If there is one thing that I know about food it is that I love it! I can’t get enough of it actually, which means a constant battle with my seemingly endlessly expanding waistline. In order to wage war on my calorie count I have developed a few coping strategies over the years, borrowed from consumer websites like Super Savvy Me, friends, family and the various ‘official’ diets I have tried. So here goes – a few ideas that you might like too:

1. Try a smaller plate. You heard it here first, if your other half is a foot taller than you then you really don’t need to eat the same size portion so dish up a smaller amount for yourself and see what happens.
2. Don’t make anything totally off limits. If you’re dreaming about biscuits morning noon and night then you will drive yourself crazy. Go ahead and have one, rather than your usual half a packet.
3. Make clever substitutions. Spray oil instead of pouring, skimmed milk instead of full cream, low fat spread instead of butter – these things will all make a positive difference.
4. Set a realistic target. You will never weigh at 40 what you weighed at 16 unless you starve yourself so be sensible and set a reasonable target to aim for. Ask your GP or nurse to help you if you are not sure.
5. Incentives and rewards. Get yourself motivated with something to aim for like a new dress in a smaller size, some indulgent Beauty Therapy or perhaps a glamorous photo shoot!
6. Never, ever eat your kid’s leftovers. I hate waste too but if you gobble up those last little bits of food everyday by the end of the week you could have eaten a whole days worth of calories in extras! It is so not worth it.

January’s almost over now, which, for some of you, might mean the end of the month-long detox many people start after the period of Christmas over-indulgence.

Even if you only decided to give up alcohol for a month and try to cut out crisps and chocolate, you can still continue some things even when February arrives.

Healthy eating is really easy to do and the best thing is, in most cases, it’ll help you save some money.

If you choose to make your own lunch using healthy sandwich fillings, you’ll probably save around £3 a day – even more if you work inLondon – which will add up quite nicely over a month.

Just grab yourself some Hovis bread from the supermarket and get creative. You can pretty much put anything you want in sandwiches – that’s the best thing about making your own, so you can leave out the cucumber if you hate it and double-up the tomatoes instead!

If you’re not really a sandwiches person, don’t worry – there are some great alternatives at lunchtime.

You could make your own soups, if you’ve got some time on your hands. Just make a huge vat one evening and it’ll last you through a good few lunches at work. As long as you use plenty of fresh vegetables in it and a touch, but not too much, cream, it’ll be really healthy.

Alternatively, you could make some filling and healthy dishes involving cous cous, lentils or even quinoa. These are all bound to tide you over until dinner time and if you couple them with some low-fat meat and plenty of fresh veg, they’re a very healthy lunch option indeed.

Just use your imagination and you’re bound to come up with some great lunch ideas which are both cheap and healthy.

Eating out can be an expensive business and sometimes when your food arrives at a restaurant it can be a real disappointment – especially if it’s an expensive place. Yet, if it’s been a part of your life for a long time, it can feel a little dull staying in at home instead.

What you could do, though, is get into cooking again and start inviting friends round for dinner. If you’ve got friends with kids the same age as yours, invite all the family and have a fun night in together. The more you do it, the better your cooking will become.

Start off with something you know how to make and is relatively easy. You might be a bit worried about getting everything right – so it’s good to start off with recipes that you are familiar with. In fact, you should never serve up a first time recipe for guests – it’s always best to test a recipe out on your own family first.

Sites like Super Savvy Me have a whole range of recipe ideas, and you might get inspired to try something new. We can all be guilty of getting into a cooking rut – where we produce the same four or five recipes every week. Ring the changes and try a new style of cuisine – have a go at making Indian or Thai food, for example.

You could start a trend with different couples you know – and probably you’ll all become more imaginative with your cooking against the backdrop of a little healthy competition. Each host will want to outdo the previous evening! And when it’s time to do the washing up, you can pass the non-cooks the Fairy Liquid, so they feel they’ve made a contribution to the evening as well!

Christmas has come and gone, the cold nights are still here and there isn’t much to look forward to in the immediate future. Don’t let drag January drag you down – enjoy yourself!

The best way to avoid the January blues is to keep yourself busy. Money is obviously an issue at this time of year. Christmas has bled the coffers dry and payday seems a million miles away. A weekend away might not be conceivable, so why not invite some friends around for dinner or a small party?

Entertaining is relatively cheap, as long as you ask your friends to bring a bottle of something! It is a great way of getting all your closest friends under one roof. Good food, good drink, good company – there is no better way to spend a winter’s night.

If you don’t fancy the hassle of cooking, just order out. Everybody loves a takeaway – an Indian or Chinese banquet would go down a treat. A takeaway means minimal effort and minimal mess – perfect!

The trickiest part is usually getting the alcohol in. As mentioned, friends usually bring a bottle or two of their own, but you don’t want to get caught short. Play safe and get a crate or two of premium lager and perhaps a couple of bottles of wine as well. Worst case scenario – you will have some alcohol leftover to help you through the rest of the winter!

It can be difficult to choose a lager to suit all. I find Foster’s Gold hits the spot and is popular with all. Its clean, crisp taste and attractive packaging makes it attractive to both men and women.

It is understandable to feel a bit down post-Christmas, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Keep your mind occupied and enjoy yourself!

Foster’s has branched out. The renowned lager company is now making a name for itself in the comedy industry.

The Foster’s Lager brand has had sponsorship deals with sport’s clubs and events in the past. More recently, though, the company has funded the comebacks of British comedy classics, as well as sponsoring the 2011 Edinburgh Comedy Awards and comedy on Channel 4.

Foster’s funded the comebacks of Alan Partridge and Vic and Bob earlier in 2011 and the shows proved to be a big hit on the Foster’s Funny website. Following the success of Partridge’s Mid Morning Matters and Vic and Bob’s Afternoon Delights, The Fast Show joined them in making a comeback on the internet.

The Fast Show reinvented sketch comedy in the mid-1990s with its unique style – sometimes fitting twenty-seven sketches into a thirty minute episode. Now, the show which became famous for catchphrases such as ”Scorchio!”, “Suit you, sir!” and “You ain’t seen me, right?” is back for a new online-only series which began on November 10.

Foster’s is clearly serious about comedy. The budget given to The Fast Show’s creators Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson was substantially more than anything the BBC could offer right now.

Comedy also plays a big part in Foster’s advertising campaign. Laid-back Aussies Brad and Dan have become a fixture during television ad breaks over the past 18 months, giving advice to British mates in a sticky situation. Now the lads have teamed up with actress and singer Holly Valance in the launch commercial for Foster’s Gold Beer. The “smart/casual” lager is already proving to be a hit with the younger generation.

Whether you are after a few drinks or a few laughs, Foster’s cater for your needs. All it needs to do now is to bring out some branded snacks and you can have yourself a Foster’s evening!

One of the world’s favourite alcoholic beverages, beer is a versatile and refreshing drink that can be enjoyed in so many different ways; it’s a drink for everyone and for almost any occasion.

And there is so much choice available nowadays! From cool and crisp bottled lagers, to fresh and fun fruit beers, to real ales, stouts and bitters. Whatever your tastes and whatever your preferences, you can find the perfect beer for any situation.

For traditional real ale fans, beer can be much more than just a drink. Real ale trails involve jumping on a train or bus and stopping off at various charming pubs in countryside and town locations up and down the country. It’s a fantastic way to both explore the country and enjoy a variety of local, hand-pulled beers. We’d recommend sticking to halves rather than pints if you don’t want to peak too early or end up falling asleep on the train and missing your stop on the way home however!

For the non-traditionalists among us, or those who simply fancy a change, today’s wide variety of premium bottled lagers is ideal. If you’re not partial to pints, bottled beer hits the spot just nicely, and is a more fashionable and contemporary way to enjoy beer. The taste should be cool, crisp and refreshing. Foster’s Gold is a good example of premium bottled beer done right; it looks good and it tastes even better.

Of course, no discussion about beer would be complete without mentioning fruit beers. If you’ve got a sweet tooth or just feel like something a bit fruity, you can choose from banana beers, strawberry beers, pineapple beers and peach beers, to name but a few. If you can think of the fruit, someone somewhere will have made a beer out of it!

Aliotos Restaurant

Alioto’s Restaurant , a San Francisco landmark located on Fisherman’s Quay , has always been part of San Francisco’s rich history. The Alioto family, as well as contributing one of the oldest eating multinationals to the Town , has given the town a two-term mayor, Joe Alioto, and a previous San Francisco Supervisor, cousin Angela Alioto. It is not any surprise the name Alioto is one that’s closely connected with the Town of San Francisco itself. In worshipping its culinary roots, the family is also fondly spotting a history that was built on untiring struggles and monumental successes. They may know off the head of their heads what it is. That history is proudly displayed in the ‘Wall of History’ exhibit-photographs, menus and ephemera from their 7 decades on the Quay . ( wink wink ) after you know what is in it, go off and do some shopping. Pick up the ingredients, and then head home to have a bit of a laugh.

Just when you believe it can’t get any better, your own take may take the flavour to an atmosphere that you assumed could never be attained. You never can say what small twist you can give your meal that takes it from fantastic to amazing. At the unpleasant end of that PC instruction is an individual that’s speedily and properly trying to deliver to the guest a meal that’s hot off the burner and with premium display. In the background, there may be a number of complications ,eg the deficit of cooks happy to work in these multinationals for an hourly wage that is still close to minimum. Every individual concerned with an order is doing their bit. The multi tasking necessities of a chef would stagger and confuse any unfamiliar observer. You can also ask to see the cook. If you’re going to use this strategy, ensure you don’t go during busy hours.

Go when there’s a lull in patrons, and you’ve a better likelihood of having that one on one. Try to work out how they cooked the seafood. If you know they use shrimp, scallops, mussels, lobster, and crab, you can take that info and make yourself a fair fax of the dinner at home. We leapt into a taxi and headed to the comfortable home neighborhood of Chacarita ( which is near Palermo ). We pulled up to a gorgeous building from the 1920′s, rang the bell and cook Diego Felix tenderly greeted us. Diego was sufficiently nice to award us special access to interview him around an hour before his guests arrived ( see video below ). Secret Closed Door Cafe : Casa Felix Buenos Aires from Jet Set Life on Vimeo. Then it was show time.

Coffee Makers

It is very important that you take care of your machine to be certain that they’ll serve you well. This is as I take excellent care of it. I’m going to share with you some good advice on the way to lengthen the life of your machine by correct upkeep. I have notice that Cuisinart coffee maker parts need proper care to ensure their lifetime. It proves very useful as it is straightforward to clean and it can give you to 2 cups of coffee at a same time. It also adjust the quantity of coffee by it self and store the leftover quantity of coffee for next time use. You may certainly like making coffee by utilizing Saeco espresso maker as well as enjoy its best taste. The Saeco espresso coffee maker has frequency of fifty Hz and needs 1500 watts power of electricity to work properly.

There’s one grinder made of ceramic and lights of indicator in the espresso coffee making machine. Typically , bottle is made of glass for easy to utilize and clean. Sometime, we slovenly with this removable part and break it either because high temperature or slide out of our hand when we are washing. This is the most feared situation for each coffee lover. If one of those circumstances occurs, that could be a nightmare for you. Krups offers assortment of carafe designs with extensive selection of price too, depends on your coffee maker type.

The reality is you may have a great cuppa, nonetheless it has lots to do with the machine you use. The Cuisinart automated brewer is, after much research, definitely right up there with one of the absolute best machines you can go out and buy at your corner store. You can get the brushed chrome bottle and it’s really a gorgeous sight to experience on your kitchen counter. You would be hard pushed essentially to find an enticing yet at the very same time, oh-so-functional coffee brewer. With no line and me being in a hurry I made a decision to try it. She was nice and made me grin for the 1st time that day. The young girl gave me a hot cup of coffee that heated my hand. I sipped a little taste and was AMAZED.

Seafood in Barbados

Waves are nearly nonexistent against the edge of this tranquil crescent-shaped beach and the calm, clear water and white sand is what the ‘Platinum Coast’ of Barbados is famous for and it’s gorgeous. The light and airy Mullins Eaterie & Bar sits on the beach at Mullins Bay, south of the historic city of Speightstown on the western coast of Barbados. For the costs I am anticipated to pay in Barbados, I need tasty food when I dine out. And Mullins Eaterie is, for its comparatively high price, good — not great. If I could make it at home, I would not be held back by cost, or time, or perhaps having to leave the house. Alfredo sauce is pretty much Alfredo sauce, but the additional tiny spices and the aggregate of seafood they use is what makes it special.

However it isn’t the same as the Alfredo at the restaurant . Check the Net to determine if somebody has posted the recipe for your fave cafe. Infrequently all that it takes is one discontented worker to spill systems. They may know off the head of their heads what it is. Or make them check with the kitchen, after all you have allergies, and you cannot take too much care what spices and such are in your meal. ( wink wink ) after you know what’s in it, go and do some shopping. Pick up the ingredients, and then head home to have a bit of fun.

Just when you believe it can’t get any better, your own stamp may take the flavour to an atmosphere that you assumed could never be accomplished. What ultimately came to be called ‘Alioto’s innovation’ was the conversion from old wood burning crab pots to gas burners. The plans Nunzio Alioto foretold for his seafood firm on the Quay came to a sudden halt the next year. After experiencing a session of double pneumonia, Nunzio died suddenly at the age of 41, leaving behind a better half, Rose and 3 youngsters. Strapped for a way to support her folks, Rose took control of the business becoming the 1st girl to work on the Quay . At first she was ostracized by her male neighbours, who declined to sell her fish.

the competition’s hard for top of the ladder positions as we witnessed on the actuality show ‘Hells Kitchen’. There are a lot more small city restaurants , than there are big scale. When your next dining experience is a very good one, pass the word on to the cooks. Your meal might have been prepared by the subsequent Cook Pierre ‘.

Coffee Beans

The knowledge of leading edge technology has made it simple for us to dissolve this ‘miracle’ herb into our Gastronome Coffee mixes, bringing our coffee into the class of more fit drinks. Healthy coffee? I know it sounds like an oxymoron but now you may use these 2 words healthy and coffee with one another. Ganoderma comes from the Reishi Mushroom and is in the mountains of East Asia. The taste is divine and the advantages are striking.

It’s been utilized in China during the last four thousand years because of its medical properties to revive fitness and health. There had been many claims on the advantages of green leaf tea for lots of other conditions concerning the gut and cardio system. Its effects on a person’s cholesterol level and psychological concentration are also among the most appreciated advantages of consuming the libation. As it is also have some calorie burning properties, green tea is considerably patronized by people who are meaning to shed some pounds. More latest studies even added more to the list of its potential benefits. Some of the anti-oxidants contained in green tea are efficient at obstructing the enzymes which destroy bones and cause metastatic inflammation. For those already affected by osseous rheumatism, frequently drinking green tea can be a useful way of reducing the effects and agony. Growing older could cause the blood arteries to become less elastic, which can cause elevated blood pressure.

It could also be drunk with a view to risking the possibility of contracting metastatic inflammation. The choice to select how fine or course your coffee gets ground is vital to your private tastes. Raised blood pressure may cause constrained arteries which can cause blood clots ( thrombosis ), coronaries or strokes. With a variable setting cone grinder, the DeLonghi guarantees the ideal grind each time. Pre-moistened grounds will make sure the flavour of the beans is not lost in the extraction. The brew process – how smart is your machine? Will the Coffee grounds be pre-moistened by the machine? Sadly , most espresso making machines leave out the all too vital process of pre-moistening the grounds before brewing. In little amounts, it can be a brilliant energy enhancer, but it’s a good idea to limit one’s intake as excess caffeine consumption could be unhealthy. Others – this tea contains over five hundred savoury oils as well as small quantities of one or two minerals and vitamins. Health benefits Heart illness – the tea lowers the ‘bad ‘ cholesterol while augmenting the good cholesterol. It decreases blood pressure, lowers the risk of coronaries and strokes, and acts as a blood thinner.