Things You Need to Know

What is The Husband Cooks Wednesdays?

2006-02-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

Pretty self-explanatory. Although he cooks some other nights too, this night is all his. Whether he makes dinner himself or calls in take-out, it doesn’t matter. As long as the night is completed planned by him. Even us avid cooks need a night off. ;)

What is Saturday Night Sound Bites?

2006-02-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

Food bloggers worldwide are always discussing such a wide array of topics, whether it be their food careers, new recipes and discoveries, restaurant reviews and more. Every Saturday night, I feature Saturday Night Sound Bites, highlighting a little bit of what some of my fellow food bloggers are up to.

What is Rediscovering My Library Thursdays?

2006-01-25T20:55:00.000-08:00

I am using Thursdays as a day to cook from a cookbook I haven't used ever, or in awhile. I have amassed quite a collection of cookbooks over the years, and want to make sure I use them to their fullest potential. I use them a LOT for reference and inspiration, and DO use them for cooking as well, obviously, but want to start using them more. So, Rediscovering My Library Thursdays forces me to remember to use my resources more. Hope you enjoy rediscovering my collection along with me.

New (to Me) Blogger on the Block Thursdays

2006-01-25T19:48:00.000-08:00

Now, "new" doesn't necessarily mean they're new, just new to me. The food blogging community is a wonderfully supportive group, and they provide great inspiration, advice, ideas and motivation constantly. Often times, I'm so busy working on my own blog, that I don't get enough time to surf around to see any new food bloggers that might have popped up, and it's a community growing by leaps and bounds. So by doing this event regularly, it serves two purposes: 1) It's a reminder to go check out my fellow food bloggers and 2) It will highlight a fun new one for you guys.

What is Weekend Dog Blogging (WDB)?

2006-01-19T19:49:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Clare's Weekend Cat Blogging event, I started a similar event for my fellow bloggers to join in on ... Weekend Dog Blogging (WDB). If you have a picture of your dog that you'd like to share with my readers, post it on your blog during the weekend, and e-mail me your permalink. On Sunday night, I'll post a round-up of all the pictures I've received. Also, please put a link back to my site in your post, so your readers can check out the round-up as well. I also started a Flickr group ... another place for you to show off you pups. If you got here from a link from a fellow food blogger, please go to my main web site to check out the round-up. Thanks for visiting.

If cats are more your thing, join Clare as she hosts her Weekend Cat Blogging event, with an ongoing round-up during the weekend.

And lastly, if herbs are your forte, then visit Kalyn's Kitchen and participate in her Weekend Herb Blogging event.

What is ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday?

2006-01-18T19:35:00.000-08:00

Simple. Just my little way of keeping healthier eating in check. Every Tuesday, food bloggers who made a recipe that includes an ARF (Antioxidant Rich Food), fruit, veggie or any combination of the three can be included in my ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday evening round-up. The recipe doesn't have to have been made that day. Just e-mail me your permalink by 8 pm EST on Tuesday to be included, and post a link to my site in your post on your site, so your readers can get a chance to check out the round-up as well. All designed to keep us eating healthy and inspire us with new recipes and ideas. Hope you join in! If you got here from a link from a fellow food blogger, please go to my main web site to check out the round-up. Thanks for visiting.

Top 20 Antioxidant Rich Foods (ARFs)

2006-01-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

Listed below are the Top 20 Antioxidant Rich Foods. The rule of thumb, if you forget which the ARF foods are, is usually, the brighter, the better.

Antioxidant Rich Foods (the Top 20):
Small red beans (dried)
Wild blueberries
Red kidney beans
Pinto beans
Blueberries
Cranberries
Artichokes (cooked)
Blackberries
Prunes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Red Delicious Apples
Granny Smith Apples
Pecans
Sweet cherries
Black plums
Russet potatoes (cooked)
Black beans (dried)
Plums
Gala Apples

Top 10 Brain Foods

2006-01-18T18:54:00.000-08:00

Baked Beans: High in fiber and protein.

Bananas: Contains trytophan, a protein that, once converted, helps put you in a good mood. Can't argue with that! Also helps ward off depression and dark moods.

Blueberries: Helps improve memory.

Eggs: A good source of lecithin, which is a great brain stimulant, also rich in choline, which helps improve memory function.

Oats: One study found that they give you a longer lasting supply of energy than sports drinks do.

Red Meat: A good source of iron. A recent study showed that kids whose diets were higher in iron scored better on tests and had higher IQs.

Sardines: (Ok, here's where I skip to #8 - sorry!): Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, it's the ultimate brain food.

Sunflower Seeds: A fantastic source of magnesium that regulates a part of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

Whole Grain Bread: Great source of zinc. Improves hand-eye coordination, attention span and reasoning skills.

Yeast Extract: Packed with Vitamin B, which boosts brain function, and may possibly improve concentration.