesitate because they both contain polyphenols and flavonoids that can fight disease. Antioxidants contained in both types of tea that can destroy free radicals.

11. Sweet potatoes: Like carrots, sweet potatoes also have antioxidant beta-carotene that fight free radicals. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin A which is useful to slow the aging process and can reduce the risk of some types of cancer.

12. Broccoli: Vegetables that are easily found in supermarkets is in fact contain substances that can increase the bodys immune basis. A study showed that natural chemicals in broccoli helps stimulate the immune system. Plus, nutrients that protect your body from damage. In addition, broccoli also has vitamin A, vitamin C, and glutathione. Cooking Tips: You can add a side dish with broccoli fed low-fat cheese so that obtaining vitamin B and vitamin D are useful to boost immunity.

13. Button mushrooms: When you think of mushrooms as a low-nutrient foods, you are wrong! Fungi have a mineral selenium and antioxidants. Based on the study, low levels of selenium in the body can increase the risk of contracting a more severe flu. In addition, riboflavin and niacin content contained in button mushrooms play an important role in the immune system. Animal studies have shown that the fungus also has antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-tumor effects.

14. "Acai berry": Known by the term "superfood", acai berry also produces antioxidants like blueberries. Only, acai berry antioxidant content is higher and is often called anthocyanins. Although the acai berry can not be dispesifikkan to combat certain diseases, antioxidant believed to help your body fight aging and disease. Acai berry most often ditemukkan in juices or smoothies or dried and mixed with granola (cereal).

15. "Elderberry": In a study conducted found that the herb made from elderberry extract is able to block the flu virus. Several small studies conducted in humans showed that this material can help you recover faster from the flu. However, scientists caution that further studies are still needed. Elderberry itself rich in antioxidants and has the ability to relieve inflammation.

Ingin menikmati makanan sehat yang berbeda dengan biasa, Orak Arik Telur Campur Bakso bisa menjadi pilihan anda, Cara pembuatan yang mudah dan cepat, cocok untuk pemula. Bagaimana cara membuatnya, ayoladies :)

Cara membuat Orak Arik Telur Campur Bakso

Bahan-bahan yang dibuthkan:

1. 2 butir telur ayam, kocok lepas
2. 6 buah bakso sapi, iris sesuai selera
3. 2 buah cabai rawit, iris serong
4. 1/4 bagian bawang bombay
5. Garam secukupnya
6. Merica bubuk secukupnya

Cara Membuat Orak Telur Arik Campur Bakso

1. Campur garam dan merica dalam telur, kocok hingga rata, sisihkan.
2. Tumis bawang bombay hingga harum dan layu.
3. Masukkan cabai rawit, aduk sebentar.
4. Tambahkan bakso, aduk rata.
5. Tuang telur yang sudah dikocok sedikit demi sedikit sambil diaduk agar menjadi orak arik.
6. Aduk-aduk orak arik hingga telur matang, angkat.
7. Sajikan Orak Arik Telur Campur Bakso selagi hangat.

How much diet soda do you drink each day?

The U.S. produced more than 9,816,000,000 pounds of apples last year, or just about 28,854,000,000 individual pieces of fruit. That’s a lot of apples. Maybe too many to eat.

Fortunately, there are dozens - no, hundreds - wait, THOUSANDS of other uses for those delightful orbs of deliciousness, and CHG has 43 of ‘em right here.

1. Predict your romantic fortune. According to USApple.org, throwing an apple peel over your shoulder could reveal the identity of a boyfriend-or-girlfriend-to-be, since it, “would form the initial of your lover’s name.” I’m guessing X and Q don’t show up much.

2. Practice your pumpkin carving. Test-whittle a pumpkin pattern on its smaller, cheaper fruit cousin, and you’ll make fewer mistakes when it’s showtime.

3. Teach someone how to bunt. One of baseball’s most overlooked skills is also one of its most important, especially if you’re into squeeze plays. But bunting too hard is a suire way to waste an out. At your team’s next practice, toss apples to your bunters-in-training. If the fruit gets smashed, the kids are using unnecessary force. If the apples fall and roll away unharmed, they’re halfway to Butlerville.

4. Play a Flexibility game. This is an easy, creative brain exercise revered by one of my favorite elementary school teachers. Place an apple in front of a few kids. Give them ten minutes to come up with as many non-food uses as possible. The winner gets the apple. (And gets to write a blog entry twenty years later about the many uses of apples.)

5. Practice magic. Nourish your inner Harry Blackstone with the good ol’ Orange to an Apple trick. (Scroll down for details.)

6. Shrink some heads. Both hideously effective and just plain hideous, shrunken apple heads are guaranteed to scare the beejeezus out of someone this Halloween. Fab Foods has instructions.

7. Exfoliate. Wikihow gives DIY instructions on a neat facial scrub. Make sure you’re not allergic before giving it a try. That would be bad.

8. Prevent every disease known to man. Apples’ health benefits are too numerous and mind-boggling, to list here, so I’ll let’s hand it over to the Apple lobby.

9. Teach a student driver how to accelerate and brake smoothly. The apple’s stable bottom and heavy top makes it a perfect balance tool. Place one on top of the driver’s car. In an unoccupied parking lot, have him speed up, speed down, and finally, brake. If the apple’s knocked off, he loses. If it stays on, it’s apple pie for all.

10. Soften brown sugar. Oh, Readers Digest, you crafty minx. I had no idea it was possible to do this: “place an apple wedge in a self-sealing plastic bag with the chunk of hardened brown sugar. Tightly seal the bag and put it in a dry place for a day or two. Your sugar will once again be soft enough to use.” Now, if you could only improve that joke page…

11. Facial! According to the Washington Post, apples make people look pretty. Mix a grated one with a little honey and apply it to your face. Poof! Instant beauty. (Or at least, a very tasty visage.)

12. Stick ‘em in a vase. Pretending you’re on Trading Spaces has never been so easy. Grab a dozen Granny Smiths, pile them in a clear, tall container, and place strategically. Instant class for less than $4.

13. Make a stamp. Apples make great (albeit temporary) decorative stamps. Whether it’s cards, letters, or wrapping paper, the Washington Post claims all you have to do is, “[Slice] the fruit horizontally, exposing the inside star shape. Or create more elaborate designs -- hearts, moons, Hitchcocks profile -- with a small knife. Then stick a fork in the rounded side of the fruit, dip it in paint and press the stamp on paper.”

14. Host an apple tasting. From Lifehacker: Buy a dozen or so different apples, invite some friends over, and eat. Pair with wine, cheese, and/or chocolate for the ultimate in inexpensive luxury.

15. Ripen a tomato. Take five under-ripe tomatoes and one ripe apple. Place in a paper bag. Wait a few days. Marvel at the results.

16. Learn to Juggle. Over a couch or couch-like surface, perably.

17. Treat a horse, rabbit, or turtle. People aren’t the only animals that dig a nice MacIntosh. Head to your nearest stable or petting zoo, and (with the permission of the owners) make a mammal and/or amphibian happy. Especially fun with kids. (Make sure to shred the fruit before feeding it to a turtle. Otherwise, Choke City.)

18. De-salt a dish. Oversalting is a ginormous problem for those of us who per our sodium intake on the tongue-withering side. Readers Digest says, “When you find yourself getting heavy-handed with the saltshaker, simply drop a few apple (or potato) wedges in your pot. After cooking for another 10 minutes or so, remove the wedges -- along with the excess salt.” Chemistry at work!

19. Make stuff smell good. Huge props to Meredith at Like Merchant Ships on this one. She simmers a few apples along with various spicery, and her house ends up more fragrant than a Pillsbury factory. NICE. Instructions included in the link.

20. Build apple animals. Grab some toothpicks, a few gum drops, a handful of marshmallows and go to town. They make inspired, bizarrely fun holiday decorations, especially for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

21. Support some candles. I wish I’d thought of this one. Instead, Readers Digest trumped me again. You rascally malcontents! “Use an apple corer to carve a hole three-quarters of the way down into a pair of large apples, insert a tall decorative candle into each hole, surround the apples with a few leaves, branches, or flowers.”

22. Create an apple-head doll. Hey! It’s a doll that, uh, ages. (Yay?) I’m not so sure how I feel about this one, but (once again) the Washington Post seems to think it’s a good idea: “Peel an apple and let it hang-dry for a couple of days, so that the fruit shrivels into an old-lady face. Decorate the face with wire (for granny glasses) and seeds (for beady eyes), and attach it to a small bottle for the body. Dress up.”

23. Save the cakes! Storing a cake with half an apple will keep it alive for days longer than its projected lifespan. See, the apple absorbs all the mold-breeding moisture, leaving the confection nearly as fresh as the day it was baked. (I would say, “yummo” here, but honestly, that word makes me homicidal.)

24. Juice up a chicken. Marcella Hazan does this, but with lemons. 1) Grab a roaster chicken. 2) Stick an apple up its butt. 3) Roast. 4) Enjoy your a dewy, drippingly moist bird. Reader’s Digest has more.

25. Bob for them suckers. Oh, it looks easy enough, but Bobbing for Apples is the "Stairway to Heaven" of Halloween party games: only the chosen ones are really good at it.

26. Teach math and/or the fundamentals of gravity. According to some studies, kids respond better to hands-on lessons than those learned by rote memory. Apples are good tools for teaching addition, subtraction, and basic Newtonian physics. (Plus, is there anything more entertaining than dropping fruit on childrens’ heads?)

27. Decorate a Christmas tree. String some garland or build your own ornaments. If you have a dog or particularly bizarre cat, just remember to place ‘em high up.

28. Practice your knife skills. Whether you’re peeling its skin, coring the center, or chopping it up into eraser-sized pieces, the apple is one of the few foods suited for both pairing and chef’s knives. Hone your technique on a few dozen Cortlands (and use the detritus in applesauce).

29. Jazz up a floral arrangement. For your next bouquet, think outside the flower box by adding one or two color-coordinated apples to the party. Meredith has a great example over here.

30. Kiss up to a teacher. If your wife, husband, sister, roommate, uncle, best friend, or second cousin by marriage twice removed is about to launch a teaching career, slip a Red Delicious into their lunchbox with a note. They’ll mist up in the cafeteria.

31. Devise a centerpiece. Stack ‘em, line ‘em up, or stick ‘em in a bowl – anyway you position them, apples are elegant, easy objets d’art in any mealtime setting.

32. Play Pass the Apple. A super-neat variation on the ol’ fashioned relay race, Pass the Apple involves each runner tucking a piece of fruit under his chin, then transferring it to the next runner’s chin without using his hands.

33. Carve a bird. Fruit sculpture is impressive and fairly easy when compared to other hobbies, like say, quantum physics. This apple bird tutorial will get you started.

34. Give a gift. Whether you’re canning or making Apple Pie in a Jar, every person on the face of the earth (except Kim Jong Il and other various psychopaths) loves receiving food for special occasions. Homemade apple products are an inexpensive way to please minds, hearts, and gaping maws.

35. Target practice. Do you shoot things at other things? Save money (and perhaps someone’s eye) by setting apples up as bulls-eyes. On the less-destructive side, they also make fabulous targets for practicing your curveball. (PLEASE BE CAREFUL.)

36. Paint. There’s a reason so many painters start on bowls of fruit – it’s a good way to learn fundamental shading and coloring. Unpack those brushes and get started, folks.

37. Design a wreath. At first, I pictured this as a dozen apples affixed to a straw circlet, rotting over my mom’s mantle. Ooo – wrong. FamilyCorner.com has a good example of how it should really be done.

38. Play apple toss. It’s like cornhole, but with buckets. And apples. And no bean bags. And … ah, just take a look.

39. Cook. This would be a pretty awful cooking blog if there was no actual cooking involved. So, BEHOLD the following light, relatively inexpensive recipes, garnered from Cooking Light, Food Network, Pick Your Own, All Recipes, and my Ma:
Apple Brown Betty
Apple Butter
Apple Cake


Sources:

• Hocklander, Sony. "Applemania," Springfield News-Leader. 9/19/04.
• Readers Digest
  http://www.rd.com/content/extraordinaryuses/extraordinary-uses-for-apples/
• US Apple Association
  http://usapple.org/index-c.cfm
• "With the arrival of apple season," Washington Post. 10/22/06
  

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.

When World Curry Tour ’09 began, I was confused by “curry” and have since tried to educate myself. I came across this passage in Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors by Lizzie Collingham: “In Bengal, the meals of the poor are made up of a rice, little dal flavored with salt, chilies, and a few spices…”

Immediately, I was transported back to the late 1990s when I was a waitron for the woman with little regard for vegetarians. Then, all of the bussers and a couple of the baristas at the restaurant were from Bangladesh. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, they would break their daylong fast at 6:00 pm by spreading out a comfort food banquet, courtesy of their wives and mothers.

And every night, they would share their bounty with the rest of us. Mohammad and Akbar, in particular, took joy in sharing their native cuisines. I always felt guilty taking their food after they’d gone all day without eating, but they reassured me (and it was quite evident) that there was plenty.

One dish stood out to me: a thick and comforting yellow split pea porridge with a zing of ginger and a flash of heat. At the time, I was not well versed in Indian or Southeast Asian cuisine. This flavor combination was new to me and I wanted more.

I begged Akbar for his wife, Shipa’s, recipe, thinking he would need to ask her and get back to me. To my surprise, he rattled it off like he’d been making it his whole life.

“It’s easy,” he said. “You just take 6 cups of water, 1 cup dal, 1 cup of rice—must be basmati—an onion, a head of garlic, ginger…”

I wrote furiously on my waiter’s notepad, excited to be getting an authentic Bengali recipe. Mohammed piped up that he’d get me the chick pea fritter recipe too. I gave him an enthusiastic nod while I scribbled.

“How much ginger?” I asked Akbar.

“This much,” he said, indicating about a 4-inch piece.

“Okay, go ahead,” I panted, ready for more.

“And 6 green, finger chilies,” he said, holding up his pinky. I laughed. “That’s it. Just put it all in a pot with the water and salt, let it boil, and stir it until the rice is done.”

“That’s it?” I asked skeptically. I didn’t know what questions to ask at the time. Just getting the ingredients seemed to be enough.

“That’s it,” he beamed.

That wasn’t quite it. At least for me, who was unaccustomed to working with these flavors. Trying to recreate someone else’s comfort food is almost always fraught with error.

On my first attempt, I ignored Akkie’s admonition to use basmati rice, instead using regular brown rice to make it “healthier.” To say it came out like paste is an insult to glue. Not only that, I also realized that something got lost between the instructional translation and my mediocre culinary skills.

Over the years, I’ve attempted the dish a couple more times, but it’s never been as good as I remember. Then on Sunday the light bulb came on, after dreaming about this dish for 10 years, the scrap from my waiter’s notebook long gone.

I knew exactly what to do: cook the onions, garlic, and spices in the pot before adding the water, dal, and BASMATI. It’s still a one-pot dish, but with a 1,000 times more flavor. It tasted exactly as I remembered. Akkie, and dare I say, Shipa, who I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting, would be proud. Plus, my charming dinner guest loved it.

Notes:

• Yellow split peas are similar to split pigeon peas, also called toor dal at the Indian market. For this attempt, I used toor dal because that’s what I had on hand.
• I also used brown basmati rice, maintaining the spirit of the dish and increasing the health benefit/fiber content.
• Freeze your ginger root in advance for easy grating. Thanks again, C for the tip!
• I stopped by the restaurant today to ask Akbar’s permission to use his family’s recipe. He gave his approval, but says I did it wrong. Apparently, I really was supposed to put everything in the pot and boil the crap out of it while stirring madly. I’ll give it another try that way and post the results in the comments. In the meantime, the method below works like a dream…a delicious, spicy, gingery, this-could-replace-any-number-of-my-childhood-comfort-foods dream.

~~~~
If you like this recipe, you may like

• Pindi Chana
• Magical Cabbage
• Palak Paneer

~~~~

Shipa’s Dal and Rice with Ginger and Green Chilies
Serves 4–5


1 cup yellow split peas (or toor dal)
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 tbsp canola oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6–8 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
5–6 green chilies, finely chopped (small, pinky-finger-sized; use few for a milder dish)
4” x 1” knob ginger, grated (about 3–4 tbsp)
6 cups water
salt to taste

1) Heat oil in a stock pot or large saucepan.

2) Add the onion and sauté until soft.

3) One at a time, add garlic, chilies, and ginger, cooking for a minute or two between each addition.

4) When the onions are clear(ish) and fragrant, add the water, dal, and rice.

5) Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover.

6) Cook for 40 minutes or until dal and rice is tender and water is absorbed. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching.

7) Allow to cool for a few minutes if you can wait that long. I couldn’t. The aroma is irresistible and I have the burnt tongue to prove it.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price per Serving
Serves 4: 410.4 calories, 5.5g fat, 10.5g fiber, $.60
Serves 5: 328.3 calories, 4.4g fat, 8.4g fiber, $.48

Calculations
1 cup toor dal: 703 calories, 3g fat, 31g fiber, $.62
1 cup brown basmati rice: 685 calories, 5 g fat, 6g fiber, $.70
1 tbsp canola oil: 120 calories, 14g fat, $.08
1 large yellow onion: 60 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber, $.75
8 cloves garlic: 33.6 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, $.10
6 green chilies: 18 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, $.07
1 4” knob ginger: 22 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, $.06
salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $.02
Totals: 1641.6 calories, 22g fat, 42g fiber, $2.40
Per serving (totals/4): 410.4 calories, 5.5g fat, 10.5g fiber, $.60
(totals/5): 328.3 calories, 4.4g fat, 8.4g fiber, $.48