Posts tagged Today
Gearing Up Your Car Today
Jan 23rd
Wouldn’t it be nice to be justly rewarded to be green conscious? Well, in this latest move by the B.C. government which offers to as much as $2,000 on fuel efficient hybrid cars, people are getting a feel of just how it is to make that shift to these hybrid and fuel efficient cars.
True enough, such a rewarding option has also helped car manufacturers like Toyota to benefit from this new development. One of the top model hybrid cars of this Japan-based car manufacturing, the Prius, has been the prime target of consumers for their transportation needs today. And mind you, the Prius does not come cheap. One unit alone costs $32,000, not a cheap price to pay for hybrid cars offered for a greener outlook in the world today.
Incentives are known to be good rewards that can entice a market and make them fully aware of the actual intent of governments; that of which is to feel how it is to be rewarded by being green.
In a move to help promote the shift from gas to electricity as their main source of power, various groups have experimented and come up with an electricity reliant car to reduce the gas emissions that have been key contributors to overall pollution and impending global warming.
While the big car manufacturers have not yet gone on the aggressive development for these alternative cars, a lot of the old cars that are mostly left to rot or be junked have been the guinea pigs for this alternative source of energy and fuel. Some may question the reliability of such conversions but it is best to get in depth to see how car engines can be transformed into this green movement as far as vehicles are concerned.
Whether you prefer a Toyota, a Honda or even the high-end luxury cars such as Mercedes Benz, green standard compliant cars would normally have less impact on any potential buyer. Reason for such is usually due to the fact that they are too bent on checking out the features such as power features and of course bonuses installed if and when they purchase cars.
In these cases, green standards are usually taking a backseat. Pollution control due to greenhouse gas emissions are almost a given when you purchase a new car. Maintenance is another thing but if you are buying a new car, chances are, these issues will only set in after 5 years and up.
Just think of it. Why would anyone buy a car that would be a smoke-belching vehicle. It is like buying a second-hand car for nothing special.
Most of us really want to live luxuriously and comfortably. Consumers dream of having their own means of transportation and while cars are within their reach, there is another issue that needs to be addressed…pollution and greenhouse gases.
The air we breathe right now is contaminated. We can smell it and that awkward and different smell is the participation of pollution in the usually clean air we breathe. While people are more concerned of living better lives with good transportation, their health may be in jeopardy.
The increase in the number of motor vehicles, industrial and commercial activities, coupled with the rise in construction work in and around the city, is translating into a lot of air and noise pollution for the residents.
Almost every part of the city suffers on account of air and noise pollution, much of it caused by automobiles. The city’s ambient air quality on several parameters leaves much to be desired, with the levels of pollution above the permissible limits.
Jon Caldwell is an avid car lover and enthusiast. Everyone can check out his passion for cars at http://www.auto-trends-today.net/auto-trends-today_cat/autotrendslists.php
Eat a Little Seaweed Today!
Jan 20th
Seaweed For Lunch? OH NOOOOO!!!!
I walked out of the seminar with my eyes wide open! Last year there was a free seminar in our area discussing edible algae’s and its amazing composition putting it in a super food class of its own! Now I am not talking about those so called “Miracle Blue Green Algae Capsule” that were promoted about twenty years ago. I am referring to freshly cut and harvested seaweed as well as two other pure forms of algae, spirulina and chlorella, which are both edible.
For all of you who have been following my blogs hello! This is Stephen C. Sharp from FloridaHerbHouse.com here to give some insight on a couple of our exciting new products which have been selling like wildfire in our retail store as well as online since last fall!
Many people are not familiar with the many uses of seaweed and other algae products for various health benefits not do many know where they can actually buy these type of products packaged and ready for any culinary or medicinal use. We now sell about eight different kinds of seaweed and algae products in original and powdered form such as Kelp, Irish Moss, Bladderwrack, Dulse, Kombu, Chlorella, Nori, and Spirulina.
Algae’s Defined:
While you may think of algae as plants that float in the water, but that’s not exactly correct. Like plants, algae make their own food by photosynthesis. But algae aren’t planted in the ground, so they aren’t really plants. Furthermore, some algae don’t live in the water, they might live in the soil or in the snow, and some algae have even been found floating in clouds. So you can think of algae as photosynthetic life forms that usually float in the water. There are huge numbers of algae. Everything from the tiniest photosynthetic bacterium to a giant kelp that grows 200 feet tall are considered algae.
Interesting Algae Facts:
Algae produce more than 71% of the Earth’s oxygen; in fact, some scientists believe that algae produce 87% of the world’s oxygen.
Algae help remove huge amounts of Carbon Dioxide from the air. Carbon Dioxide causes global warming, so algae are one of our most important allies in the world! Algae may help us with global warming!
Naturally growing seaweeds or “aquatic algae” are an important source of food, especially in Asia. They provide many vitamins including: A, B1, B2, B6, niacin and C, and are rich in iodine, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium. In addition commercially cultivated microalgae, including both Algae and Cyanobacteria, are marketed as nutritional supplements, such as Spirulina and Chlorella.
All seaweeds are high in fiber. Those in the brown family supply large amounts of algin as well. Each seaweed contains a wide range of essential nutrients, including enzymes, nucleic acids, amino acids, minerals, trace elements, and A, B, C, D, E, and K vitamin complexes. Seaweeds offer us zest for life and the perfect medium for electrical nerve flow.
Benefits from a wise woman alliance with seaweed – glossier hair, more luminous skin, less digestive distress, renewed energy and stamina, rekindled sexual desires, and reawakened delight in life – will be noticeable in about 13 weeks.
Nutrient Rich Super food!
As just an example of the abundant nutrients available in say our pure kelp flakes lets take a look.
Kelp is 28% minerals by weight, and includes a large number of trace minerals. The minerals are naturally chelated to enhance the bio-availability. The primary minerals contained in Kelp are as follows:
Calcium
Copper
Iodine
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sodium
Sulphur
Zinc
Plus Many Other Trace Minerals
Kelp contains the following amino acids!
Arginine, Cystine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Serine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Valine,
Kelp contains the following vitamins!
Carotene, Choline, Niacin, Riboflavin
Approximately 20% of Kelp is healthy fiber and proteins! As we do not want to bore you with the nutritional analysis of each and every class of seaweed and other algae’s we do want to educate and excite you to try a recipe or health shake using some. I shrugged the first time a had a taste of a dish containing Nori and Bladderwrack seaweed in it thinking it was the same as eating say a pig’s ear, but after the first taste I was convinced that it is not that hard to add a wealth of health into the foods we eat. Email us anytime with questions or visit us 24/7 at our web site listed at the end of this article. We would love to see you! Below are some of my favorite recipes using our very own seaweeds, organic herbs and spices!
TWO OF OUR FAVORITE “NORI” SEAWEED RECIPES!
Chicken Aloha!
What you need :
2 lb Chicken thighs (or your favorite part)
4T Cornstarch
4T Organic flour
4T Organic sugar
5T Organic soy sauce
2 Eggs
1/2t Sea salt (organic if available)
1c water
2 Organic cloves garlic
1/4c Organic green onion
Nori Sheets (seaweed)
1 tsp Organic ginger powder (optional)
What to do
Cut chicken into pieces. Mix all ingredients together (not the chicken!) into bowl and marinate at least 4 hrs (overnight better). Cut nori into strips and wrap the nori around the marinaded chicken parts. Fry these in a skillet until golden brown. It is best to place the chicken on paper towels so that the excess oil will be removed.
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Smoked Salmon With Nori!
Preparation Time – 30 minutes
Makes – 24 rolls
Ingredients
300g sliced smoked salmon
100g cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup pure cream
1 tablespoon chopped pickled ginger (see note)
3 nori sheets (see note)
1 small avocado, peeled, stone removed, thinly sliced
Method
Place one-third of the salmon, all the cream cheese, cream and ginger in a food processor. Process until smooth.
Cut nori sheets in half. Place 1 nori sheet, shiny side down, on sushi mat. Arrange one-sixth of the remaining salmon slices in a single layer on 1 nori sheet, leaving a 1cm border along the long edge opposite you. Thinly spread one-sixth of the salmon mixture over salmon slices to cover. Arrange avocado in a row along side of nori sheet closest to you.
Using your thumbs and index fingers, pick up edge of mat closest to you. Use other fingers to hold filling in place. Roll mat forward tightly to roll up nori. Repeat with remaining salmon slices, nori sheets and salmon mixture. Cut each nori roll into 4 pieces. Serve.
Notes & tips
Pickled ginger: Pickled ginger, or gari, traditionally is used to refresh the palate between pieces of sushi. It’s made by marinating finely-sliced ginger in rice vinegar, water and sugar. You can find it in the Asian section of your supermarket.
Nori sheets are thin layers of dried seaweed, commonly used to enclose Japanese sushi rolls. They can also be broken up and added to soup, noodle and salad dishes. You will need a sushi mat for this recipe.
Our Favorite Seaweed Tea!
Gently simmer a handful of Bladderwrack for 15 minutes in enough water to cover. OR, fill a quart jar only full with dried bladderwrack; add boiling water to completely fill the jar.
Cap and let steep overnight. Next morning, strain (give the seaweed to the nearest patch of earth), warm and enjoy, seasoned to your taste! One thing good about this recipe is the chicken can be served hot or cold! It makes a great picnic snack.
Do not reuse the marinade. Discard immediately.
Our Favorite Two Kelp Recipes!
Corn Bread w/Kelp
3/4 c. whole corn meal
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. white grape juice
3/4 c. organic skim milk
2 egg whites
2 tbsp. safflower oil
3/4 tsp. kelp flakes
Sift together corn meal, flour, baking powder; add remaining ingredients. Mix. Bake in muffin papers coated with vegetable spray and dusted with corn meal at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
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FETTUCCINE ALFREDO – VERY YUMMY!
1 lb. fettuccine noodles
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. milk
2 c. Parmesan cheese
Vegetable seasoning
1 tsp kelp flakes
Cook fettuccine in boiling water until tender while noodles are cooking melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add milk and cook until warm. Drain noodles and place in bowl. Pour butter and cream mixture over noodles and toss. Add cheese and seasoning and mix well.
We appreciate all the bloggers who have emailed us and thanking us for the many blogs we have been writing. Please visit us any time or email us with any questions you may have on our seaweeds, herbs, spices, or any of our products!
Sincerely,
Stephen C. Sharp
www.SharpWebLabs.com
Born and raised in the outskirts of Boston, Ma. With a deep backround in herbal nutrition I offer advice and tips on many natural remedies using only natural herbs and spices. See our discounted organic herbs and spices at www.SharpWebLabs.com and www.FloridaHerbHouse.com or visit our retail store in Port Orange, Florida!
Take Control of Your Health Today
Jan 20th
Are you someone who admits that she has not always been conscious of the status of her health? It is time to change this attitude! It is so important to lead the healthiest lifestyle you can because you will feel more energized and much happier no matter what age you are. Everyone has a different routine that works best for them. You might love drinking smoothies in the morning and enjoying time in the sauna room before bed or you might need to exercise five times a week and follow that up with a freshly tossed salad for dinner. Regardless of what works best for you, here are some tips everyone should consider when they are making the conscious effort to embrace a healthier lifestyle.
1) Eliminate bad habits that are a waste of money and are proven to take a toll on your health. Smoking cigarettes or drinking too heavily on a regular basis are both habits that you need to break if either is a vice of yours. Both have very serious health effects which only worsen over time. Do whatever you can to stop smoking and decrease your drinking! Your body will not stay healthy if you weaken it with these substances!
2) Start exercising! If you are not accustomed to hitting the treadmill for an hour every day, then it is fine to take things slowly. Start with a brisk thirty minute walk in the morning or early evening. Once that feels easy, increase the time or start jogging. You can always join a gym (join with a friend, it is more motivating) and have a few sessions with a personal trainer so that you learn how to use the machines correctly. After a hard work-out, enjoy some time in a steam sauna. The hot humid air will clear out your lungs and relax your sore muscles so that you feel refreshed.
3) Eat nutritiously! Even though pigging out on cake, cookies, and ice cream may feel great at the moment, it definitely does not make you feel good later. You need to cut down on the sweets and fill up on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains! You can make this food taste delicious without adding too much fat or salt. Begin researching recipes and start experimenting! You might just discover that everything tastes much better than you thought.
Combine these three steps and you are well on your way to being much healthier! Now you just have to stick with it. You might want to motivate yourself by purchasing a home sauna; take a nice steam bath every week if you stick to your health goals!
Just another creative writer talking about anything and everything under the sun!