Pacific Flying Squid

Cupcakes

For more than 40 years, scientists and physicians have thought eating a high-fibre diet lowered a person’s risk of diverticulosis, a disease of the large intestine in which pouches develop in the colon wall. A new study of more than 2,000 people reveals the opposite may be true.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, found that consuming a diet high in fibre raised, rather than lowered, the risk of developing diverticulosis. The findings also counter the commonly-held belief that constipation increases a person’s risk of the disease.

Diverticulosis affects about one-third of adults over age 60 in the United States. Although most cases are asymptomatic, when complications develop they can be severe, resulting in infections, bleeding, intestinal perforations and even death. Health care associated with such complications costs an estimated $2.5 billion per year.

Since the late 1960s, doctors have recommended a high-fibre diet to regulate bowel movements and reduce the risk of diverticulosis. This recommendation is based on the idea that a low fibre diet will cause constipation and in turn generate diverticula as a result of increased pressure in the colon. However, few studies have been conducted to back up that assumption.

The study also found constipation was not a risk factor and that having more frequent bowel movements actually increased a person’s risk. Compared to those with fewer than seven bowel movements per week, individuals with more than 15 bowel movements per week were 70 percent more likely to develop diverticulosis.

The study found no association between diverticulosis and physical inactivity, intake of fat, or intake of red meat. The disease’s causes remain unknown, but the researchers believe gut flora may play a role.

The study appears in the February 2012 issue of the journal Gastroenterology.

Read more ….

What is Diverticulitis? ….

Ingredients

Candied Beets

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 medium-sized beets, cut into 1/8″ slices

Cake

1/2 cup canola oil
1½ cups packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups pureed cooked red beets, about 3 medium-sized boiled beets
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Method

Candied Beets

1. In a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat, bring sugar and water to a boil.
2. Stir until sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and cool completely.
3. Add beets to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over medium heat. Cook until beets become translucent or about 1 hour.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beets to sheet.
5. Place beets in cold oven to dry overnight.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF and oil bundt pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on high speed to combine 1/2 cup oil and brown sugar.
3. In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt chocolate chips.
4. Using a spoon, combine vanilla, pureed beets and melted chocolate with sugar mixture.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, use a spoon to combine flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Add flour mixture to beet mixture and stir with spoon until combined.
7. Pour into pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
8. Cool for 10 minutes. Gently invert bundt on wire rack, removing cake from pan.
9. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and top with candied beets.

Yield 16 slices

Source: ciao!

McDonald’s is changing the recipe it uses for its burgers in the U.S., after a lengthy campaign by TV chef and food activist Jamie Oliver, reports the Daily Mail in UK.

The fast food juggernaut used ammonium hydroxide — an additive typically found in household cleaning products to kill bacteria — in its U.S. meat. Oliver calls it “pink slime.”

On his show “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” Oliver said that the beef producers use the additive on beef that’s normally made into dog food and wash it until it’s able to be eaten by humans.

McDonald’s denies that Oliver had anything to do with it, saying that it the decision “was not related to any particular event but rather to support our effort to align our global beef raw material standards.”

So, what’s this mean for McDonald’s?

It’s making changes to its supply chain. The reason McDonald’s U.S. meat has ammonium hydroxide in it is that its beef supplier, Beef Products Inc., uses it. Now, the chain has decided to “remove BPI products from the McDonald’s system.”

McDonald’s doesn’t use the additive in its meat in many other countries, such as Canada and the U.K.. Arch-rival Burger King and Taco Bell earlier caved to Oliver’s campaign too, and seem to have transitioned well.

Read more ….

Ingredients for character:

• Ham
• Nori
• Fried egg
• Boiled egg
• Fried egg white with natural food colour
• Doraemon fish cake
• Kombu simmered in soy sauce and mirin
• Confeito (for ear ring)

Other ingredients:

• Fried Chicken
• Shrimp with Aurore Sauce
• Aspargus Wrapped with Fried Egg and Bacon
• Flower-shape Apple (with persimmon in centre)
• Rice with star-shaped gold foil on top

Increased intakes of magnesium in the diet may reduce the risk of stroke, says a new meta-analysis from Sweden.

Pooling data from seven prospective studies revealed that, for every 100 mg per day increase in magnesium intake, the risk of stroke was reduced by about 9%.

“Although it is premature to recommend magnesium supplementation to reduce risk of stroke, increased consumption of magnesium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole-grain cereals appears to be prudent,” wrote the Swedish scientists in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Diet is known to have an impact on a person’s risk of having a stroke, and in particular a connection has been made between intake of sodium and hypertension. Conversely, more magnesium, potassium and calcium have been inversely linked to hypertension in some observational studies.

Dietary sources of magnesium include green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts, and milk. Earlier dietary surveys show that a large portion of adults does not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men).

Read more ….

Ingredients

28 oz fresh udon
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
2 cups stemmed shiitake mushrooms, thinly
1 cup snow peas , thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sambal oelek or hot sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. In wok or large skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry chicken, garlic and ginger until chicken is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms; stir-fry until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in water, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and sambal oelek; bring to simmer.
3. Add noodles and toss to combine; simmer until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add snow peas and sesame oil; cook for 1 minute.

Makes 4 servings

Source: Canadian Living

Menu

Pumpkin and Ground Pork Croquette

Simmered Mushroom and Fish Cake

Pickled Cabbage and Nori

At the centrepiece is the Chinese character for “win”, created with a colourful arrangement of shredded cucumber, radish and carrot.

The ingredients include bird’s nest, ocean scallops, abalone, fresh lobster, tuna and salmon topped with 24k gold leaves, black truffle and Korean ginseng.

The price of the dish is S$688 (about US$530).