Food

Corn Chowder – With a Twist!

August 19, 2011 by Mansi

Corn Chowder with a Coconut TwistWho doesn't love soups? They are a quick and satisfying way of filling up your appetite, by combining a mix of several fresh flavors in a budget and figure-friendly bowl. My first meeting with Corn Chowder happened at Panera Bread, when I ordered a bowl to compliment my Mediterranean veggie sandwich. And I have to say I was impressed in one spoon. The rich creamy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes, Food Tagged With: appetizers, soups

Blueberry Focaccia – Fresh & Fruity

August 17, 2011 by Mansi

Yeasted Blueberry Focaccia BreadHave you ever thought of making a Fruity Focaccia? I know I never thought about it, until I saw this beautiful Blueberry version over at Woman's Day. [photo by Mary Ellen Bartley] Focaccia for me, is a savory yeasted bread, loaded with Italian flavors like rosemary, thyme, basil, maybe some caramelized sweet onions, olives, and lots of garlic! Something that I can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes, Breakfast & Brunch Recipes, Food Tagged With: berries, blueberries, foccaccia

Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Creme Filling

August 15, 2011 by Mansi

Chocolate Strawberry Layered CakeWhen it comes to baking cakes, Layered Cakes are the most charming ones, no doubt about it. Something about the layers of creme sandwiched among the cake makes it as enticing and colorful as can be. And the best part, you can work any flavor into your creme filling so it compliments your cake. And when you slice it perfectly and show off those gorgeous layers, I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cake Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Food Tagged With: berries, chocolate

Green Smoothie Recipe

August 11, 2011 by Mansi

Green Smoothie RecipeBelieve it or not, but the one most significant change that I noticed in myself after becoming a Mom, is how much more attention I pay to the kind and quality of food I cook, and how I read the labels for every product that I buy, making sure I am feeding a healthy, balanced and nutritious meal to my toddler! I never really did that, except when I was on a whimsical … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Drinks & Cocktails, Food, Healthy Recipes, Kid-Friendly Tagged With: healthy, smoothies

Risotto – Recipes & Inspirations

August 5, 2011 by Mansi

Risotto - Recipes & BeyondAlmost everyone is familiar with Risotto - it is a class of Italian dishes of rice cooked in broth to a creamy consistency, and is normally served as a first course during traditional Italian meals. It is a favorite comfort food, just like Rice is to most Indians. Photo by Antonis Achilleos via Woman's DayThe luxurious, creamy texture of a good Risotto depends on using … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, How-To, Italian Recipes, Pasta Recipes Tagged With: how-to, italian

Open-Faced Cherry Pie

August 3, 2011 by Mansi

Open-Faced Cherry PieThe fresh fruit section in bubbling with bags and bags of cherries, strawberries, peaches and plums as all the stone fruits celebrate their opulence! Summer is the best time to enjoy a vivid variety of fruits, and baking a Pie or Cobbler is the easiest way to use up a substantial amount of produce in one time, and of course, you end up with a beautiful and delicious dessert … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes, Food, Pie Recipes Tagged With: cherries, thanksgiving

Peach Cake With Pecan Crumble Topping

August 1, 2011 by Mansi

Peach Cake - Moist & ColorfulWhat do you do when a bag-load of fresh fruit straight off the tree is dumped on your kitchen counter? Yes, try to eat it as soon as possible, but since its hard to consume a bag, one needs to get creative with his cooking abilities. And that's what I am looking to do with my big bag of peaches. This weekend, my cousin gave us a couple bags of fresh ripe peaches, all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cake Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Food Tagged With: peach

Pineapple & Lychee Cocktail Martini

July 29, 2011 by Mansi

Pineapple & Lychee CocktailWhen it comes to making drinks, one usually prefers to stick to the fruits available at that time of the year. Drinks & desserts are one of the best ways to capture the flavor of the seasons in your food. And this Pineapple & Lychee delight is perfect for your next Hawaiian Backyard BBQ! Adapting it slightly from a regular Martini, we swap the plain Lychee juice with a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Drinks & Cocktails, Food Tagged With: drinks

Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard & Tarragon

July 27, 2011 by Mansi

Potato SaladAlmost any American BBQ is incomplete without a Potato Salad. However, instead of going with the basic mayonaaise recipe, here's something new to serve to your guests. Using red and yellow baby potatoes and tossing them in a tangy tarragon dressing will surely add a lovely flavor twist to the other items on your menu. This Potato Salad recipe is adapted from Woman's Day magazine; photo … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Snacks & Sides Tagged With: potatoes, salads

The World-Famous Biscuits Cake

July 26, 2011 by Mansi

Chocolate Biscuit Log Cake If you live in Australia, or have been to that country before, you might have stasted the decadence of a cookie called Arnott's Chocolate Ripple Biscuit. It is similar to the Oreos you get in the US, just more crunchy, with a dark chocolate ripple effect instead of white cream. These biscuits are so popular in Australia, that almost everyone keeps a packet or two at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes, Food

How to maintain healthy glowing skin as you age…

Image Credit: Alexander Grey from Unsplash. Getting older is often seen as a good thing, but it also comes with its drawbacks. One of the more notable is how it affects peoples’ appearances. Fine lines, wrinkles, and gray hairs all start setting it. It’s not uncommon to want to prevent these, and you could want to maintain your appearance as you get older. It’s a natural desire to have, even if it seems like it’s impossible. It could be more within your reach than you’d think, though. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be complicated. Once you know what you’re doing, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Some steps and tips could … [Read More...]

Seasonal Depression is a Thing – Here’s how to win over it…

Image credit As the days get shorter and winter settles in, it’s no wonder that many people start to feel a bit low. Actually, a large number of people tend to feel this way! So, it’s usually called the “winter blues,” “seasonal depression,” or even the more official term “seasonal affective disorder.” it’s just a common struggle that lasts for multiple months. If you live in places in the world with six months of darkness, then the rates go up a lot higher. But why is this so common? Well, there are a lot of reasons, such as less daylight (meaning less vitamin D and A), holiday pressures, colder weather, and those sky-high heating … [Read More...]

6 Unique & Unheard Ways To Reduce Stress…

Pexels - CC0 License There are so many of us who are absolutely sick of feeling stressed all day, every day, and if you are one of those people, it can almost be overwhelming to see the wealth of options for treating our stress levels. We need quick ways, we need ones that benefit us over time, but we also need access to things that are not necessarily conventional. There are plenty of unique ways to reduce stress levels that you may find interesting but also, more importantly, effective: Purify the Air We need to remember that cleaner air is something that can help us with our overall well-being, and this could reduce … [Read More...]

How to plan for a stress-free retirement…

Source: Unsplash (CC0) Thinking about retirement planning already? Whether it feels miles away or just around the corner, planning for your retirement doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. The key is to break it down into manageable steps and, most importantly, make sure it’s something you actually want to achieve. So let’s walk through some tips that’ll help you build a retirement plan you feel confident about, plus we’ll tackle important topics like Medicare and Medicare Advantage along the way. Tips for Defining Your Retirement Goals Visualize your day-to-day: Think about where you’d like to live, what activities … [Read More...]

Going Beyond Digital Marketing: Expanding Your Business Horizon…

Digital marketing has quickly become an indispensable strategy for reaching and engaging consumers. However, in an era where brands vie for attention online, simply relying on digital tactics can become restrictive. If you want your business to move to the next level, expanding its horizon beyond digital may require innovative thinking outside the digital box. In this blog, we will look at a few approaches you could try that will increase its reach while deepening your customer relations. Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash Cultivate a Community Forming a sense of community around your brand goes far beyond traditional digital … [Read More...]