Birthday with the family

Yesterday was the mark of the birth of  two of the  most annoying yet loving brothers in the world. its just so hard to believe that it was only a few years ago that these two monsters were given life. being boys, my mom thought that there was no better way of surprising the two with a feast of their favorite foods. only thing is that they will eat any and everything, which made it that much harder for us to decide on what foods to make. while pondering on different recipe ideas, we sent the two boys to go play outside with the neighbor's kids to get them out of our way and to truly surprise them when they come back home stomachs growling, and energy drained from their bodies. while outside the rest of the family was busy putting up decorations, and finding the right ingredients for the many eligible meals. after much thought, the conclusion we came to was that we would make lasagna with pizza, salad, tandoori chicken, rice, and apple pie. many hours later, when both my family and my brothers held no energy to move, let alone play, we decided to call in the birthday boys and celebrate!   it turned out to be an amazing day spent with the people i love. only thing that messed it up was the cake. being cheap and too lazy to go anywhere far, my dad decided to go to Walmart to buy a cake. it looked very cute on the outside blue and white icing, with a hint of purple, and decorated in an array of tiny little stars. but boy were we wrong about that! we fell for the outside without even realizing it! one bite and we all had the sudden urge to gag. this was by far the Worst, and i mean WORST cake i've ever eaten in my life! AGHHHHH..... for starters the icing was all buttery with almost no trace of sugar whatsoever. next the cake was so dry that we all needed to rinse our mouths just to allow for the cake to go down. and lastly i don't know if i'm being biased here but i really truly think that Walmart is cheap and instead of throwing the cake out they like they should have  they felt the need to make a few extra bucks and so we were the unlucky costumers to fall into this trap. but overall leaving out the cake, i think that this was a great birthday celebration, and that it brought as closer as a family since recently everyone is caught up in their busy schedules.    

The effects of citrus fruits

l e m o n

Promotes healthy weight-loss due to digestive aid and liver cleansing abilities · prevents acne · lessens anxiety · helps neutralize fevers and chills · fights fatigue · freshens breath · heals hypertension · fights inflammation · boosts the immune system to fight bacterial and viral infections

o r a n g e

Prevents the hardening of arteries · kills cancer-causing free radicals · lowers LLD cholesterol levels · relieves constipation by stimulating digestive juices · promotes healthy sperm production · lowers high blood pressure · prevents kidney stones · protects skin from free radical damage · lowers the risk of stomach ulcers · fights viral infections

l i m e

Rejuvenates skin and reduces body odor · aids in digestion · prevents constipation by clearing the excretory system · help heal peptic and oral ulcers · the peel’s aromas help to relieve nausea and congestion (just scratch it and inhale!) · promotes eye health · aids in healthy weight-loss · prevents urinary disorders · prevents arthritis and rheumatism, diabetes, and cancer

g r a p e f r u i t

Increases metabolism · prevents arthritis · scavenges cancer-causing free radicals in the body · helps lower bad cholesterol (consult your doctor before consuming if you are on prescription drugs) · prevents common cold and fevers · dissolves gallstones · enhances liver function and digestive processes · improves skin complexion

ingredients to avoid at all costs

High fructose corn syrup: is a cheap sugar that has a high cost for our bodies and health. this type of sugar causes obesity and insulin resistance.

Trans-fats: these are the worst types of fat. They raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol.these fats are linked to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease

MSG ( mono-sodium glutamate ): a flavor enhancer that can make you want more of the bad food it is dissolved in.

Artificial sweeteners: common side effects of consumption this ingredient are headaches, stomach pains, memory changes, weakness and fatigue, and fake sugar can cause craving of junk food

Artificial flavors: most artificial flavors are petroleum. these flavors have not been studied for safety and toxicity. the number one rule to eating artificial flavoring is "don't eat what you can't pronounce"

Preservatives: help food stay fresh for long periods of time and are hard to avoid. There are many different types of natural preservatives such as salt or vinegar, but most of the preservatives in our foods are synthetic. these preservatives are harmful and toxic and are known to cause tumors in the body and weaken the immune system.

morning after

Superfoods

These are just a few of the super foods out there that can be enjoyed alongside any of your favorite dishes. coconut oil is known for its great effects on skin renewal, and hair regrowth. dry or frizzy hair can be tamed with just a few tbsps of coconut oil mixed  with a few drops of water. this solution can now be applied to the scalp and hair. for full term effects, this process should be continued two to three times per week.  Lemon is a natural disinfectant and is great for clearing acne and blackheads. just mix two tbsp of lemon juice with equal amounts of honey. this duo of anti agents not only fights germs, but it also smooths the skin leaving it soft as a babies skin.  and lastly, avocado, hmmmmmmm YUM! one of my favorite fruits are avocados. these creamy and rich tasting plants have an assortment of vitamins and minerals that help to burn fat and lose weight! A great  and very easy recipe for avocados is  an avocado milkshake. all that is really needed for these amazing shakes is one ripe avocado, a cup of milk, some honey, and a few almonds (this is optional) and that's it! easy as that :)

Chocolate zuccini muffins

Makes 12-15 muffins
What you need:
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1-3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil and buttermilk. Add in all of the dry ingredients, including spices. Mix thoroughly. Stir in zucchini. Fill the prepared muffin tin liners about 3/4 of the way. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the center muffin comes out mostly clean.

Breakfast to go

waking up in the morning can be hard for many people. hitting the snooze button every five minutes just to get the most out of your sleep , usually this results in not having enough time to prepare a well balanced breakfast... here are a few quick tricks and tips to help you when your on the go.

Nut butter sandwich
spread a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter or almond butter onto a slice of bagal, toast, or waffle. add a drizzle of your favorite sweetener whether that's honey or jam and there you have it! a quick on the go breakfast sandwich.

Banana topper
this quick recipe calls for only two things: a banana, and Cheerios or granola all you need to do is peel your banana and just roll it around in the cereal until your liking, and there you have it keeps you well full, and is a nutritious and quick breakfast

Trail mix
 put together a few of your fav dried fruits, they can be anything from dried cranberries and raisins, to almonds and peanuts and there you have it simple as that!

Quick Quesadillas
fill a flour tortilla with cheddar cheese and thinly sliced granny smith apple slices and basically thats it! now if you like you can warm it up in the microwave so that the cheese slightly melts, or just eat it like that.