Cleaning with Vinegar

The kitchen is arguably the hardest room to keep clean. Lots of cooking means lots of greases, spills, stains, etc. I love to cook. I hate to clean. The effort needed in cleaning after cooking is tremendous at times but I've found a way out. Enough of those expensive washing detergents and say hello to vinegar.

• Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.


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  Prevent mildew buildup inside your refrigerator or on its rubber seals by wiping occa­sionally with a sponge dampened with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar. No need to rinse.


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  Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.


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  To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.


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  Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.


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  To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.


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  For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.


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  Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.


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  Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.


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  For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.


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  Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight
  


• Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.

There is an endless application for cleaning with vinegar. Vinegar can even be used to shine pennies, remove odors, or even disinfect toys. Forget those mess in the kitchen with vinegar. It is now time truly enjoy cooking and eating.

Almonds

Almonds is a very common nut eaten today. It could be eaten on its own either raw or roasted. Almonds have plenty of culinary uses such as nougat and sprinkled on sundaes. Believe it or not it is one of the best tree nuts there are because of its health benefits.

Since almonds are native to the middle east let us approach it firstly from the middle eastern way. In Ayuravedic medicine, the traditional health care system of the Indian subcontinent, almonds are nutritious for the brain and nervous system. It is said that almonds help induce high intellectual level and longevity. But that's not all... almonds are aphrodisiacal as well.

Nutritional wise, almonds are high in vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, omega3, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Almonds have many essential fatty acids which contains monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Unsaturated fats help increase HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) and decrease LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein). The HDL and LDL level regulates the flow of cholesterol in our blood system. The higher the level of your HDL and the lower the level of your LDL will keep you away from heart diseases. Scientists have proven that a handful of almonds a day can reduce 4.4% of LDL while two handfuls can reduce up to 9.4% of LDL in our bodies. Those who eat 52 grams of almonds daily have 30-50% lower in the risk of diabetes and heart diseases.

Here's how I like my almonds. I have been told to soak 7 almonds in water overnight. In the morning I would peel the skin off and eat it raw with soy milk. Eat it first thing in the morning and wait a while before breakfast. Personally, 7 almonds is not enough, I always end up eating more. Try it at home and you'll see that not only are almonds so wonderful as mentioned above but it helps with detoxification as well. Almonds are great for improving the movement of food through the colon. In addition it is also claimed that almonds improve complexion and prevent cancer.

What is It?

Allow me to introduce you to a rather weird dish.

You may be wondering what kind of food this picture is showing. How about another guess? Noodles? No. This is a picture of deep fried bamboo worms. How tasty that sounds... It doesn't "taste just like chicken". Yet it taste good in its own light. Locals in the Northern provinces of Thailand has been consuming bamboo worms for generations. It is most commonly cooked by being deep fried or roasted with salt. Nevertheless it can also be prepared in many different ways. These worms are nutritious, high in protein, and low in calories. Worm eating isn't restricted to Thailand. Countries like Korea and Mexico also consume worms. So eating worms isn't so strange after all. Have you tried any?

Milk Jelly

With global warming breathing on our necks, unnatural weather changes knocking our doors, and global economy downfall right before our eyes, you just can't help being pressured under such stress. Yet we shall not kowtow to the stress. It is time we not only care for the earth but for our own health. A method of reducing stress is by cooking. Personally, making something good out of scratch and being able to share it with everyone is a stress outlet. As for our health let's start looking after ourselves by drinking milk. With this in mind I will share an easy recipe with milk. Milk Jelly...

Ingredients:

1. 1 liter of your choice of milk- I chose soymilk.
2. 3-4 tablespoons of sugar
3. 1/2 teaspoon of agar-agar powder
4. 1/3 teaspoon of gelatin (not necessary)
5. 5-6 tablespoons of unsweeten evaporated milk
6. 4-5 bayan leaves for a delightful odor. But this can also be replaced with jasmine or vanilla.
7. 1 tablespoon of basil seeds
8. 1/4 cup of water

Simple Preparation

1. Mix 1 and 2/3 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of agar-agar powder, and 2 teared up banyan leaves in a cooking pot. Set the pot at medium heat.
2. Melt gelatin in a little bit of warm water before mixing it into the pot.
3. Remove the banyan leaves.
4. Pour this mixture into glasses, bowls, bottles of choice so that each container holds approximately 1/4 cup of it.
5. Leave the mixture to be cooled down and get its jelly structure.
6. Add 1/2 cup of water to the basil seeds and leave it for a few minutes. I am always fascinated in the change water does to the seeds. See picture below.
   
   
   
   
   
   


7. Put the basil seeds onto the jelly mixture we've just made. Equal them out in each container.
8. The rest is real easy. Mix the remaining ingredients in a pot under medium heat. Once sugar is melted (for those using jasmine or vanilla) or milk has boiled then you may pour this milk onto the jelly and basil seeds previously made.
9. Drink it warm or chilled.

Sugar Free Diet for Sweeter Skin

In the era where people is living longer but youth is still worshipped the study of anti-aging is a boom in the medical science world. Youthful skin is one of the ultimate dream. Nevertheless, since skin is the largest organ of our bodies, we might as well take good care of it. We all know that sugar is linked to diabetes, obesity, and many other illnesses. But scientists have found that sugar is also linked to the cause of wrinkles! (O_O')

Glucose is an important source of energy to living organisms. However, a rapid rise in the sugar level in the blood causes inflammations to all organs such as the brain, the heart, and even the skin. Sugar is destructive to the skin. Glycation is natural process to blame. Once sugar enters your bloodstream it will attach itself to proteins to form new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These molecules will damage the elastin and collagen in your skin. Resulting in making the skin to lose its firmness and become stiff and inflexible.

Not only are the collagen molecules in your skin gets damaged but the advance glycation end product proteins also change what type of collagen you have. The most abundant collagen in the skin are types I, II, and III, with type III being the most stable and longest lasting. Glycation transforms type III collagen into type I, which is more fragile. When that happens, the skin looks and feels less supple.

These AGEs also hurt your natural antioxidants. As a result the skin is prone to damage from UV rays, free radicals, and stress, which are the main cause of wrinkles.

"What about young children who like to eat sweets?" you may ask. The answer is this, when glycation happens in children their youthful bodies have the mechanism to fix and replace the damage right away. This is different in adults though. As we age the natural fixing process slows down. By the age of 35 the fixing process eventually stops. Leaving behind the marks of aging.

Don't lose hope and think you'll never be able to have sugar again. As mentioned earlier, glucose is the main source of energy. You need it no matter what. However I suggest reducing the amount of sugar intake per day. Avoid adding sugar in your dishes. Many food contains sugar already. Carbs will be broken down to sugar. Fruits and vegetables already have their own sugar. Try to maintain a well balanced diet. In addition, if you want to look young, you will have to drink plenty of water and sleep early. Good luck!

Feng Shui Your Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of every home. The kitchen is one of the most important room for fengshui. In fengshui, the kitchen represents good health and prosperity. The logic is simple. The kitchen is where you cook your food and where food is kept. Food is essential in feeding the people. You can't work, think, be happy, or be healthy with an empty stomach. Good energy in this room brings success, health, and harmony to the people living in the house.




The most important element of the kitchen is the fire element or the stove.

Place the stove so that the cook may see the whole kitchen. Why is this necessary? Imagine cooking in front of the stove with your back facing the rest of the room. If anyone comes in or anything happens behind you, it is likely that you'll be surprised by it. You may get distracted. Accidents may happen when you are surprised. Something may catch fire when you turn to look. You may spill hot soup. You may even drop the pan on your feet. It is better to know what is going on around you than not knowing. When accidents occur the cook will be unhappy. An unhappy cook is unlucky to prepare food. If you can't change the setting of the stove then place a mirror so that the cook can see what's behind him/her. Another reason for placing mirrors in the kitchen is because it help reflects the image of the stove, which is the source of power for the house.

Avoid placing the stove in the corner. Relating to the note above, placing the stove in the corner not only restrict the cook's visions, but it also restrict his or her movements. Most importantly, it restricts the flow of energy (chi). Therefore a cooking island is not such a bad idea.

Element wise it is logical to understand that fire and water are opposites. They depower each other. The stove obviously represents the fire element. The sink and the refrigerator represents the water element. The opposite elements being placed next to one another means conflict within the house. Do not place a stove next to a sink or a refrigerator. If you cannot move these appliances away from each other then use a barrier to separate them. The barrier in this place means a plant or something green, which represents the wood element.

Get rid of the microwave. A microwave emits radiation and heat waves. Many fengshui masters point out that the unnatural energy from the microwave is bad energy (chi). In addition relying on a microwave suggests neglecting the stove. An unused stove implies untapped resources and ignored opportunities. So use your stove regularly, even if its just to boil water. Don't leave the stove unused.


Now that you know the importance of the stove don't forget to take good care of your stove. Keep it clean. Fix your stove ASAP if any part of your stove breaks down. I hope you find this post useful:)

Tom Yum Cures Cancer

Thai food is delicious. Often times a Thai dish would include several herbs and spices as its ingredients. This makes Thai food not only tasting good to the tongue, but it makes Thai food great for your health. Tomyum the most famous Thai cuisine has been a topic of interest to many scientists and health lovers. The savory scent of tomyum is often used in aroma therapy for its relaxing and curing effects. From my previous post you'll see that tomyum uses many fresh herbs and spices such as lemon grass, chili, and galangal roots. Just the galangal roots alone provides many health benefits:

• alleviate abdominal discomfort and pain
  
• help with digestion
  
• remedy vomiting- seasickness and motion sickness


• improve blood circulation in hands and feet
  
• treat diarrhea
  
• fight inflammation
  
• treat arthritis
  
• treat ulcers and inflammation of the stomach
  
• cure hiccups

Eating the Thai way may be one of the best ways to eat. After all the ratio of cancer occurrences in Asians, especially Southeast Asians, is very low compared with the pattern in the European and Western countries. Food the is key reason to why this is so. There has been a joint study by Thailand's Kasetsart University and Japan's Kyoto and Kinki Universities on this hot-and-sour soup. What researchers had found is that the ingredients in the tomyum soup are 100 times more effective in inhibiting cancerous tumor growth than other foods. Keep in mind "you are what you eat". So eat healthy and be healthy. What are you waiting for? Try tomyum. You have nothing to lose and all to gain.

Tom Yum

Welcome to IN 2 KITCHEN! Anyone can cook. Find easy to follow recipes. All you ever need to know about cooking especially cooking Thai food is here. Useful and interesting kitchen tips and food facts available. Cook Thai food and eat healthy now!

Let me open my blog with the most requested Thai cuisine. You just can't miss it if you're going to eat Thai. Yes, I'm talking about "Tom Yum" or as foreigners would call it "Tom Yum Kung". "Kung" simply means shrimp but tom yum can be made with other meat as well. Below are the pictures of all the vegetables required to make this dish.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 banyan leaves for better smell crunch them first and/or tear them.


• 1 tbs grounded pepper


• 6-9 lemon grass chopped to 2 inch pieces


• 4-5 kaffir lime leaves tear them


• 1 galangal root sliced into small pieces


• 1 gram of oyster mushrooms cut them in four


• tomatoes cut in halves or fours


• 1/2 cup of basil leaves


• 15 fennel leaves chopped into 2 inch pieces


• shrimp/fish/mussels/cuttlefish/chicken/seafood... (your choice)


• 5-8 chopped chillies


• fish sauce


• lime juice


• Thai chili jam/ oil ("nam prik paow")


• 1-2 coriander plant


• vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Boil banyan leaves in water. Once the water is boiled you may take the leaves out. Bayan leaves act only as an odor enhancer.


2. Set up the vegetable oil under medium heat. Stir fry grounded pepper with chopped up coriander roots. Pour in the banyan water. Add lemon grass and galangal roots.


3. Once the water has boiled put in your meat of choice with kaffir lime leaves. Important note- do not stir the meat until it is cooked.


4. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, fennel leaves, and basil leaves. Once all of this is cooked you are done!


5. Serve them in bowls.


6. Chop up the remainder of the coriander plant and sprinkle them onto each bowl.

Now you may wonder what happens to the unused ingredients. Well... this is the best part of this recipe. It is what makes this recipe for tom yum delicious to all. It just can't go wrong. Satisfaction guaranteed! Of course, everybody has there own preferences when it comes to taste. Therefore the remainder ingredients may be seasoned according to each person's preference.

Do try this at home:)

Looks good doesn't it?