A Seductive Menu that will Leave Him Weak at the Knees

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Jeff

You’ve done the legwork, you’ve flirted and you’ve finally convinced him to pop around for a home-cooked dinner. You don’t feel that your mom’s recipe for ‘macaroni and cheese’ will do the trick, so you plan to prepare something that is sure to bowl him over. However, you have no idea what it is that you want to cook…

He fell for your beautiful, soft skin, the way you laugh and the way in which you tuck your hair behind your ears. You loved the way he looked at you and how he gently held your hand. You’ve moved past the giddiness of a first date and would like to do something special, for just the two of you. You’ve decided on a romantic dinner that is rich in flavor, but light enough to ensure that there is plenty of time for meaningful conversation, dancing in the moonlight and maybe even a dizzy make-out session on your sofa. If you’re still searching for meal ideas, look no further! Here are a few that you’re both bound to love:

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail with Bruschetta

Simple to prepare, light and refreshing, pomegranate champagne cocktails only require three ingredients – semisweet champagne, pomegranate cordial/syrup and pomegranate seeds. Paired with homemade bruschetta that is smeared thick with cream cheese and some roasted tomatoes, this finger-food feast is sure to get his appetite going. Be sure to toast the bruschetta in a pan with some olive oil before layering on your chosen toppings. Perhaps you could lay out two or three toppings and encourage him to make up a slice for you? The opportunities to make romantic advances and endless!

Lemon and Roast Caper Tuna Carpaccio

Light enough to leave you feeling comfortable yet satisfied, this idea for a lemon and roast tuna carpaccio is ideal for an evening when you want to impress. Search for recipes that are simple enough to prepare at home, and be sure that your chosen cut of fish is finely sliced before you even leave the grocery store. You can prepare and plate this course before you start to get ready, popping it in the fridge to ensure that it remains fresh.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries & Vanilla Cream

Chocolate covered strawberries – the ultimate romantic dessert which you can either buy or prepare at home. If you do choose to prepare these babies in your own kitchen, be sure to do so the day of your dinner date to avoid the chocolate getting too tough and the strawberries from going soggy. Whip up a small dish of vanilla cream and you’ve got yourself the perfect gateway to absolute delight!

Once you’ve prepared the dinner and set the table, be sure to run a warm bath in which you can soak. Make use of a fragrant beauty bar to cleanse and soften your skin. When choosing your skin care products, be sure to select a delicately fragranced beauty soap that will leave a delicious, lingering scent on your body. Between you and the tasty food, your man won’t know what hit him!

The Top 5 Foods To Increase Your Mood After A Break-up

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Jeff

As we all know, breaking up with your partner causes one of the worst types of pain. All of a sudden, every little silver lining is gone without a trace, and it seems like all hope is lost. This hopelessness is what makes break-ups seem unbearable.

Parting with your significant other is a traumatic event for your body, that generates a cascade of organic effects. In fact, the sudden drop in serotonin is responsible for your awful mood. While it is commonly referred to as the “happiness hormone,” serotonin is actually a neurotransmitter that has a significant effect on our general mood.

So it makes sense that boosting your serotonin level is the perfect way to help ease the pains of your break-up. It wont make your heartache disappear, but every little bit helps. And it’s pretty easy to make some changes to your diet. Especially if those changes involve incorporating foods that help increase your serotonin levels naturally. Here are five of the best to load up on right away.

1. Carb-Rich Foods

Carbohydrates are essential for boosting your serotonin levels. There’s a reason that pizza tastes so good! However, they have an indirect action in the metabolism of serotonin. A carb-rich meal will increase your insulin levels. This means your blood levels of amino acids will become very low because most of them will be stored in the muscles.

The amino acid tryptophan, which is the main precursor to serotonin, is not stored in the muscles. It can actually cross the blood-brain barrier without having to compete with other amino acids and become available for serotonin production.

The best way to make carbs work in your favor is to have at least one carbohydrate-rich meal a day. So eat as much bread, pizza, and cookies as you want because they will actually make you feel better. To maximize the effect, you must also include tryptophan-rich foods in your diet. We will tell you all about these right away!

2. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds can do wonders for your body. From helping you get rid of chapped lips to boosting your brain activity, nuts can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. In fact, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are also an excellent source of tryptophan, which makes them excellent for your post break-up diet. Include these delicious treats in your diet to help boost your serotonin levels naturally.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt and other fermented dairy products like kefir and soured milk are rich in natural probiotics. While it might seem odd, serotonin is mostly found in the gut. As such, optimizing your digestive process is extremely important for the serotonin metabolism. Add some fruit and nuts to your yogurt, and you will get a healthy treat that will actually help you get over your break-up blues.

4. Fish

Fish is yet another valuable source of tryptophan, so it is essential that you add it to your diet. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, or sardines are your best choices because they are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which will also contribute to the process.

To get the best results, you should have your fish meal before thecarbohydrate-based one. This will ensure that your body already has all the tryptophan it needs for the serotonin. Keep this in mind when planning your meals for the day, and you will start feeling better in no time!

5. Dark Chocolate

No post break-up diet is complete without chocolate. And it seems that there is a very good reason why this is helpful. Dark chocolate is rich in theobromine, which is a natural compound similar to caffeine, as well as tryptophan. This makes it one of the best foods you could have for your serotonin-boosting diet. So have as much dark chocolate as you want because it can do wonders for your health!

These five foods can actually make a difference in your mood after a break-up because they will actively help you increase your serotonin levels. Eat as many carbs and chocolate as you want because they are your greatest allies in this harsh times. With this delicious diet and a few romantic comedies, you will get over your break-up in no time.

(From Never Liked It Anyway, the number one destination for all things break-ups and bounce-back! It’s the place to buy, sell and tell all things ex! Sell your breakup baggage, tell your story and join the community of rock stars bouncing back better than ever! )

Culinary Mysteries Make Murder Appetizing

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Jeff

By Katherine Sharma

The culinary mystery has become a popular subgenre, pleasing both crime-solving and foodie fans. Most of these nestle in the “cozy” mystery category, sport cute titles, include recipes, and form fictional series. Here’s a quick taste (pun intended) of popular foodie mysteries:

Ellery Adams writes the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery series, so begin with her debut Pies and Prejudice, in which heroine Ella Mae returns to her Georgia hometown to open a bakery shop and becomes entangled in the murder of her childhood enemy’s fiance, with Ella Mae’s rolling pin as the murder weapon.

Jessica Beck offers more calories with her Donut Shop Mystery series; sample Glazed Murder in which the heroine proprietor of a donut shop tracks the killer of a customer. More baked goods come with Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen Mysteries; for example, Blueberry Muffin Murder has Hannah, owner of the Cookie Jar eat-in bakery, investigating the death of a cookbook author and cable TV star.

Diane Mott Davidson pens the popular Goldy Bear Mystery series featuring caterer Goldy Schultz; in The Whole Enchilada, Goldy digs into the presumed overdose death of a friend and uncovers murder. It’s not all baked goods and coffee; sometimes it’s baked goods and tea.

Laura Childs writes the Tea Shop Mystery series with entries like Death by Darjeeling, in which South Carolina tea shop owner Theodosia Browning seeks to solve a murder and salvage her reputation after a male guest is poisoned by her tea at a catered garden party. If you’re not full and want to keep grazing culinary mysteries, get a more exhaustive list at http://www.cozy-mystery.com/blog/where-to-start-with-culinary-cozy-mystery-series.html

ABOUT KATHERINE SHARMA

Katherine Sharma’s family roots are in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. But after her early childhood in Texas, she has moved around the country and lived in seven other states, from Virginia to Hawaii. She currently resides in California with her husband and three children. She has also traveled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia, and makes regular visits to family in India. After receiving her bachelor’s degree. in economics and her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan, Katherine worked as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor for more than 15 years. She then shifted into management and marketing roles for firms in industries ranging from outdoor recreation to insurance to direct marketing. Although Katherine still works as a marketing consultant, she is now focused on creative writing.

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