20 Secrets your waiter will never tell you

By Michelle Crouch, Reader's Digest

What would two dozen servers from across the country tell you if they could get away with it? Well, for starters, when to go out, what not to order, what really happens behind the kitchen’s swinging doors, and what they think of you and your tips. Here, from a group that clears a median $8.01 an hour in wages and tips, a few revelations that aren’t on any menu.

What we lie about
1. We’re not allowed to tell our customers we don’t like a dish. So if you ask your server how something is and she says, “It’s one of our most popular dishes,” chances are she doesn’t like it.
—Waitress at a well-known pizza chain

2. On Christmas Day, when people ask why I’m there, I might say, “My sister’s been in the hospital,” or, “My brother’s off to war, so we’re celebrating when he gets back.” Then I rake in the tips.
—Chris, a New York City waiter and the founder of bitterwaitress.com

3. If you’re looking for your waiter and another waiter tells you he’s getting something out of the stockroom, you can bet he’s out back having a quick smoke.
—Charlie Kondek, former waiter at a Denny’s in Central Michigan



4. If someone orders a frozen drink that’s annoying to make, I’ll say, “Oh, we’re out. Sorry!” when really I just don’t want to make it. But if you order water instead of another drink, suddenly we do have what you originally wanted because I don’t want to lose your drink on the bill.
—Waitress at a casual Mexican restaurant in Manhattan

What you don’t want to know
5. When I was at one bakery restaurant, they used to make this really yummy peach cobbler in a big tray. A lot of times, servers don’t have time to eat. So we all kept a fork in our aprons, and as we cruised through the kitchen, we’d stick our fork in the cobbler and take a bite. We’d use the same fork each time.
—Kathy Kniss

6. If you make a big fuss about sending your soup back because it’s not hot enough, we like to take your spoon and run it under really hot water, so when you put the hot spoon in your mouth, you’re going to get the impression — often the very painful impression — that your soup is indeed hot.
—Chris

7. I’ve seen some horrible things done to people's food: steaks dropped on the floor, butter dipped in the dishwater.
—Waiter at a casual restaurant in the Chicago area



What you’re really swallowing
8. If your dessert says "homemade," it probably is. But it might be homemade at a bakery three miles away.
—Charity Ohlund

9. I knew one guy — he was a real jerk — he’d go to Costco and buy this gigantic carrot cake for $10 and tell us to say it’s homemade. Then he sold it for $10 a slice.
—Steve Dublanica, veteran New York waiter and author of "Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip — Confessions of a Cynical Waiter"

What drives us crazy
10. Oh, you needed more water so badly, you had to snap or tap or whistle? I’ll be right back … in ten minutes.
—Charity Ohlund

11. We want you to enjoy yourself while you’re there eating, but when it’s over, you should go. Do you stay in the movie theater after the credits? No.
—Waiter at a casual restaurant in the Chicago area



12. My biggest pet peeve? When I walk up to a table of six or seven people and one person decides everyone needs water. I’m making a trip to deliver seven waters, and four or five of them never get touched.
—Judi Santana, a server for ten years

What we want you to know
13. Sometimes, if you’ve been especially nice to me, I’ll tell the bartender, “Give me a frozen margarita, and don’t put it in.” That totally gyps the company, but it helps me because you’ll give it back to me in tips, and the management won’t know the difference.
—Waitress at a casual Mexican restaurant in Manhattan

14. If you’re having a disagreement over dinner and all of a sudden other servers come by to refill your water or clear your plates, or you notice a server slowly refilling the salt and pepper shakers at the table next to yours, assume that we’re listening.
—Charity Ohlund

What tells us you’re trouble
15. I get this call all the time: “Is the chef there? This is so-and-so. I’m a good friend of his.” If you’re his good friend, you’d have his cell.
—Chris

16. The strangest thing I’ve seen lately? A man with a prosthetic arm asked me to coat check it because the table was a little bit crowded. He just removed his arm and handed it to me: “Can you take this?”
—Christopher Fehlinger



17. We always check the reservation book, scan the names, and hope for someone recognizable. I’m happy if the notes say something like “Previous number of reservations: 92.” If they say something like “First-time guest, celebrating Grandma’s 80th birthday, need two high chairs, split checks, gluten allergy,” then I start rummaging through my pockets for a crisp bill for the hostess and I make sure to tell her how much I love her hair fixed like that.
—Charity Ohlund

How to be a good customer
18. Use your waiter’s name. When I say, “Hi, my name is JR, and I’ll be taking care of you,” it’s great when you say, “Hi, JR. How are you doing tonight?” Then, the next time you go in, ask for that waiter. He may not remember you, but if you requested him, he’s going to give you really special service.
—JR, waiter at a fine-dining restaurant and author of the blog servernotslave.wordpress.com

19. Trust your waitress. Say something like “Hey, it’s our first time in. We want you to create an experience for us. Here’s our budget.” Your server will go crazy for you.
— Charity Ohlund

What you need to know about tipping
20. If you walk out with the slip you wrote the tip on and leave behind the blank one, the server gets nothing. It happens all the time, especially with people who’ve had a few bottles of wine.
—Judi Santana

4 Reasons you are "fake hungry"

Our appetites can be quite the pranksters. It often fools us to think we are hungry, when often, we may be suffering from something completely different. Distinguishing between false hunger and true hunger will help you know when your body really needs food and when it needs something else.

1. Hunger Due to Eating the Wrong Food: Symptoms include craving high sugar foods or feeling “hungry” soon after eating a meal. If you just had a big meal that is high in simple carbohydrates and did not contain fiber, protein or healthy fat, all of which help provide a sense of satiety, you may have experienced a drop in blood sugar. In this case, have a healthy snack, such as a piece of fresh fruit and nuts, or cottage cheese or celery and peanut butter or 1/2 of a sandwich on whole grain bread).
2. Emotional Hunger: Sometimes, our appetites can go haywire when we are experiencing boredom, fear, anxiety, stress or loneliness. Try taking a walk, journaling, listening to some favorite music, calling a friend or chewing a piece of mint gum instead. Read a book, go to a “safe place” like a library or museum or park where you will not be tempted to overeat or distracted by food. Take a bath, meditate, or think about what REALLY would satisfy you, vs. eating to stuff down emotions you do not want to confront.
3. Hunger Due to Sleepiness: Experts at www.WebMD.com state that two major hormones, leptin and ghrelin, affect and control sensations of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin, made in fat cells, alerts the brain that you have had enough to eat. Lack of sleep causes a significant drop in leptin levels as well as an increase in ghrelin levels, a so called double whammy for appetite control and feelings of satiety. Daytime fatigue may lead people to overeat (often, high sugar, nutrient poor foods) in an attempt to get an extra surge of energy. This is equivalent to placing a Band-Aid on the true problem. It provides only temporary relief, which is soon followed by a crash in energy levels and a resurgence of “hunger” leading to more snacking, increased sugar cravings, etc….a vicious cycle. If you are feeling mid-afternoon hunger pains, try: a brisk 10 min walk around the block (fresh air helps, as does exercise, to boost alertness and increase circulation), a cup of green tea (high in antioxidants and low in caffeine relative to coffee), a 1/4 cup of almonds and a small apple (high in protein, healthy fat and carbohydrates, low in sugar, and a good source of magnesium and fiber). Even taking a few deep breaths can help curb fatigue!
4. Hunger Due to Thirst: We often mistake thirst for hunger. Try drinking a glass or two of water to identify whether you are truly hungry or just slightly dehydrated, in which case water is the perfect antidote!

When you are really experiencing true hunger, however, it is pretty clear to identify. For instance, a growling stomach will cause us to be cranky and unfocused…until we get some food, that is! If it has been four hours since your last meal or snack, you may well be truly hungry. Don’t ignore true hunger…doing so may exacerbate it and cause you to overeat to compensate for the missed calories. It is important to eat regularly and consistently to keep energy levels elevated and avoid dips in blood sugar. Try to include fruits and vegetables at each meal and snack, along with some protein (cheese, beans, lean meat/poultry/fish) and some healthy fat (avocado, olives, nuts, oil). This whole foods approach will help keep you at a healthy weight and lessen the likelihood for emotional hunger to rear its head!

Written by Brooke Joanna Benlifer, RD (www.brookejoannanutrition.com) for Sheer Balance

Old world scents and flavors

By Carmencita Sioson

SITTING AT THE VERY QUAINT and chic Adora Café, where one drop of a coin would be almost deafening, I’ve made one particular spot my own oasis for the day—a place to silence the noises that are the countless thoughts in my head, and appreciate the things that tickle my senses. It is this moment that seems hard to come by these days.

“Everything now is big, brash, loud and in-your-face. This is the reverse,” says Margarita Fores (or Gaita, as she is fondly called). Fores, the woman behind notable restaurants Cibo, Café Bola, Pepato and Lusso, is also the culinary connoisseur behind Adora Café.

Tucked in a corner of the store, the café not only provides a hushed panorama of the shopping area, but also an ambience reminiscent of the flamboyant yet tasteful cafés in France. Soft cushioned seats and sofas in plush fabrics surround exquisite baker tables fit for a tête-à-tête under the café’s gleaming chandeliers.

Of this, Fores says, “It really was a challenge I decided to take on when Eman (Pineda) offered it to me, because I wanted to be able to capture the same experiences I’ve had in the elegant cafés of other big department stores like those in New York and in Europe.”

True to its French motif, the café serves warm tartines (open-faced sandwiches)—the Smoked Salmon with Organic Egg and Mascarpone is a must-try, by the way—fresh salads, mouth-watering desserts to go with your choice of beverage or, as it says in the menu (written in French with English translations), boisson. Unlike other cafés, not only are you able to get your caffeine fix, you can also have champagne by the glass. Both would go well with any of the café’s desserts—Mascarpone Charlotte, Pecan Tart or Chocolate & Pistachio Pot De Crème.

New additions to the menu are the tea selections of Mariage Frères Earl Grey Imperial, Jasmine Mandarin and Thé Au Sahara. The café’s future offerings include baked pastas such as Pasta Timbale, which is a vegetarian pasta, and Gaita’s very own home recipe.

“There are small nice little delicate things, but the baked pastas are a bit sinful,” says Fores.

Aside from the tableware, Gaita has also introduced Adora’s offerings to the Café’s. “Even on the menu, a lot of the flavors that we use are things that you find in the scent section of Adora—vanilla, lavender and rosemary.”

“I feel that it really should showcase the whole Adora experience … It’s that kind of experience where a mom going shopping would take her daughter and they’d sit and have something really yummy together,” she enthuses.

As Fores continues to redefine and reinvent the different kinds of cuisine she’s grown a passion for, she also hopes to remind those who have forgotten about the Old World ways of doing things that, “Time stops. You have an opportunity to appreciate scents and flavors … The Old World ways of doing things are almost lost so you need to create these places where you can bring them back.”

As times change, so should we; but should we really just settle for the fast-paced life, where everything is done in the quickest possible way as if we were running on a clock—quick meals, quick conversations, quick everything? Perhaps, once in awhile, as a good friend of mine would say, we could stop and smell the roses. Let the cozy corners of Adora Café be your reminder.

Favorite snack/dessert places of the year

by Ed Biado
Why snacks and desserts? Because snacking is fun and if you want a 3 p.m. food trip, it’s so much more enjoyable to walk around stuffing your face with this-and-that than to sit in a restaurant. And as Filipinos, we can’t resist food vendors when we see one. Thus, fishball carts even in the most high-end of places. But aside from street food, what else is out there? Take a look (and a bite)...
1. Bizhan Persian Express

If you’re ever in Ayala Alabang for the annual Cuenca bazaar, one of the things you’ll notice is the excruciatingly long line at this shawarma stall. Most of those who have tried actually swear that it’s the best in town. At about P150 for the jumbo size, it better be. And trust me, it is. Bizhan is also located at the village’s Rustan’s mini grocery and the San Mig Pub at Alabang Town Center.

2. Yoh-gurt Froz

This is a really good yogurt place that promotes the health benefits of the dessert. Their Classic Fro-yo is regular yogurt topped with your choice of fruit, nuts or cereal. They also have ice cream-ized yogurt in different flavors, yogurt smoothies and pastries with—yes—yogurt on top. How’s that for a really healthy option?

3. The White Hat

There may be a small yogurt revolution going on in the city as this entry is another emerging health-conscious dessert shop. They serve frozen yogurt with combinations of 21 different toppings. Combos are named after hats: “Beret,” “Sombrero,” etc. Or a diner can also make their own “hat,” meaning, get to choose a combo of their choice.

4. Gelatone

But if you really want to go all out on dessert, Gelatone serves gelato like there’s no tomorrow. If you’re a fan of the fatty Italian ice cream, you probably already have a favorite flavor. For the newbies, the kind lady at the counter will let y’all taste them to help you make your sinful decision. Try Amaretto, Dark Chocolate Toblerone, Nutella and Pistaccio. Or what the heck? Try them all!

5. Chimara

You wanna go healthy but can’t really give up chips, meats and sweets? This neo-vegan place might just be for you. Their chips taste like regular chips, maybe even better. But the good news is that they’re made with tofu, bananas and apples. Their menu consists of options for pesco-vegetarians, ovo-lacto-vegetarians and bodybuilders.

6. New York Fries and Dip

It’s actually more about the dips than the fries. Okay, so the fries really are good. But it’s the different dipping choices that makes it fun. You can choose from Pepper Steak, Curry, Chili Peppers, Ranch and 12 more other flavors. And their chicken nuggets are yummy too.

7. De Original Jamaican Pattie Shop

Before a movie starts at many Ayala Malls cinemas, snack vendors are all over the theater, offering popcorn, beverages and other movie-friendly snacks. That includes Jamaican patties. You haven’t had a real one unless you’ve tried their Pinatubo Pattie, a spicy treat served extra-hot that seems to get hotter with every bite.

8. Sabbrett

A regular Sabbrett cart would proudly display celebrities munching on their famous hotdogs. And that ups the yum factor in more ways than one. Frankfurters are among their bestsellers because they’re skinless, therefore, you won’t have to fight so much with the meat because the tough casing isn’t there. And seriously, they’ve got some amazing mustard!

9. Earle’s Delicatessen

Get a Thuringer Bratwurst with a side of chips and have some deli meats to take home and enjoy the next morning. It ain’t even expensive. Almost everything is priced within P30 per 100 grams. There’s one at South Supermarket in Alabang that’s been there for quite some time now. A few other branches have opened in Makati and Ortigas. Check it.

10. Taters

There are two things that you simply have to get at Taters. One is their butter-drizzled popcorn and their iced tea. No kidding, the iced tea is mixed perfectly and tastes really good, considering they’re using a regular iced tea brand. You can also explore their other movie-companion snacks like nachos, fries and chips. There are actually more munchies like sausages, fish-and-chips and onion rings.

Sweet holiday treats

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS with long-time favorites served in imaginative ways by Maya Kitchen.

Tiramisu gets a new look in tall glasses with each luscious layer visible to whet the appetite. The classic chocolate cupcake plays dress-up with coconut shavings and reindeer topper.

Holiday cooking can be easy, creative and fun. For more recipes and culinary tips, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitch en.com.

Tiramisu Parfait

4 tbsp butter

2 pcs eggs

½ c water

1 pack Maya Oven Toaster Butter Cake Mix 200g

Filling

2/3 c cream cheese

2 tbsp corn syrup

½ tsp brandy

6 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1 egg yolk

¾ c all-purpose cream

Syrup

¾ c water

2 tbsp coffee liqueur

2 tbsp coffee powder

sifted unsweetened cocoa powder (for drizzling on top of parfait)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush bottom of an 8x3-inch loaf pan with oil or shortening then line it with wax paper. Cream butter in a bowl until soft. Blend in the eggs and water. Add the cake mix and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until done. Set aside.

Prepare filling. Beat together the cream cheese, syrup, brandy, sugar and egg yolk. Whip the all-purpose cream separately then fold into cream cheese mixture. Set aside.

Prepare syrup. Combine the ingredients for the syrup and stir until dissolved.

To assemble, place a slice of cake in bottom of parfait glass or wine goblets, tearing and pressing butter cake to fit. Drizzle syrup. Spread filling over each. Repeat layering with remaining butter cake, syrup and filling. Sift unsweetened cocoa generously over parfait. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Reindeer cupcakes

1 pack Maya Decadence Fudge Brownie Mix 500g

(water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)

Fondant dough

1 ½ tsp unflavored gelatin

2 tbsp water

¼ c glucose

1 ½ tsp vegetable shortening

3 ½ c confectioner’s sugar

food colors (red, black, brown)

glucose extra

Frosting

chocolate frosting (prepared)

flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare one 12-hole (3 ounce) muffin pan. Prepare the cake batter (mix water, oil and eggs) as per package direction. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake cupcakes approximately 20-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.

Prepare fondant dough. Combine gelatin and water. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Place gelatin mixture on top of double boiler and heat until dissolved (mixture should not boil). Add glucose. Mix well. Stir in the shortening and before completely melted remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm. Place confectioner’s sugar in a bowl. Make a well and add gelatin mixture. Stir with wooden spoon until semi-dry paste in consistency. Knead until smooth. Divide dough into three portions. Tint, roll out, shape each portion of dough with red color for the nose, brown for the face and antlers, and white for the eyes. Use extra glucose to paste decor on top of molded reindeer face. Brush the center of the reindeer eyes with black color to make the eyeball effect.

Frost cupcake with the prepared chocolate frosting and cover with flaked coconut. Top each with the decorated molded reindeer face.

Champagne enhances flavor of food

By Micky Fenix

FOR SOMEONE QUITE SHY ABOUT appearing in the company’s brochure, Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger, when asked to pose, proved he knows how to sell his product. He said that it should be better if he had a champagne glass in his hand. But he also liked that he was asked to pose beside the poster that features his daughter, Vitalie, the communications head of the family company. It just so happened that a row of Taittinger champagne bottles were near the poster, which made the photo opportunity even better.

Taittinger Champagne could have been a company without anyone in the family as part of it. In 2005, all the family businesses that included banks, hotels and the champagne house were sold to an American investment company. When the businesses were all separated by the new owners, Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger, with the backing of a bank, bought back Taittinger champagne. There were several offers from different groups from many countries, but he said the bank knew that the Taittinger brand had to have a part of the family. And you could see on his face the pride at having won back what is said to be the third oldest champagne house.

After 10 years, the head of Taittinger was back for a visit. There was a party the night before when Taittinger Champagne must have flowed, but Pierre Emmanuel said that he had no hangover and he thought the guests were okay also. With that, he raised his glass and drank.

Celebrations and champagne go together. Championships have bottles poured or squirted on winning teams, certainly a waste—but it probably isn’t great champagne but cheaper sparkling wine. New boats are launched with it by breaking a bottle on its bow. Toasting partnerships, weddings and other milestones of one’s life all need a fluted glass with tiny bubbles rising to the top.

Food partner

But what Taittinger wanted to assure us that day was that champagne “doesn’t hide the flavors of food.” With that, he asked that lunch be served by the staff of I’m Angus Steakhouse on Yakal Street in Makati. It belongs to the slew of restaurants of Werner Berger, whose Santi’s Delicatessen distributes Taittinger champagnes.

A Brut Reserve nonvintage was served with the appetizers: Duck liver terrine selection, marinated seabass and Atlantic scallop. The soup of cappuccino of lobster bisque was accompanied by the Prestige Rosé nonvintage, which Taittinger said is made from still red wine blended with Chardonnay, which gives the champagne “a beautiful persistent color.” When the perfectly grilled Australian beef medallion was served, it came with the Comtes de Champagne ’99, the exceptional vintage wine made from 100 percent Chardonnay in a differently shaped bottle with the Comtes name more prominent than Taittinger. One connoisseur with us declared that the Comtes we were having was still “young” because it was still acidic in the mouth. We had the Comtes until the trio of sweets.

Throughout lunch historical footnotes were made. Taittinger stated how French king Louis XV liked to have his mistresses drink the bubbly champagne with him—never mind that it was born in monasteries.

He also declared that he drinks champagne daily, but added that he also enjoys pastis (anise-flavored liqueur) either with almond syrup or tomato juice.

Information flowed like his wine that day about the state of the Champagne region, and my pen couldn’t keep up. I had to consult the “Oxford Companion to Wine” edited by Jancis Robinson (Oxford Press, 1994) to make sense of my notes.

Taittinger mentioned how the Champagne region can’t increase the number of hectares (35,000) to produce more wine. The wine encyclopedia says that as a result, the region produces only one bottle in 12 of the total sparkling wines produced in the world. It is Australia and the western United States that have taken to producing sparkling wines. That’s probably why Taittinger went into partnership in California with Le Domaine Carneros, a vineyard between Sonoma and the Napa Valley.

While champagne is a welcome treat, it is more expensive than most of the non-sparkling counterparts. It is also Jancis Robinson who explains why beautifully in her book “Taking Pleasure: Confessions of a Wine Lover” (Penguin Group, 1997): You pay more because of “the sheer depth of flavor that takes years to develop, the way each mouthful lingers in your throat like a comforting, slow-release capsule of explosive warmth, and the fact that it wafts rather than gets up your nose.”

E-mail pinoyfood04@yahoo.com.

What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body

By Dr. Maoshing Ni

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.

Soft drinks are hard on your health

Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.

A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet

Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!

Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.

Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.

The health effects of diet soda

You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.

Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.

Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.

Carbonation depletes calcium

Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.

Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.

Skip the soda and go for:

• Fresh water

Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system.

On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.

• Fruit Juice

If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.

• Tea

Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.

Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.

If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness. Drink up!

I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

--Dr. Mao

Processed food link to depression: research

A diet heavy in processed and fatty foods increases the risk of depression, according to British research published on Monday.

Researchers at University College London also found that a diet including plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish could help prevent the onset of depression.

They compared participants -- all civil servants -- who ate a diet largely based on "whole" foods with a second group who mainly ate fried food, processed meat, high-fat dairy products and sweetened desserts.

Taking into account other indicators of a healthy lifestyle such as not smoking and taking physical exercise, those who ate the whole foodshad a 26 percent lower risk of depression than those who ate mainly processed foods.

People with a diet heavy in processed food had a 58 percent higher risk of depression.

The researchers put forward several explanations for the findings, which are published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Firstly, the high level of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables could have a protective effect, as previous studies have shown higher antioxidant levels to be associated with a lower risk of depression.

Secondly, eating lots of fish may protect against depression because it contains high levels of the sort ofpolyunsaturated fatty acids which stimulate brain activity.

And they said it was possible that a "whole food" diet protects against depression because of the combined effect of consuming nutrients from lots of different types of food, rather than the effect of one single nutrient.

The researchers concluded: "Our research suggests that healthy eating policies will generate additional benefits to health and well-being, and that improving people's diet should be considered as a potential target for preventing depressive disorder."

The study was carried out on 3,486 people with an average age of 55, who worked for the civil service in London.

Each participant completed a questionnaire about their eating habits, and a self-assessment for depression.

YahooNews

5 breakfasts that burn fat

by EatingWell Magazine
I’m always looking for ways to get more out of my morning workout and eating the right breakfast might be my newfound secret. I was psyched to read that eating a breakfast made with “slow-release” carbohydrates, such as oatmeal or bran cereal, 3 hours before I exercise may help me burn more fat, according to a recent study. Here’s why: in the study eating “slow-release” carbohydrates didn’t spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates, such as white toast. In turn, insulin levels didn’t spike as high and because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower levels may help you burn fat.

While I like oatmeal, I can’t eat it every day. So here are 5 delicious breakfast recipes to help fight fat:

1. Scandinavian Muesli (recipe below): Serve this Scandinavian cereal with low-fat yogurt or nonfat milk to start your day off with whole grains and some protein and calcium-rich dairy. You can substitute any combination of chopped dried or fresh fruit for the raisins—apricots, apples, figs, cherries or cranberries would all be delicious. Try walnuts or hazelnuts instead of the almonds if you like. Ground flaxseeds stirred in at the end provide a boost of heart-healthy omega-3s.

2. Wake-Up Smoothie: With a stash of berries in your freezer, you can jump-start your day with this nutritious, tasty smoothie in just minutes. It provides vitamin C, fiber, potassium and soy protein.

3. Quick Breakfast Taco: A smaller cousin of the breakfast burrito, the breakfast taco made with reduced-fat Cheddar and egg substitute is a satisfying and healthy breakfast option.

4. Breakfast Parfait: A little low-fat dairy and some vitamin-rich fruit and you've just started your day right, nutritionally speaking.

5. Banana-Bran Muffins: Ripe bananas are just right for these moist bran muffins. Add a handful of dark chocolate chips to entice children to enjoy a fiber-rich treat.

Scandinavian Muesli

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking (not instant) rolled oats2/3 cup rye flakes or wheat flakes (see Note)1/3 cup coarsely chopped almonds (1 3/4 ounces)2 tablespoons flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)1/2 cup raisins2 tablespoons honey1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractPinch of cinnamon1/4 cup flaxseeds, ground (optional; see Tip)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread oats and rye (or wheat) flakes on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir in almonds and coconut; bake until the oats are fragrant, about 8 minutes. Turn off the oven. Stir raisins into the muesli.

2. Microwave honey for 10 seconds in a glass measuring cup. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon; drizzle over the muesli and stir to coat. Return the muesli to the turned-off warm oven and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Stir in flaxseeds, if using.
Makes 8 servings, about 1/2 cup each.

Per serving:196 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 5 g fiber; 6 mg sodium; 209 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Fiber (18% daily value).
Ingredient Note: Rye or wheat flakes are simply rye or wheat kernels that have been steamed and rolled, oatmeal-style. Look for them in natural-foods stores.Tip: Grind flaxseeds in a clean coffee grinder or dry blender just before using.

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.

‘Saluyot pancit canton’, crab baked in salt

By Reggie Aspiras

Philippine Daily Inquirer

’TIS THE season to be jolly! Here are some of the funkiest holiday entertaining ideas I’ve stumbled upon, plus other treats that will surely make the holidays even more special.

Isabelle Dee turned 18 in Winter Wonderland.

Her mom Nellia, perhaps, feeling even more like a debutante than her daughter, worked wonders with the venue which she surrounded with ice sculptures.

The lighting was fantastic, a nice ice blue, lending a touch of softness to the white drapes that hung from everywhere.

The bar was filled with white day beds where the young ones and young once, all dressed in white, comfortably lounged.

Dancing heads

Have you ever had yourself videotaped grinding to the tune of “I Will Survive,” “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Lady Marmalade”?

If not, it’s time to call Confetti Effects and have them set up their dancing booth heads for the Christmas party.

See yourself garbed in leather or skimpy skirt and sexy top, with a 20-inch waistline to match.

If you’re a man, chances are, you’ve never seen yourself dressed as a cowboy, so rugged, so buffed.

All you must do is pick a song, sit on a stool, put on a green cape, while the booth operators synchronize your head movements with a video of a dancing body.

Then, voila! You have your own comical MTV disc to take home as souvenir. Freddie Martelino (tel. 0920-9005601) also has mini video stalls for those interested to put up a dancing head booth in the malls.

Club Fishbone was present to provide the music, cocktails and shooters – another attractive destination, I observed, for the teeners, who in their minds are now legally able to do as they please. Club Fishbone (Call Val Magallanes at 0917-8829011) makes hosting parties a whole lot easier.

Egg flan

For the debut, Representative Lorna Silverio brought egg flans she ordered from Eya Cabanos all the way from Ilocos Norte. They are real eggs drained off their content, filled with flan mixture and steamed. A novelty!

Cabanos also makes saluyot pancit canton noodles and the famous Ilocos garlic longganisa.

She sends them fresh from San Nicolas as you order (tel. 0918-5299085). The eggs make perfect Christmas tokens.

One of the most divine palatal experiences I have come across are Sokak (soft-shell crabs) Baked in Salt which I order from Tao Yuan Restaurant (tel. 0917-5308988, 5227010).

It is so delicious. The crab fat oozes from the inside. It is everything you want in a crab and more. Truly worth the trip.

I suggest you call to reserve. Though they have it every day, the demand for these export-quality crustaceans i high and the restaurant is always packed.

If they don’t have Sokak, go for their Hainanese Chicken Rice. For me, it is simply the best in the country. Try their fried lapu-lapu with mango, delectable, too.

My son loves the Yangchow fried rice at Super Bowl. However, it is not always practical to go to the restaurant whenever he craves for this delicious rice concoction. Can you provide me a recipe that would somehow taste near the Super Bowl version?

Gloria Say

Hello Gloria! I have asked chef Henry Cheung of the famed Good Earth Restaurant, and now of the newly opened Henry’s Place at the Forbes Town Center (tel. 3935915) to help you out.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

50 g chicken breast

50 g shrimp

10 g Chinese sausage

2 tbsp oil

1 pc egg

1½ c cooked, day old rice

2 tbsp chicken broth

2 tsp light soy sauce

White pepper, to taste

2 tsp spring onions, chopped

Mince the first three ingredients.

Scramble the eggs and set aside.

Saute the chicken, shrimp and sausage in oil.

Add eggs and scramble.

Add cold rice and mix well.

Add broth, soy, pepper, seasoning to taste.

Add spring onions.