Category Archives: Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating…Eat Smart…A meat-free day…

4 Replies

The wet season is well and truly here…

I managed to do half my daily steps this morning and dodge the spots…I don’t think I am going to be as lucky this afternoon though…

As it is May are you all getting some good weather? I think when it is nice and warm you feel much better don’t you?

I hope those of you who popped over to Sally’s last week and read her post on reaching a plateau helped…It is so far so good in this camp I am still sticking with the intermittent fasting and it is working well for me…I have also started drinking my ginger drink again I have found a lovely stall who does a really amazing hot ginger tea and he leaves out the sugar and the yellow bean stuff so I just get a strong, hot cup of ginger and it is lovely and seems to have kept me going …I have had a few cravings for what I don’t know I just fancy something nice …drinking this ginger tea seems to deaden that thought…It would help if I knew what I wanted but I don’t does anyone else ever feel like that?

Today I do know what I fancy and it is sun-dried tomatoes I just love them and could if left alone eat a whole jar …But as I live where it is hot most of the time I can make my own …No nasties just beautiful sun-dried tomatoes…

I never use processed ingredients in my cooking anyway but that is how I have always been..make it from scratch is my mantra and then you know what is in it.

My family and friends used to think I was a bit eccentric and over the top as to what I would allow my children to eat and drink I would now say that 99% are now in total agreeance with me.

What a turnaround and I am not fanatic just careful and mindful as to what I buy and make.

 I don’t use a microwave for our families own reasons which stems back to when my daughter had a life-threatening disease.

Yesterday I was watching a program about sugar or added sugar, I was not surprised but felt justified because muesli bars, soft drinks i.e  Apple Juice and low-fat yoghurts were the subjects. So many people eat them because they are promoted as being healthy.

Well, they are not!

I just don’t trust any claims to anything unless I read the ingredients and I can spot a no-no at 20 paces…trust me!

So I suppose what am saying is you can be healthier in an instant just by reading a packet or being aware of what is in your food and at no extra cost.

And baby steps, if you want to change do it gradually and just be aware of what is in your food.

There are some great tasting foods out there which are good for you and gradually your taste buds and awareness will change ..mine have but it takes time.

I know….. Let’s Cook!

Onions stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and cheese…Yep, this is one of my meat-free days…

STUFFED ONION

Ingredients:

  • 4 large onions.
  • 150 gm goats cheese
  • 50 gm fresh breadcrumbs ( I use olive oil breadcrumbs)
  • 8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped and drained. I am lucky that I live somewhere nice and sunny so I can sun dry my own tomatoes please click here to see how.
  • 2 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 small egg, beaten
  • 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • 2 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 1/2 Tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 Tsp chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Just reading that list of ingredients makes my mouth water….I am salivating.

Let’s Cook!

Add the onions in their skins to lightly salted boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the onions from the boiling water, drain and cool. When they are cool enough to handle cut in half and remove the skin.

Using a small dessert spoon scoop out the centre leaving a thick outer layer.. 3 layers is sufficient.

Reserve the flesh for later.

Pre-heat your oven to 190C/375F

Place the onion shells in an oiled ovenproof dish.

Add all the other ingredients except for the tomato oil and pine nuts to the scooped out onion flesh and season well. Stir in the pine nuts.

Divide the mix between the 4  scooped out onion shells and cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes, remove foil and drizzle with the sun-dried tomato oil cook uncovered for a further 25-35 minutes until bubbling and cooked.

Baste occasionally during cooking.

And smell…. your kitchen will be filled with such a lovely aroma and even those who are not onion lovers will be salivating…I have had many a convert to this dish.

It is lovely just served with warm bread or as a side to some lovely grilled sardines.

Now all of those ingredients have amazing health benefits.

Some lovely variations to this recipe include using Feta cheese instead of goats cheese and substitute mint and pitted green/black olives instead of the other ingredients for a real Mediterranean taste. Just stir into the scooped onion mix, you could also add some currants or sultanas.

If you don’t want sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts use 75 gm chopped walnuts add them to the scooped out onion mix add 115 gm chopped celery and cook in a tbsp oil until the celery is soft and put in the onion shell.

Experiment by substituting your own favourite ingredients that is what cooking is all about.

Enjoy!

Time for SmartWatch Corner.

Smart phone and watch

Every night is different no two nights of sleep are identical according to my watch the only thing that stays constant is my breathing which is good…haha…Did you know that according to the Mayo clinic that sleep deprivation puts you at a greater risk of diabetes, depression, obesity, high blood pressure or a heart attack everyone should aim for  seven to nine hours sleep each night but it is also the quality of that sleep which can affect your health for a more in-depth look at sleep then Sally has written an excellent article on sleep so please head over and have read ….

The bonus of a good nights sleep is also the fact that you can’t eat while asleep but you can lose weight while asleep…

The Celery Juice Craze…

Whatever next…heavily promoted by celebrities and influencers on social media, including actor Sylvester Stallone and supermodel Miranda Kerr, who have appeared in videos supporting the self-proclaimed founder of the celery juice movement, Anthony William calls himself a “medical medium” and claims to speak with spirits who provide him with advanced health information.

celery-juice-4101755_640

Image by Ineta Lidace from Pixabay

Fact: Celery takes more energy to digest than it contains…In addition to burning more calories than it contains, celery is an excellent source of fibre that can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer, reducing the urge to snack.

Please tell me that you don’t believe the claims that it will make you lose weight safely, cure all ills and the weight will stay off when you start to eat sensibly…

Thank you for reading and please share your good news stories with us…xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then I bid you welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/ 

MeWe is a new social media and one which many of us are turning to mainly migrating over to as FB has banned many of my friends and for what seems no good reason that we can see I hope you will join us there.

MeWe: mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3

Thank you again for reading this post I look forward to your comments…Have a great week xxx

This week in my kitchen…Squidilicious…Salt & Pepper Squid and BBQ Squid …

13 Replies

Welcome to this week in my kitchen …The kids go back to school next week…I am off to Bangkok to spend the weekend with my big boy which will be really nice…This week I have squid recipes for you as I know many of you love squid but find it tough when you cook it …I hope you enjoy these recipes and you enjoy some nice tender, soft squid if you have any questions then please ask…

Squid is very popular in Thailand it can be found on every menu and every street market…But hang on a minute are squid and calamari one and the same…The answer is no!

Squid is tougher than Calamari which means of the two Calamari is the most expensive…How to tell the difference? You can tell squid from calamari by the fins that form an arrow shape on the end of the squid’s hood. The fins of calamari extend almost all the way down the hood.

The squid I buy I think is classed as calamari as it has long fins and the quill is longer…Calamari is the Spanish word for squid and although species-wise there is a difference cooks and consumers call it either squid or calamari and I think that depends on where you originate from…I always call it squid and it is a called squid here in Thailand whereas Europeans tend to use the term calamari…If you weren’t confused then I am sure you are now…

There are many health benefits from eating Calamari or Squid. Among the benefits, they provide Copper, Selenium, Zinc, and they are a very good source of vitamin B12 and B3. They are also a great source of protein. It also contains very little fat …

A 3-ounce serving of uncooked squid contains around 198 milligrams of cholesterol and 13.2 grams of protein along with 0.3 grams of total saturated fat. It also contains healthy fats: 0.09 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 0.4 grams of polyunsaturated fat.

One of all our favourite squid dishes here apart from the delicious Thai squid salad which I gave you the recipe for last week is Salt and Pepper Squid…

Easy to do and it takes minutes to cook…Between 1 -2 minutes max…Any longer and it will be tough…It is also one of the kids favourite squid dishes after Thai squid salad…

Salt n Pepper Squid

Ingredients:

Two servings as a snack…

  • 2-3 small calamari cleaned, remove the quill and cut into about 5mm rounds.
  • 1/2 cup of flour
  • 1 1/2 tbs pepper
  • 1/2 tbs salt

Put the flour salt and pepper in a bag add the squid slices and jiggle them about until covered…Heat just enough oil to fry and turn over a couple inches and heat until medium hot not smoking. Fry the squid in batches for 1-2 mins turning to colour evenly.

Drain on kitchen paper and serve with a dip of your choice either mayo or a spicy Thai Dip( recipe below)

If you are unsure about the cooking time of squid cook one as a tester but you really do not want to cook for too long as it will not be tender.

Chilli Lime Dip…

Ingredients:

  • 2 green chillies
  • Juice 2 limes and the zest of one
  • 1 Kaffir lime leaf very finely shredded
  • 4 stems coriander chopped
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 2 tsp palm sugar grated
  • A pinch salt.

Blitz all the ingredients and check to season.

This lovely cucumber salad is also a nice accompaniment with squid.

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp palm sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 red birds eye chilli  finely sliced
  • 2 shallots finely diced
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp red chilli flakes ( optional)

Let’s Cook!

Combine the chilli, sugar, vinegar and oil and mix together…Put to one side… Then either thinly slice or if you have a spiraliser…I don’t yet! your cucumber. Then finely chop your shallots then combine with your vinegar mix and put in the fridge until required..To serve gently mix in coriander and top with a few peanuts if liked.

BBQ Squid is seen everywhere here in Thailand …

Lady cooking squid

Some are cooked as it is and some coated in a very spicy sauce the one thing that it has in common is how wonderfully tender and delicious it is…

If you want to BBQ your squid at home then working with one squid at a time, make 1″ cuts on squid tubes( like the image) above about halfway through then season with salt and pepper. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.) Brush squid with oil and, using a grill press or thread them on wooden skewers, cook, until charred and cooked, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with sauce; sprinkle with peanuts and coriander.

You may prefer to brush your squid with your chosen dip again as in the image above…

I hope you all enjoy these recipes until next time…Have a great weekend xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

More and more of my blogging friends have joined me on MeWe…A social media site which is fairly new and which promises much without the restrictions some other social media sites are choosing to impose on many of us…Join me if you will on  mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3 

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great weekend xx

 

 

 

 

 

Smorgasbord Health Column – Cholesterol and Fat Myths Part Two, Vitamin K2 and Healthy Fats by Sally Cronin

2 Replies

Another excellent and informative must-read post from Sally…Cholesterol and Fat, Part two…#recommended

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Last week  I explained how cholesterol was essential for a number of functions in the body and that dropping levels too low could impact the balance of hormones and also brain function. I also shared the latest research on the effectiveness of Statins on cholesterol levels for a large percentage of patients who are prescribed it.

You can find the previous post on Cholesterol here:https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/smorgasbord-health-column-the-cholesterol-myth-part-one-and-statins-the-new-research-sally-cronin/

Today I wanted to focus on fats which also play a massive role in the balance of LDL– Low density lipoprotein (potentially unhealthy cholesterol) and HDL– High density lipoprotein (healthy cholesterol).

It can be tricky because the good fats are fairly easy to spot but the harmful fats tend to be hidden and disguised in the packaged and processed foods we buy. Responsible manufacturers have mainly moved away from using the highly toxic ‘trans fats’ but unfortunately the cheaper your processed family…

View original post 2,091 more words

Healthy Eating…Eat Smart…Have you reached a plateau?

4 Replies

Welcome to this week’s Healthy Eating…I have discussed different ways of eating and foods, how sleep affects us and intermittent fasting but how is it for you guys? Do you find it easy? Do you struggle at certain times of the day? Or are you doing everything right and you are just stuck…Have you hit a plateau?

For me when that happens I just increase my walking add an extra days walk or walk a lot faster or even go and clean some windows which trust me in this heat you are guaranteed to work up a sweat and lose some pounds…

But why do we hit a plateau? I will leave that up to Sally to explain that as she is the expert …Sally will take you through why your body hits a plateau step by step…Because of course if you have been doing well and eating healthily then we don’t want to give up, do we? After our hard work, of course, we don’t.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/05/04/smorgasbord-health-column-size-matters-the-sequel-weightloss-hitting-the-plateau-by-sally-cronin/

My little plateau is over and I have mislaid another 2 lbs just a little more and I will be below the next stone I have set myself a target as we are going to Bangkok to meet up with our eldest son for the weekend in two weeks time …I am hoping he will notice the difference as we haven’t seen him since the beginning of February…

Now generally the only exercise I do is walking…I have never been a fan of the gym…But I want to tone up my arms I only wear sleeveless dresses and tops here so I think…No, I know I really need to just firm them up as I am losing weight …I found this little video and it is easy well you can feel that burn at the halfway mark but it gets easier and I feel a lot better…No jumping about just some lovely little exercises which take 5 minutes out of my day…Let me know how you get on…x

After all that I think we need to eat…Mangoes are in season at the moment so let’s have some mango chicken,,,,

For the Mango Sauce:

  • 2 fresh ripe mangos, fruit scooped out (or substitute 2 cups frozen or canned mango)
  • 1 red chilli, de-seeded and diced, or 1 tsp chilli sauce or 1/2 tsp dried crushed chilli
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar.
  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 thumb-size piece ginger, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, Take out the vein and roll and finely shred.

 

For the Chicken:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or rice flour)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 to 3 chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch-long pieces or you can cook the chicken breasts whole and slice..I have tried both ways and think I prefer to slice first.
  • 1/4 cup oil for pan-frying
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 to 1 mango, cut into chunks (to finish the dish) optional.
  • 3 to 4 tbsp coconut juice or water.
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped. 

Let’s Cook! 

Place the 2 ripe mango cut into chunks, red chilli, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, turmeric and kaffir lime leaves in a food processor or blender. Blitz well, until more or less smooth.

Taste the sauce.

You should have a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. Add more sugar if you find the sauce too sour (this will depend on the sweetness of your mangoes). If not spicy enough, add more chilli. If not salty/flavourful enough, add more fish sauce. If too salty or too sweet, add more lime juice. Play with your flavours add a little at a time and keep tasting as you can always add more it is harder to adjust the balance if you have put too much of one thing in…Just keep tasting…

Set to one side.

Then In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the chicken pieces and turn or gently stir them to coat evenly.

Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then begin frying the chicken pieces, 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until light golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set on a paper towel.

Lastly, put a pan over medium-high heat and add the mango sauce plus red pepper. Bring to a gentle rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the peppers have softened but are still a little crispy

If the sauce becomes too thick, add 3 to 4 tablespoons water.

Add the fried chicken pieces, gently stirring them into the sauce. If desired, add chunks of mango (fruit of 1/2 to 1 ripe mango). Simmer briefly, just until everything is hot.

Do a final taste-test for salt (tasting the sauce together with the chicken). Add a little more fish sauce or chilli if desired.

Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh coriander or some lightly pickled vegetables or deep fry some julienned vegetables and serve with  Thai jasmine-scented rice or rice of your choice if you are trying to reduce your calories then cauliflower rice makes a lovely accompaniment.

If you prefer fish then this sauce goes equally well with fish just slice your fish into goujons and cook then add to the sauce.

Enjoy!

Smart Phone Corner…

 

It keeps a  record of everything this phone…Last night I woke up 5 times or so it said …I sort of vaguely remember stirring but 5 times it also told me to drink less water…I must admit I probably did drink quite a lot of water b4 I went to sleep so it could right…

screen shot huawei phone fitness app

But looking at the screenshot 3 of those were when I woke up early and just lay there dozing so it must have clocked that…a little smart so and so isn’t it?

But I like the displays they are easy to read and informative …It also keeps me on track and I have a record of my weight loss, sleep patterns and exercise as in walking although I believe I can set it to record my arm exercises and of course it checks my heart rate

I hope you have enjoyed this post and if you have any comments or suggestions, recipes anything please share…Enjoy your week xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then I bid you welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/ 

MeWe is a new social media and one which many of us are turning to mainly migrating over to as FB has banned many of my friends and for what seems no good reason that we can see I hope you will join us there.

MeWe: mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3

CarolCooks2…Weekly Roundup…Authentic Thai Food, B6 and your diet, Co2 the myth…

14 Replies

Welcome to this weeks roundup…Take a pew, grab your favourite drink and have a read most of all enjoy!

great reads a weekly roundup lady with electronic reader

First, post PET(E) and Climate change but do I agree on why the Climate is changing and what are really the pollutants? Let’s just say for now that I don’t believe blindly…I mean let’s take…

Salt, Sugar, Low-fat foods, Monsanto, celebrity endorsements I could go on and write War and Peace on that subject…One minute we are told DO NOT EAT and the next It is ok to eat….My motto..Do my own research to the best of my ability, watch, learn and listen and then make up my own mind …I speak English I do not go Baaa…

two sheep bleat

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/04/29/plastic-part-6-pet-and-climate-change/

How to live longer...Have you found the Elixir of Life? Neither have I…But if we eat sensibly and healthily with a few treats, of course, we could extend our years on this beautiful planet by a few more…The Okinawans have…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/04/30/healthy-eating-eat-smart-eat-like-the-okinawans-do/

It is now over to Sally and to read her very expert advice on Cholesterol a subject or problem which we have all heard of and maybe experienced at some point or indeed are taking statins…Everything you need to know expertly written and researched by Sally…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/smorgasbord-health-column-the-cholesterol-myth-part-one-and-statins-the-new-research-sally-cronin/

Food …Are you hungry? Well, be sure that something will tickle those taste buds while reading the next post…B6 and how to determine if you have a B6 deficiency and which foods can help…Let me tell you just as a little teaser that bacon features in there somewhere

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/05/01/smorgasbord-health-column-are-you-getting-enough-vitamin-b6-chicken-and-prune-tagine-tofu-and-honey-bites-spicy-sweet-potato-balls-sally-cronin-and-carol-taylor/

Waste Not! Want Not!…

Let’s just say this post is the start of my rumblings and rants…Only mild, not full blown…Yet! I need to start slowly and build on my facts…Just like Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius smoking

Image by Charlotte Gupta from Pixabay

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/02/waste-not-want-not-week-22-hydrating-shampoo-bar-and-pollutants/

The last two are food related so settle down and prepare to wet your tastebuds…One of my favourite ways to cook Salmon.

Cajun spiced salmon

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/02/cajun-spiced-salmon-with-salted-lime-butter/

Lastly…Thai Squid Salad, Fish Pie to salivate over and a lovely smoothie…

 

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/03/this-week-in-my-kitchen-thai-squid-salad-fish-pie-and-smoothies/

I hope you have enjoyed this roundup…Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday if you are celebrating xxx

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then I bid you welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/ 

MeWe is a new social media and one which many of us are turning to mainly migrating over to as FB has banned many of my friends and for what seems no good reason that we can see I hope you will join us there.

MeWe: mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week  xx

 

Cajun Spiced Salmon with salted Lime Butter…

10 Replies

Salmon one of my favourite fish and a beautiful dish cooked with these Cajun spices and topped with lime butter…

Cajun Salmon with Salted Lime Butter…

Cajun spiced salmon

Ingredients for the Salted Lime Butter.

• 4 tbsp butter unsalted
• ½ Lime zested
• A pinch of sea salt

Method

Mix the lime zest and salt into the butter, then keep in the fridge until required either in a ramekin or make a roll and slice of as required.

Ingredients for the Cajun Spice Topping…

• 2 tbsp of dried oregano
• 2 tbsp garlic powder…
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp mineral or sea salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chilli flakes ( optional)

Let’s Cook!

  • Mix all the dried ingredients together …I always add fresh garlic and chopped onion to mine so I make my mix excluding the onion and garlic and then when required I add the fresh ingredients…
  • Place the salmon on foil and add the amount of  Cajun topping you require
  • seal the foil and cook in the oven at 180 for 10-15 mins until cooked
  • I open the foil for the last 5 minutes of cooking and add my lime butter…
  • Serve with rice or noodles and freshly steamed vegetables.

 

Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes please subscribe to make sure that you don’t miss any x

♦♦♦♦♦

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

More and more of my blogging friends have joined me on MeWe…A social media site which is fairly new and which promises much without the restrictions some other social media sites are choosing to impose on many of us…Join me if you will on  mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3 

 

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx

Healthy Eating…Eat Smart…Eat like the Okinawans do…

18 Replies

Good Morning…

A mixed week weatherwise and a stonker of a stormy night the other night…Cooled it down somewhat but still hot and humid…

Those of you who received Easter Eggs or are quietly munching through your kid’s little stash…Are you ready to get that bod in shape for the summer??

I was looking at different cultures and their eating and came across this…The Okinawa Diet?

okinawa-sea-summer-trail-sunny-day-public-holiday

 

Photo on Visualhunt

 

The elixir of youth ever since time immemorial someone somewhere has been searching for it…Not quite the elixir of life but Okinawa which is an island in the North China Sea boasts 68 centenarians who enjoy the longest life expectancy of anyone on Earth, with the vast majority of those years lived in remarkably good health too.

Okinawans are remarkable, with a 40% greater chance of living to 100 than other Japanese people.

So what do they eat? The ratio of carbs to protein is higher with the majority of their carbs coming from the Sweet Potato…

Sweet Potato

 

Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com on Visualhunt.com / CC BY

Asia? Japan? Who thought I was going to say rice?

Scientist are very interested in this and feel that based on the evidence so far it warrants a serious study…Here is another great article from the BBC…They really do produce some great documentaries and articles…

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190116-a-high-carb-diet-may-explain-why-okinawans-live-so-long

Many Okinawans eat in accordance with Confucian teaching called Hara Hachi bu—eating until you’re satisfied, not full.

No weighing or measuring to avoid overeating. “This diet is not about portions or calories, but about thoughtfulness and health.

On the menu are sweet potato, fatty fish, shitake mushrooms, rice, tofu, kale, soba noodles, miso soup, they love pork but eat it on special occasions …Processed carbs are out and sweet treats again on special occasions.

Much like what you hear on here…That nothing is forbidden just apply moderation but in the main increase your fruit and vegetable intake, have meat-free days, eat sweet potatoes and brown rice instead of white  and with kids be sneaky like me mix the two kinds of rice to start with and gradually increase it to find ways of making something where aubergines and sweet potatoes are hidden…

You are looking at that image of beautiful sea and thinking… oh Yeah… they have an advantage…Yes, they do …Maybe not so many fast food joints, not so many temptations as regards processed foods but their diet is also similar to the Meditteranean diet and the diets here although there are also many fast food outlets here as well…But come on if I can do it so can you…Nothing comes easy but it does become better and to follow a healthy way of eating most of the time has got to be better and it does improve your health…I have a doughnut on occasions or chocolate I also enjoy it…But it is a treat and not every day…

Priorities...Mine is to look after this bod as well as I can…Unless they clone me I won’t get another one…

Recipe… Sweet Potatoes.

I like something a little different… This recipe is a nice treat… A recipe that was given to me by a friend who used goat’s cheese I use feta or ricotta if I can get it…

Sweet Potato with goat’s cheese, honey and roasted grapes.

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 2 cups of red seedless grapes
• 1 tsp of coconut or olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 ounces of goats cheese or feta/ricotta
• Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
• 2 tbsp of honey plus additional to drizzle if required

  1. For 4 potatoes take 2 cups of small seedless grapes and put on a baking tray drizzle with oil and a season with salt and pepper then roast them at 350F for about 20 mins or until the skins just start to burst… Do check them as ovens vary and they can tend to burn…
  2. Remove from the oven and leave to cool then take your cooled sweet potato and gently remove the flesh those skins are not as hardy as a normal potato are they? So my advice is to leave some of the potato attached to the skin or you may struggle to fill them.
  3. In a bowl mash the potato with 3 oz of the goat’s cheese, honey, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste then put the potato back in the skins and crumble some more goats cheese on top …To serve: add the grapes and drizzle more honey if desired…

If you don’t have any grapes thinly slice and caramelise some apple or pear…The kids should love that or even lovely pineapple which I haven’t tried but have thought of as I type…Try blue cheese…which is another option…

Enjoy!

Smart Phone Corner…

Smart phone and watch

 

I am still wearing it and even the buckle which has some sort of metal which I am allergic too has stopped aggravating me …I had a rash for a few weeks but I kept it dry and just put a light dressing on it and it has gone and now seems to be ok…So I am guessing my body told it to do one …It has all cleared up…

Stayed stable this week with my weight but I tend to do that…Hit a little platform and then it will start to drop in a couple weeks again…Although it has been so very hot and humid I haven’t walked quite so much…which could account for that…

Sleep has also been somewhat erratic and I am getting little reminders of sleep times…Yeah! Yeah!… My little green man is becoming a frequent visitor…haha…

How to sleep better…

Before I started wearing this watch I never thought about sleep I have never been a bad sleeper but I have noticed since I have stopped having my sundowners I do sleep better and don’t wake up with palpitations which I sometimes did if I had had a few too many…It didn’t happen all the time but often enough to make me think …

That my unhealthy daytime habits and lifestyle choices left me tossing and turning at night and adversely it had an effect on my mood, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and weight. So I definitely enjoy better sleep at night, improved mental and physical health, and just generally feel more lively.

To help you sleep properly you should get in sync with your bodies natural sleep and wake patterns and it can be done I do listen to my body now I am aware that if I keep to a regular time of sleep I always wake about the same time as your body regulates itself…

lady sleeping

Rather than sleeping in which upsets your bodies natural rhythm take a nap and I must admit that a short nap for 20 minutes works wonders…Thai people sleep anywhere and I have noticed that on the market’s which are open at stupid o’clock in the morning if you pop to the market say early afternoon most of the stall holders are taking a nap either on or under their stall…

Also hands up who sits down after their evening meal and drops off? Bad move …What happens when you wake up you are drowsy, disorientated and drop into bed and then wake up after a few hours …Your nights sleep ruined…Because you have interrupted your bodies natural sleep pattern…

Try it and see for a few weeks and see if you feel better, have more energy and maybe have even lost some weight because yes if we get proper sleep we lose weight in our sleep …

I hope you have enjoyed this post and if you have any comments or suggestions, recipes anything please share…Enjoy your week xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then I bid you welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/ 

MeWe is a new social media and one which many of us are turning to mainly migrating over to as FB has banned many of my friends and for what seems no good reason that we can see I hope you will join us there.

MeWe: mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3