{Recipe} Simple Ginger Chicken and Creamy Cucumber Salad

Hello everyone,

I decided to include recipes as a new addition to the blog. I am by no means an expert cook, but my mom is a great cook and she has taught me well. I am a bit of a foodie and I like experimenting with cuisines from around the world. I recently made this ginger chicken curry (popular in Thai and Indian cuisine) and it was super good, not to mention easy to make. I got the recipe here. This is a very simple meal that you can make on a busy day. It is also fairly healthy.

For the creamy cucumber salad:

Chop 1 small cucumber

Chop 1 small tomato

Chop 1/2 a serano pepper

Salt, pepper and lime to taste

1 tbsp each ketchup and mayo mixed together

Add all the above ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. 

Note: You can serve the chicken and cucumber salad with white rice. I prefer Basmati rice. 

Leave me a comment if you try it out -- I would love to hear your feedback!

Happy cooking,
xoxo - Chrissy

Letters From Lanki: Using Music to Fuel Your Workout

Hey Everyone,

I have another guest blogger for you guys! Meet Lanki, she's a fabulous girl I met on a conference when I was 16 and although we haven't been able to see each other often, we've stayed friends ever since! Lanki will blog on health and fitness mostly, with a few suprises thrown in when the occassion calls for it. I hope you enjoy her first post :)

Dear Readers,

My name is Lanki and I’m so happy to be a part of Christalin’s amazing blog. She’s such a smart and beautiful person and since we met in 2008, we've become good friends.

In 2011, I was on quite the heavy side, so I made a goal for myself and lost 15 pounds in 10 months through consistent exercise.  There are a few things that need to be grasped when working out in order to make it into a successful routine. One of them is having the right music to motivate you, and I thought I would share my insight on how that can help you workout successfully. Whether you are a jogger who already has a solid set of songs, or more of an elliptical person who wants to start building up a workout play list, this blog post might be just for you.

To me, it’s all about the “feel good” music, music that makes you feel good from the heart.  And when I workout, I like to have music that makes me feel sexy, confident and powerful at the same time, because that is how I want to feel during and after workout sessions. It’s all about looking and feeling good when it comes to working out!

So firstly, look for songs that you genuinely like. It can be by any artist, from any genre and era. I have songs by Katy Perry like “California Girl” as well as “You make my dreams come true” by Hall and Oats. Even backstreet boys and spice girls do the trick!  I feel like these songs help me pass the time because I would just simply enjoy listening to them while working out. Then, look for songs that don’t drag or slow you down. I like to specifically listen to songs that are upbeat or fast because they help me gain momentum and keep pace. Songs like “Don’t you worry child” by Swedish Mafia and even “Price Tag” by Jessie J are my go-to tunes.  I’ll admit, I have a few One Direction songs to help me feel fun and alive while working out too. There’s a reason why they call it “Pop” music right? I feel like songs by the girl power band “Girls Aloud”, are also such great songs to use when working out, especially for girls as most of them bring out that inner sexy and confident female boss in you! I recommended you give them a try if you haven’t.

Finally, go for songs that you truly love. This goes back to the “feel good” music idea, even if it’s a slow and meaningful song like Adele’s “Turning tables” or “Your body is a Wonderland” by John Mayer. As long as you enjoy it and helps you keep your mind off some of the hurdles of working out, then you’re good to go!  Slow and chilled out songs are great for when you are stretching and/or cooling down.

Here’s a little sample of my work-out list to give you an idea of what I’m talking about:

1.       Girls Aloud – Jump

2.       Taylor Swift – 22

3.       One Direction – Kiss You

4.       Journey – Don’t Stop Believing

5.       Blink 182 – All the small things

6.       Avril Lavigne – Happy Ending

7.       Beyonce – Crazy in love

8.       Karmin – Brokenhearted

9.       Carly Rae Jepsen – Call me maybe

10.   Cher Lloyd – Want you back

11.   Olly Murs – Dance with me tonight

12.   Avicii – Levels

13.   Ed Sheeran – Give me love

14.   John Mayer ft. Taylor Swift – Half of my heart

15.   50 cent ft Eminem and Adam Levine – My life

It really is as simple as that! Have fun while you workout! It shouldn’t be agonizing. You CAN make it to the finish line with little snippets of information and motivational tips like this. Throw some Justin Bieber in there, a bit of One Direction, maybe some classical music, dance music or even jazz. Whatever you prefer, whatever gets you going on the machine, you’re the boss. Remember, don’t be shy about it. No one else can hear you. It’s just you, your music and your workout session!

Good luck and have fun!

With love,

Lanki

Happy Thanksgiving and Sri Lankan "Kings" Chicken Curry Recipe

Happy Turkey Day Everybody!!

Here are five things I'm thankful for:

 1. Family - Your biggest supporters and the people closest to you will get you further than any material thing can. Relationships are so important and in today's busy world, we should all remember to make more time for our loved ones. 

2. Friends - I am lucky to have amazing friends. No matter where we are in the world, we make time for each other and pick up where we left off. A phone conversation, a three-way Skype chat or a long email is all it takes.

3. Health - I'm thankful that I'm blessed with good overall health. We seldom stop to think of being so blessed - flexibility, good skin and having a well functioning body. I am definitely going to appreciate what I have and take better care of my mind, body and soul!

4. Plain ginger tea which soothes my soul and keeps me warm on these cold winter nights, while I huddle in a blanket and read a book.

5. Humor - life certainly has its ups and downs and this year has certainly been a trying one. But when you can laugh at yourself and have a sense of humor, things get to be a little more bearable.

What are you thankful for this year? 

I promised you all a Sri Lankan recipe, and while I didn't have to do any cooking this time, I found a really great recipe online. Try it out and let me know what you think!

XOXO - Chrissy

Scary Things You Don't Know About Your Food!!!

To check the original link, please go here:

http://www.cracked.com/article_19433_the-6-most-horrifying-lies-food-industry-feeding-you.html

Source: This picture has been taken from the original article, linked above.

I somehow landed on this article while surfing the web and boy, was I horrified. The article is aptly named, "The 6 Most Horrifying Lies The Food Industry is Feeding You". Here are some of the shockers:

1. Fake fruits marketed as the real thing - and tastes like the real thing too (aaaah!!!)

2. Wood in your food!

3. Clean food - not so fast, the cleaning process includes AMMONIA!

What is this world coming to? People need to get a hold of themselves - our lust for power and money has definitely clouded our judgement, hell it's smog in there! Are we ever free of this? Will awareness help us stay healthy and alive, or is it too little too late? Read the article to find out what's really going on. 

Eat. Pray. Love - The Mini Series: {Eat. The Simple Joy of Indulging}

Anjani is continuing her adventure and everything seems to be going well. Check out these pictures plus commentary - she and her friend Bani, definitely indulged in the simple, yet mouth wateringly satisfying menu at stops along the way. Oh and not to mention, their "Eat" destination - Jaffna.

The Jungle Oberoi - Kekirawa, Sri Lanka

"The Jungle Oberoi, teaching us city folk what simple food is all about. "

Above, Left: "Breakfast at the Jungle Oberoi — with Pol Sambol, Newly Discovered Condiment!, Dhal Curry (lentils), Deep Fried Dry Fish, String Hoppers"

Above, Right: "Deep Fried Firecracker Chillies, a village specialty and a must have at every breakfast table!"

Jaffna - Day One

"Lunch, an explosion of flavors.  I could eat this, again!  Pol Sambol, Pappadam & Fried Curry Leaves, Steamed Basmati (rice), Dhal Curry, Local Greens made differently, Curried Drumsticks and Screwdriver at Jaffna."

"Dinner, simple and satisfying — with Freshly Pounded Onion Sambol, handmade Chappatis, succulent Fish Curry and B's Version of Sex on the Beach at Jaffna."

Jaffna - Day Two

Above, clockwise from left: " Iddly - Soft as Clouds, Watermelon & Papaya Juice, Coconut Chutney and hearty Vegetable Sambar."

Above, anticlockwise from drink: "An Indian inspired lunch — with Mango Lassi, Brinjal Salad; Cashew Nut Pullao; thick, tender, luscious & succulent Mutton Chettinand and Prawn 65 - deep fried nuggets of curried prawn at Green Grass, Jaffna Town."

"The unique & luminous Rio Ice Cream creations - a treat for the eyes & taste buds and only found in Jaffna! Pineapple Ice Cream at Rio Ice Cream, behind the Nallur Kovil."

"Last dinner in Jaffna  — with Bread, Lime Wedges, Jaffna Kool - the Tom Yum of Sri Lankan cuisine and Butter."

"And so we come to the end of our 'eat' phase. We learned to enjoy simple food, in simple surroundings and we satisfied all our senses... Eating is so much more than nourishment, it is a holistic experience, no matter what is being eaten. 

Now we head on to 'pray' to satisfy the soul…"

Stay tuned for more from this adventurous beauty as she continues her journey!

The Fresh List

Alright, so how many times have you been starving to death and finally hauled your ass out to the kitchen to look for something to eat in the fridge, only to realize it's been rotting for the past week (k, maybe that's stretching it a bit much, but still!). Yes, I'm talking to you, poor college students, and everybody else - I know this has happened to you at least a few times! Well, I got sick of this happening over and over again and decided to arm myself with knowledge and find out how long food items will last. Here it is:

Meat and Poultry - Uncooked

Raw poultry will start to go off after being in the fridge for about two days. Same goes for raw fish, raw shellfish and raw ground meats. These items last much, much longer when stored in the freezer but the trick is to keep things organized so you know what’s actually in there.

• Chicken and turkey - Nine months
• Steaks, beef - Six to 12 months
• Chops, pork - Four to six months
• Chops, lamb - Six to nine months
• Roasts, beef - Six to 12 months
• Roasts, lamb - Six to nine months
• Roasts, pork and veal - Four to six months
• Stew Meats - Three to four months
• Ground meats - Three to four months

Dairy Products

• Butter/margarine - Six to nine months
• Cheese, soft and spreads, dips - One month
• Cheese, hard or semi-hard - Six months
• Eggs in shell- Do not freeze. Eggs can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five weeks.
• Ice cream - One month
• Milk / Cream - Three weeks 

Dried Food Items - Shelf Life

Canned foods will remain safe for an indefinite period of time, but at some point, the quality will be so bad, you won’t want to use it. As long as the can is in good shape without any dents or rusting, and you follow the rules for storage, the food in the can will be fine.

• Baking powder/soda - 18 months
• Bread Crumbs - Six months
• Cereals - Six months
• Coffee creamer, dry - Six months
• Flour/cake mixes - One year
• Gelatin/pudding mixes - One year
• Herbs/spices - Six to 12 months
• Milk, nonfat dry - Six months
• Pancake/pie crust mixes - Six months
• Pasta/noodles - Two years
• Potatoes, instant - 18 months
• Rice, white - Two years
• Sugar, granulated - Two years
• Sugar, brown, confectioners'- Four months

 
Fruits & Vegetables

Commercially frozen fruits will last up to a year in your freezer. Commercially frozen vegetables have a life-span of only eight months. Where cooked food is concerned, leftovers stored in the fridge are only good for about 3 -4 days and this includes cooked vegetables.

 
Drinks

Most juices that you buy, such as apple juice, can last 3-5 years un-opened. If you are unsure of how long your juice will last, contact the manufacturer's consumer phone number.

Optional Items

• Chocolate - unsweetened 18 months
• Coffee, vacuum pack - One year
• Milk, canned - One year
• Molasses - Two years
• Nuts - Eight months
• Oils/salad dressings - Three months
• Peanut butter (unopened) - Six months
• Sauces, condiments, relishes (unopened) - One year
• Shortening - Eight months
• Syrups - One year
• Tea - 18 months

 Now that you are armed with this information, go forth, save money and fill your tummies :)

{The list information in this post was taken from About.com: http://couponing.about.com/cs/grocerysavings/a/buyinginbulk.htm}