Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
Posted by cheflala
Comments (0)I love kitchen gadgets - but let me just say that for mothers day - a toaster is not my first choice. It can be tough finding that perfect gift, and it can be disheartening to find your gift from the previous year stuffed in the back of a drawer. Here are my top internet picks for heartfelt gift that she will love!
1. COACH
http://www.coach.com/default.aspx
free sepedited shipping on all orders over $150 now throu 5/9
Average cost $200
because you can never have too many purses - especially a good quality one!
2. SABON NYC Natural soaps, bath and body care.
Order one of our spectacular Gift Baskets online between May 1st and May 7th and we’ll give you
20% off the basket price
Average cost $30 and above
3. Me! Bath
ME! Bath is a high-end Bath and Body line carried at the finest hotels, spas, salons, and boutiques throughout the country
4. Beau Soleil Beau Bag
Free Shipping
A fashionable way to encourage environmental friendliness, courtesy of Beau Soleil. Raw-cotton canvas tote with ‘Reduce Recycle Renew’ lettering at front and snap-patch pockets at front, back, and sides. Knot detail at recycled, double rope handles.
Cost: $40
5. Vera Wang Polar White Calla Lilly Bouquet
Make a bold statement with this striking bouquet of calla lilies. This magnificent arrangement is presented in a modern designer vase, and is sure to impress. This bouquet will arrive specially packaged in a Vera Wang gift box.
Cost on sale down from $55.00 to $45.00
6. Spa Finder Gift Certificate
http://www.spafinder.com/Catalog/spagiftcertificates.jsp?cmpID=BAC-50manipedi92&spashare=true
· Accepted at over 4,000 participating spas worldwide so your recipient can choose their favorite after they receive their special gift
· Are redeemable for spa treatments, vacation experiences, spa products and more
· Range from $50 to $1000, in increments of $25 to fit every budget
· Perfect for many special occasions like birthdays, holidays, thank you’s or simply everyday
· Can be bundled with unique additional gifts
7. A Night out on the town
Visit ticketmaster for events in your area, concerts, arts and theatre, music, and sports.
average Cost starting as low as $15.00
First time mommy advice
Posted by cheflala
When I was pregnant, my husband bought “In the Womb” video and we were able to learn about each step of my pregnancy - we cried together as we watched in amazement.
One of the most surprising things that I ran across was
I had a baby shower with 170 of my closest family and friends ;-P
Only to realize I received nothing I needed immediately
I received a bunch of wonderful fun things
but I was lacking the essentials that mommies need the first two weeks
and that is when you can’t really leave to run and pick something up
and GOD forbid your husband understand what you mean by little onesies pajamas with feet and hand protectors
with buttons in the crotch that are easily removable so that you do not wake the baby in the middle of a nap
in the right size and color - and of course fabric!
I was also surprised how men enjoyed the baby shower.
One of my very good friends sent me a care package of things she lacked when she had given birth 4 months earlier
bottles that help prevent colic (Dr. Brown’s)
Chamomile tea
a wedge for the baby (because you can’t place them on their back to sleep)
LARGE wrap blankets that are 100% cotton for some flexibility
tons of wipes
a portable heater for bath time
a bottle warmer for my bedside table
a Moses basket for the end of my bed, when he woke I just grabbed him, fed him and placed him back in the basket leaving him close but not in danger of getting squashed by me and my husband
Other great finds were
soy formula - we never assume the baby will not tolerate milk based formula
A video on how to calm the baby (the best little baby on the block)
I also discovered it is best to have a baby close to you when they are newborn
even if it is for your own sanity of not having to schlep all the way down the hall half asleep for a feed
the secret is to catch them before they start to cry
when they wake up for a bottle or to be fed
latch them on and have them go right back to sleep
IF they wake up - you have to deal with calming them down and putting them back to sleep
Oh which brings me to - you know how they tell you newborn babies eat every 2-3 hours
no one ever said they eat for an hour ++!
patience is a virtue
they take their time
and you better be prepared to sit and give them the time
leaving a baby unattended with a propped bottle is never a good idea
and besides, feeding time is great bonding - another thing I was not told
maternity clothes —
they have some cute stuff
but what the hell is up with all the polyester options
Cotton stretches too
and there are nice other fabrics available - has no one clued maternity stores in on this.
if you thought maternity clothes is ugly
you should try shopping for post pregnancy clothes
with special holes to breast feed
DKNY - not!
after giving birth - no one told me my boobs would leak in public if another kid cried
talk about not wearing white in public for a while
I quickly learned that if you forget your pump or your kid is at home
it is a PAINFUL PAINFUL PAINFUL experience
notice I said it 3 x’s
After my son was born - I have never lost so many little socks
the sock fairies are particularly fond of baby socks
You cancel on a lot of plans because the baby is sick or under the weather
plans are ALWAYS tentative
you cry if you make him bleed when you attempt to cut his tiny nails
filing did not work - my friend suggested I bite them off for him
You realize how paranoid you are
about schools, nannies, germs, decisions etc.
all those sensationalized kid gone wrong talk shows - are now referring to you - ay ay ay
You wash all the new clothes (because they tell you to do so - to be ready)
and then you can’t return it if he/she never gets around to wearing it because they grew too fast
You also assume your child will like something because you do
I love earth tone animals theme
He loves primary colors
he does not particularly like the toys I did
I can’t return them for ones he does like because I removed the tags
He does not fit in everything comfortably
The car seat I originally got was cute and for a small child
luckily I saved the receipt and returned it
and got a more sturdy one for my lil’ linebacker
Most stores only give you 60 days to return stuff
so if you have a gift that you are unsure of
return it
get the store credit and repurchase it later of you really need it
teething is such a hard time for both mommy (parents) and baby
it hurts to see him cry in pain
and be able to do so little about it
oragel, teething pills and baby Tylenol
Vaccinations is also something you need to brace yourself for
to see your own tiny little crying baby is so hard to swallow
(my eyes teared up just remembering)
As a women:
Curves galore - everywhere
Surprised when your first period comes
Glad to have sex without fear of hurting the baby
Scared of getting pregnant again - because now you know you can
Miss not having an excuse to be in sweats
Scared when your hair falls out
You get so tired it hurts
Overall -
No one can express or teach or guide you to fathom how amazing motherhood is - a blessing - it is a beautiful gift that makes your heart sing.
P.s. Oh Ya - and your baby is always the cutest baby ever.
a drool kiss,
LaLa
Scientists have uncovered the therapeutic properties of bitter melon
Posted by cheflalaScientists have uncovered the therapeutic properties of bitter melon, a vegetable and traditional Chinese medicine, that make it a powerful treatment for Type 2 diabetes.
ScienceDaily (Mar. 27, 2008):Teams from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica pulped roughly a tonne of fresh bitter melon and extracted four very promising bioactive components. These four compounds all appear to activate the enzyme AMPK, a protein well known for regulating fuel metabolism and enabling glucose uptake.We can now understand at a molecular level why bitter melon works as a treatment for diabetes, said Professor David James, Director of the Diabetes and Obesity Program at Garvan. By isolating the compounds we believe to be therapeutic, we can investigate how they work together in our cells. People with Type 2 diabetes have an impaired ability to convert the sugar in their blood into energy in their muscles. This is partly because they do not produce enough insulin, and partly because their fat and muscle cells do not use insulin effectively, a phenomenon known as insulin resistance.Exercise activates AMPK in muscle, which in turn mediates the movement of glucose transporters to the cell surface, a very important step in the uptake of glucose from the circulation into tissues in the body. This is a major reason that exercise is recommended as part of the normal treatment program for someone with Type 2 diabetes.
The four compounds isolated in bitter melon perform a very similar action to that of exercise, in that they activate AMPK.
Garvan scientists involved in the project, Drs Jiming Ye and Nigel Turner, both stress that while there are well known diabetes drugs on the market that also activate AMPK, they can have side effects.
The advantage of bitter melon is that there are no known side effects, said Dr Ye. Practitioners of Chinese medicine have used it for hundreds of years to good effect.
Garvan has a formal collaborative arrangement with the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica. In addition to continuing to work together on the therapeutic potential of bitter melon, we will be exploring other Chinese medicines.
Professor Yang Ye, from the Shanghai Institute and a specialist in natural products chemistry, isolated the different fractions from bitter melon and identified the compounds of interest.
Bitter melon was described as bitter in taste, non-toxic, expelling evil heat, relieving fatigue and illuminating in the famous Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen (1518-1593), one of the greatest physicians, pharmacologists and naturalists in Chinas history, said Professor Ye. It is interesting, now that we have the technology, to analyse why it has been so effective.
Some of the compounds we have identified are completely novel. We have elucidated the molecular structures of these compounds and will be working with our colleagues at Garvan to decipher their actions at a molecular level. We assume it is working through a novel pathway inside cells, and finding that pathway is going to be very interesting.
The results are published online March 27 in the international journal Chemistry and Biology.
Adapted from materials provided by Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
Garvan Institute of Medical Research (2008, March 27).
A Ton Of Bitter Melon Produces Sweet Results For Diabetes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from link below.
Award Winning Salsa
Posted by cheflala
- 1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, small dice
- 1 yellow bell pepper, roasted, seeded, small dice
- 1 green bell pepper, roasted, seeded, small dice
- 1 red onion, peeled, small dice
- 1 jalapeño, roasted, minced
- 1 fresno chile. roasted, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarse chop
- 1 heirloom tomato, small dice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Method
1) Light the grill, allow the flame to burn down to a medium fire.
2) Brush peppers, and green onion with oil.
3) Grill until brown, but not burned, about 8 minutes. Turn frequently.
4) Peel, seed, and de vain peppers/chiles.
5) Prep all ingredients as outlined above, place in bowl.
6) Add lime juice, cilantro and salt to taste.
7) Chill for one hour.
Makes 3 1/2 cups.
Nutritional Guide
Per Serving
Calories _ 28.5
fat (g) _ 0.2
Saturated _ 0
Unsaturated _ 0
Protein (g) _ 1
Carbohydrates (g) _ 6.8
Fiber (g) _ 102
Cholesterol (mg) _ 0
Sodium (mg) _ 238
Turkey Cooking Times
Posted by cheflalaTURKEY COOKING TIMES
USDA roasting timetable for
fresh or thawed turkey at 325°F
Unstuffed
8 to 12 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3 3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 1/2 to 5 hours
Stuffed
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
LaLa Loves L.A.
Posted by cheflalaI love my hometown of Los Angeles! As you prepare to travel to my hometown for this year’s Expo Comida Latina Los Angeles, September 10-11, many of you have written me to ask about great new restaurants to try while you are here in the City of Angels. I find that one of the greatest things about traveling is trying out the new restaurants or shop at other retail outlets. It is a fun way to get new ideas for your own restaurant or retail operation.
Truth is that there are hundreds of great places in and around the downtown L.A. area.
Award Winning Salsa
Posted by cheflalaIngredients
- 1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, small dice
- 1 yellow bell pepper, roasted, seeded, small dice
- 1 green bell pepper, roasted, seeded, small dice
- 1 red onion, peeled, small dice
- 1 jalapeño, roasted, minced
- 1 fresno chile. roasted, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarse chop
- 1 heirloom tomato, small dice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Method
1) Light the grill, allow the flame to burn down to a medium fire.
2) Brush peppers, and green onion with oil.
3) Grill until brown, but not burned, about 8 minutes. Turn frequently.
4) Peel, seed, and de vain peppers/chiles.
5) Prep all ingredients as outlined above, place in bowl.
6) Add lime juice, cilantro and salt to taste.
7) Chill for one hour.
Makes 3 1/2 cups.
Nutritional Guide
Per Serving
Calories _ 28.5
fat (g) _ 0.2
Saturated _ 0
Unsaturated _ 0
Protein (g) _ 1
Carbohydrates (g) _ 6.8
Fiber (g) _ 102
Cholesterol (mg) _ 0
Sodium (mg) _ 238
Welcome to Chef LaLa’s Blog
Posted by cheflalaHere you will find some of Chef LaLa’s passionate and healthy recipes.
We look forward to reading about your recipes as well, join us and share your cuisine experience. Be the first one to post in this Category!