Morning Mangos

In summer, I like to start my mornings fresh with cool, juicy fruit. On this particular morning, last weekend in fact, I treated myself to the ripest mangos in the kitchen.

Native to Southeast Asia, the mango is an extraordinary fruit. The bright, orange-yellow color inside of a mango obviously magnify its abundant amount of Vitamin C. . .  but that is not all. There are other surprising attributes to this special fruit.

For instance, did you know that mangos are high in fiber? Did you also know that mangos are alkaline? Yes, you read correctly. In other words, mangos aid digestion and help neutralize the acid in one's body.

Although I think everybody should enjoy mangos (very sweet and very healthy!) from time to time, I especially encourage women to eat mangos.

Studies show that mangos can protect one's body against certain cancers, including breast cancer. Mangos also have anti-aging properties, a must-have quality in women's skincare. The fruit produces collagen (protein that firms skin), and contains a hefty amount of beta-carotene that helps protect skin from premature aging. Eating mangos makes achieving health and youth so easy! 

Mango season will soon come to an end, so stock up on these fragrant and succulent fruits now while prices are at its lowest!

BLT Goodness

The picture above does not justify the mouth-watering goodness of a BLT sandwhich......   

What makes a BLT so satisfying? It seems as if simplicity is the key to almost everything. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato, although rudimentary by themselves, compliment each other so well. The different textures and flavors that they individually bring to the table amalgamate to a wonderful home-style experience. Salty, crispy bacon flavors the slightly sweet, mellow yet juicy tomato. And the lettuce? I think it adds extra crunch and makes the BLT worthy of being classic. There's nothing really special about it. But then again, it is a very special treat. Maybe the BLT is a one-of-a-kind creation because of its middle-ground status. It is neither gourmet nor déclassé. Neither gluttonous nor meager. A BLT sandwich is just right . . . satisfying.

I was out in Santa Monica eating with a friend and her family at Johnny Rockets in November of 2012 (Pictured above is the BLT sandwich I enjoyed there). Johnny Rockets is famous for their classic burgers, and I actually recommend just going for it. Swallow up those calories, because you will not regret! However, I was not feeling very hungry that evening. I knew I had to restore my energy for an upcoming activity, so I decided that I should order something that would fill me up but not overstuff. Something that would keep me satisfied, but not let my stomach feel heavy. BAM! I discovered a BLT on the Johnny Rockets menu :)

 Ohhhhhh yeahhhh ~ . . If you do not hate bacon, have a BLT once in a while and savor every bite of the experience.

Vietnamese Pho

Pho (pronounced 'Fuh') is perfect for Sunday evenings after a long, productive day. I think of Pho as "Vietnamese Ramen": The warm, discreetly salty broth opens up the sinuses, making it a satisfying dish to enjoy anytime of the day, any season. Most places that specialize in Pho offer a variety of options to match each customer's preference. Beef brisket (rare or well done), shrimp, vegetarian, or a mix of everything are options that I recall from the menu.

What I love about Pho is that I can customize it to my taste. Veggies are offered on the side so that I can add bean sprouts, mint, lime, and other greens to my liking. I can dip my meat into sriracha sauce individually or I can add a few squirts into my soup. The experience I get from eating Pho is delightfully amusing, mostly because I can pretend to be the master of my own creation, or I can just admit I am playing with my food. . . in a way that is not completely immature ;)

Importance of Proportions

April of last year! . . .

. . . I went to Olive Garden with my mother and sister for lunch on a nice, sunny, weekend afternoon. Desiring to keep my calorie intake in check, I ordered a lasagna with grilled chicken from the Lighter Italian Fare menu.

My plate of fancy lasagna was smaller than expected, but I enjoyed my last bite with a surprisingly full stomach. From this tiny experience, I absorbed the fact that proportions really do matter. 

In restaurants, calorie intake not only depends on what I order, but also on how much I eat. The bigger the plate, the more I eat. Conversely, The smaller the plate, the less I eat. It's a simple concept, but sometimes we forget and have to refer back to basics. Controlling how much I have on my plate can control my proportions as well as my body. 

I try to keep this helpful principle in mind, especially when eating out in group settings or eating at a buffet. However, I count these social times as exceptions, as long as my food consumption does not become close to gluttony.

As a rule of thumb, just remember the cliché saying: You are what you eat! (This includes amount of food).

Love with Food

Recently, a new trend in the consumer world has blossomed into fashion, makeup, pet supplies, food, etc...

. . . . Subscription boxes.

       What's a subscription box? Well, it works the same way as a subscription to a magazine does. A monthly or yearly (or any time interval, in fact) payment is made, and depending on the subscribed company, a box of goodies are delivered to the subscriber's front door --- usually every month. 

      

     Subscription boxes are acually pretty cool. Finding a box full of surprise items catered to your interests is exciting and even more fun when you unwrap and open the package.

     Some famous subscription boxes include Birchbox, Barkbox, and Ipsy. I have heard these names scattered throughout Youtube (my main source of entertainment), and maybe you have too.

    Now, if you are a person like me who is wary of spending money on items you might not even need, there are a few subscription boxes available that not only give you what you pay for, but also use the money you pay for charity. 

    A subscription like that makes me feel like I am doing something, creating a little change, for the better good.

That is why I have committed my subscription to Love with Food. This company's tagline states "Snack Smart. Do Good."

I pay $10 a box every month for Love with Food to give me healthy snacks as well as to give a meal to a hungry child in America. $10 for myself feels wasteful, but $10 for myself AND a hungry child makes me feel like I am helping somebody in the smallest ways. 

I'm glad to know that I am making a difference through Love with Food.

I hope more charitable subscription companies pop up in the near future!

Here is what my Love with Food subscription box looks like :)

Heavy but Healthy Snack?

It's hot, whether inside or outside of the house. Summer sometimes calls for a snack that won't make one's stomach feel betrayed for being fed salty junk. Maybe even a big snack.... like a meal-size snack.

Once again, strawberries make an appearance. But this time, not alone. Here you can see an unevenly-halved croissant with Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt and thin yet juicy slices of strawberries (I type this while eating watermelon.... hmmmmm).

What I love about Greek yogurt is that it is RICH in PROTEIN, so I can count on one serving to keep me full for hours! This particular one that I used, Fage (pronounced FA-yae), has 0% or 0 grams of fat. Strawberries naturally sweeten Greek yogurt, and provide a Vitamin C boost to help keep my blood pure and my body protected from infections. 

As for the croissant, I decided to treat myself. :)

I'm Craving . . .

Strawberries.

After a long trip to the sunny, dry, yet spectacular campgrounds of Yellowstone National Park, I crave fruit!
ESPECIALLY strawberries. Succulent, sweet, and mouth-watering, one bite of a juicy strawberry screams summer! I love it as much as I love watermelon :) .. (..almost..)

Strawberries come in varying shapes and sizes, but all seem to resemble a heart ♡. Coincidentally, strawberries are good for the heart! Just a simple something to keep in mind~

{Farm fresh strawberries, the best anyone can get!}

{How beautiful and vibrant!}

I especially love to eat strawberries with anything creamy, whether that be milk, ice cream, frozen yogurt, or cream itself. Strawberries are delightful and compliment homemade cake!

{I want this for dessert again~ ^^}