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Palestinian Chicken Soup With Meatballs

Every time I make this soup it reminds me of a common bond with my Jewish friends – chicken soup made with love. Chicken soup made on cold days, and on days when I had cold or flu as a youngster. And from my grandmother, who came from Jerusalem, the Christmas starter. It still is the Christmas starter dish on most of my family Christmases. This Christmas, we had it on Christmas Eve as the meal in itself. We sometimes have it on New Years’ day too, or at a dinner party with loved ones.

Chicken or turkey is used in this recipe, both are equally good. To make the chicken broth, you need any part of the chicken that has bones. It is the bones and joints that give the soup its special taste and good qualities (generally now considered to be anti-inflammatory). Ideally, use a whole chicken.

Continue reading “Palestinian Chicken Soup With Meatballs”

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You Say Merliton, I Say Mirliton – A Merliton by Any Other Name Tastes Just As Sweet!

For those of you not living in either California, Florida, Louisiana or Latin America, you may not be familiar with a merliton. Perhaps the names, chayote, vegetable pear, mango squash, cho-cho, xuxu or christophene ring a bell. They all refer to this versatile gourd-like vegetable that is grown around the world and called by various names. Historically, it was a primary food of the Aztecs and Mayas.

What Exactly is a Merliton?

A merilton is an edible plant of the Curcurbitaceae (gourd) family along with melons, cucumbers and squash. It is grown on a vine. It looks like a light green large pear, similar in color to a Granny Smith apple. The inside is a lighter color with a soft large seed.

A merliton can be fixed in as many ways as a sweet potato. It can be stuffed, fried, bake, mashed, creamed, pickled and buttered. The filling makes a great custard pie. It can be eaten raw and served cold in salads. It makes a great tasting soup and merliton fritters are a popular substitute for pancakes. Continue reading “You Say Merliton, I Say Mirliton – A Merliton by Any Other Name Tastes Just As Sweet!”

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Fabulous Native Foods Nutrition: Hearts Of Palm, Banana Stem, Salak And Sago Palm Fruits

A picture depicting a rural agricultural scene of coconut and banana trees fronted by rice fields best sums up the native foods of most Asians. However, few will see beyond the obvious hanging fruits, when the two tropical trees have much more to offer.

If you literally get to the core, you will find the real gastronomic delights awaiting you. Just think, the white rod-like center of the tree can be harvested for food!

Hearts Of Palm

‘See that pointy tip of the trunk, right at the top of that queen palm,’ she said. ‘That’s where the heart or bud is’. I have been on the trail of the palm heart ever since the day that precocious, dusky kid in class divulged that tidbit of information to me.

On second thoughts, my heart fell, for if you cut off the tip, you cut it dead. However, palms with multiple stems will survive; for if you chop off the main trunk, one of the remaining ones will take its place. Continue reading “Fabulous Native Foods Nutrition: Hearts Of Palm, Banana Stem, Salak And Sago Palm Fruits”

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Polynesian Diet Strategies – 7 Tips to Help You Lose Weight Permanently

I am constantly amazed when I hear stories of Polynesians who suddenly passed away from heart attack, diabetes, and even colon cancer, at such a young age. My grandfather was very young when he died from colon cancer. My mother who is now 62 has suffered from a long history of chronic illnesses, arthritis, stroke, and now has diabetes. Outside of my immediate family, I see other Polynesians suffering from diet induced diseases, and I fear they will not live to see their grandchildren. So what is happening to our people, and what can we do to stop it?

I am going to give you seven of the best tips you can implement to lose weight, and get back your health starting right now, but first I want to tell you a little about myself.

I am a Polynesian male in my late thirties. I was born and raised in New Zealand to loving parents of six children. I came to the United States in the late nineties to attend school. After the first year of College, I had gained some extra weight, about 15lbs. No big deal right, wrong. As each year passed I was gaining more and more unsightly body fat. Continue reading “Polynesian Diet Strategies – 7 Tips to Help You Lose Weight Permanently”

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How to Make Love to Him in a Way That He Will Never Forget? These Tips Will Guide You Effectively

Not a lot of men realize that making love is different from having sex. But women understand the concept and this is why they are better able to express love – in bed and without. Here are ways that you can make your man remember your bedroom encounter:

Be the master this time.

If this man has gotten used to driving, then it’s time that you reverse your roles. Why don’t you stay on top this time, if he’s used to the missionary style? Don’t let him feel bored when making love to you. Initiate some change and he’ll definitely welcome these new things!

Let go of any inhibitions.

This is the love of your life and so you have to give him all of you. Giving him 75-percent of you isn’t good enough. Be willing to explore new horizons when it comes to making love with him. Let change come from you rather than suffer the consequence of him looking for variety someplace else! Continue reading “How to Make Love to Him in a Way That He Will Never Forget? These Tips Will Guide You Effectively”

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Mango Wood Handicrafts – An Ecological Choice

Illegal logging especially of tropical woods rightly has received negative press in recent years. However, there are examples for the ecologically sustainable use of timber in home decoration.

One remarkable example is the use of wood of the mango tree, especially for handcrafted gifts and collectibles from the Kingdom of Thailand. While Thailand is not the center for handicrafts it once was anymore, handcrafted decorative items made from mango wood remain in high demand.

Historical reference to the fruits of mango trees dates back to about 4000 B.C.: In the Hindu Vedas reference is made to mangos as the “food of the gods.” Appreciation of the sweet richness of the mango fruit is plentiful the world over and reaches into the colloquial use of language: in Central America, for example, a handsome male is referred to as a “mango.” Continue reading “Mango Wood Handicrafts – An Ecological Choice”

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Why Some People Are Lactose Intolerant

We all start out drinking milk in one form or another. So why do so many of us seem to “grow into” lactose intolerance? Lactose intolerance, as you may know, results in the digestive discomfort that comes from consuming lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products.

Most people in the U.S. are born with the ability to digest lactose. Infants naturally produce an enzyme called lactase in their systems that enables them to break down lactose, which is present in breast milk, as well as cow’s milk. Infants who may be lactose intolerant are fed lactose-free commercially prepared formulas, often containing soy milk. Continue reading “Why Some People Are Lactose Intolerant”

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Foojoy Tea Company – A Review of Many of Foojoy’s Teas

I must start by confessing that there is actually no company named Foojoy Tea Company; Foojoy is a brand name owned by the Eastrise Trading Corporation. The Foojoy brand sells exclusively Chinese teas, and sells both tea bags and loose-leaf teas.

Foojoy never ceases to amaze me, mainly on two key points: price and quality, which combine to deliver outstanding value. Foojoy’s products, especially their tea bags, are among the lowest priced products available, and yet their quality greatly exceeds that of nearly all the mainstream brands available in most supermarkets. While I have a strong preference for loose-leaf, if I had to recommend one company from which to buy inexpensive tea-bags, without a doubt I would recommend Foojoy. Continue reading “Foojoy Tea Company – A Review of Many of Foojoy’s Teas”

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How to Make Vietnamese Fried Shrimp Chips – Banh Phong Tom

Dried shrimp chips are sold in bags at Vietnamese or any Asian grocery markets. The hard chips are then deep fried in oil, puffing and expanding to about twice the original size. They are very fast to fry, neither messy nor oily. They are used to scoop up salads, break and mix into salad to create a crispy flavor or they can be used by itself as a snack food or an accompaniment to cocktails. One bag of fried chips would make a lot of chips, you don’t have to use at once, just enough for serving then seal it up to keep it freshness for the next use.

Instructions on How to Make Dried Shrimp Chips

Ingredients:
1/2 bag of dried shrimp chips
Corn or canola oil for deep frying Continue reading “How to Make Vietnamese Fried Shrimp Chips – Banh Phong Tom”

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How to Cook Shrimp Shantung Style

This dish hails from Asian soil, its simple, easy to prepare, delicious and with very little cooking talent required! The ingredients are very easy to fine and prepare. For beginners in cooking this dish is so simple you can do it with your eyes closed.

Thing’s you’ll need:

-1/4 cup cooking oil
-2 tsps ginger sliced
-3 tbsp tomato catsup
-1 tbsp white wine
-1/2-1 tsp sugar
-1/4-1 tsp hot chili sauce
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/2 k. medium sized shrimps, deveined
-1/1 cup shrimps juice Continue reading “How to Cook Shrimp Shantung Style”