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Move Over, Dairy! These Foods Are Surprisingly High in Calcium

February 5, 2015 by

You learn from an early age that calcium builds strong bones and teeth, but it has a number of other health benefits, as well. This beneficial mineral also helps to regulate your blood pressure, maintains healthy blood vessels, and even aids in preventing Type 2 diabetes. Now that you know why you should eat calcium, here are a few lesser-known ways to get it.

  1. White beans. Beans get a good reputation because of their high levels of protein, but white beans are also very high in calcium, as well. In fact, just one cup of canned white beans provides 191 milligrams of calcium, which is about 19 percent of your daily value. These creamy, mild legumes are great in a hearty chili or mashed as a chickpea substitute in homemade hummus.
  2. Sardines. While these tiny fish may have made you squeamish as a child, sardines are actually one of the healthiest fish that you can eat! Like a lot of seafood, they’re rich in omega 3s, but they also provide 321 milligrams of calcium in just seven sardine filets. Many people choose to eat them plain, but if you prefer to cut down on the fishy flavor, you can also add sardines to a salad.

18 Surprising Dairy-Free Sources of Calcium [Greatist]
18 Surprising Dairy-Free Sources of Calcium [HuffPost Healthy Living]

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India Kitchen: Explore Indian Fare Flavors in Tustin

January 29, 2015 by

From north to south, India Kitchen serves dishes inspired by regions all across India, including some with Indo-Chinese influences. If you've yet to experience the flavors of Indian food, regular diners suggest you order the chicken tikka masala. Highly recommended by regular patrons, this dish features marinated chicken in a savory, creamy, spicy tomato sauce that's served with white rice.

Rather sample a little bit of everything? Consider arriving during India Kitchen's popular all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, which is served daily. For just $8.95, you can explore a vast assortment of curries, meat dishes, and naan (Indian flatbread). Regulars insist the lunch buffet is a can't-miss experience at this Tustin eatery.

India Kitchen is open daily for lunch and dinner service.

India Kitchen
14131 Red Hill Avenue
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-0300
www.indiakitchenoc.com/index.html
www.yelp.com/biz/india-kitchen-tustin

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How to Reinforce a Buttonhole

January 22, 2015 by

A stretched-out buttonhole on your favorite shirt can cause it to droop and look unflattering. Luckily, reinforcing a buttonhole is one of the easiest sewing fixes, provided that you know a few handy techniques. Here are three smart (and simple) ways to reinforce a buttonhole on just about any article of clothing.

Reinforce a Tattered Buttonhole [marthastewart.com]
If your buttonhole isn’t just loose but is also pretty tattered, Martha Stewart’s simple tips will help you to make it look as good as new. All it takes is a regular sewing needle, a bit of knotted thread and an easy-to-learn blanket stitch.

Beginner Sewing Lessons: Buttonholes [sewing.org]
Just like the name of the tutorial implies, this one is a great option for newbie sewers. This is a very in-depth tutorial that almost guarantees a flawless execution, and it will even help you to evaluate the buttonhole damage to choose the right course of action while mending.

How to Mend Buttonholes [yourhomemagazine.co.uk]
This tutorial from YourHome offers innovative solutions for fixing stretched or torn buttonholes. Fusible mending tape is a great option for garments made with heavier materials, while the basic buttonhole stitch is ideal for thinner, lighter shirts and pants.

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Check Out These Fun Facts About U.S. National Parks

January 8, 2015 by

If you’re looking for an affordable vacation that enables you to get in touch with nature, visiting a national park is a great option. There are numerous National Parks throughout the country that offer outdoor activities, camping, and much more. Here are some facts about the nation’s most interesting parks.

  • The National Parks System has 397 national parks on record, but some of them don’t seem like parks at all. Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace, for example, is considered a National Park.
  • Perhaps the most famous National Park, Yellowstone National Park, is also the country’s first. Ulysses S. Grant signed a law deeming it a National Park way back in 1872.
  • Mount McKinley, the highest point in North America, is located in Denali National Park and Preserve. The lowest point in the Western hemisphere is also located in a National Park; it is Death Valley, and it is found in Death Valley National Park in California.
  • There are two National Parks located north of the Arctic Circle: Gates of the Arctic National Park and the Kobuk Valley National Park. Both are located in Alaska.
  • More than 280 million people from all over the world visit American National Parks each year.

National Park System Fun Facts [ NPS]
Facts About US National Parks [U.S. National Parks]
Little-Known Facts About America's National Parks [Huffington Post]

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Prepare Your Own Japanese Fare at Shabu Shabu Bar

December 22, 2014 by

For those who know what shabu shabu is all about, this restaurant needs no introduction. But for the uninitiated, shabu shabu is a style of Japanese cuisine that features thinly sliced beef or other meats boiled in water with boiled vegetables, dipping sauces, and a side of white rice. At Shabu Shabu Bar in Santa Ana, your meal is brought to you uncooked and piled high, and you, the adventurous diner, boil your own meats and veggies and create your own sauces. Knowledgeable staff will happily guide you through the dining experience.

Shabu Shabu Bar is open daily for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and daily for dinner from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This Santa Ana eatery is popular, so regular diners advise arriving ahead of the dinner rush to avoid a long wait.

Shabu Shabu Bar
1945 E. 17th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 954-0332
www.facebook.com/pages/Shabu-Shabu-Bar/147365828631418
www.yelp.com/biz/shabu-shabu-bar-santa-ana-3

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Greet Your Morning With These 4 French Toast Recipes

December 18, 2014 by

Fluffier than a waffle but more flavorful than a pancake, French toast just may be the perfect breakfast food. If you love French toast but you’re bored with the usual recipe, these unique dishes will help you to mix things up but still maintain the same sweet taste that you adore.

Fluffy French Toast [Allrecipes]
By adding a bit of flour, this French toast recipe creates a fluffier version that your friends and family will love. It’s hard to believe that such a simple ingredient makes such a big difference, but once you taste this decadent breakfast dish, you’ll never make it the old way again.

Upside-Down Apple French Toast with Cranberries and Pecans [Food Network]
The name of this recipe really says it all. This French toast looks more like a pie than a breakfast, and the cranberries, apples, and pecans add hearty flavor to the usual sweet bread.

Apple-Maple French Toast [Martha Stewart]
Create a taste of fall all year round with this smoky, sweet French toast recipe. Thicker slices of bread create a sturdy base for this dish, and the caramelized apples give it a gourmet feel without a lot of effort.

French Toast with Berry Butter [Pioneer Woman]
Three different types of berry-infused butters add something truly special to this crispy, custard-style French toast.

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5 Facts About Professional Golfer Jack Nicklaus

December 4, 2014 by

Professional golfer Jack Nicklaus made his entire life about golfing, from his championship career to his later years working behind the scenes. Here are a few key facts about Nicklaus’ life and golf career.

  1. Nicklaus grew up in Columbus, Ohio, in the early 1940s. He was introduced to golf when he was a small child because his father used the game to rehabilitate a broken ankle, but the younger Nicklaus soon showed a true talent for the sport.
  2. Nicklaus won the Ohio Open at the early age of just 16, led by his Scotio club pro Jack Grout. He then won the International Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament at age 17.
  3. While in school at Ohio State University, Nicklaus managed to win the U.S. Amateur title in both 1959 and 1961, and he also won the NCAA Championship in 1961.
  4. Nicklaus got his nickname “The Golden Bear” because of his dominance and his light, skillful touch.
  5. Now retired, Nicklaus develops golf courses in more than 35 countries.

Jack Nicklaus [Biography]
Jack Nicklaus Biography [Golf.About]
Jack Nicklaus [The Famous People]

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Tender Greens: Farm-to-Fork Meals for an Affordable Price

November 24, 2014 by

Fresh, local food is the focus of every dish at Tender Greens in Irvine. With a farm-to-fork philosophy, this restaurant partners with local ranchers, purveyors, farmers, and artisans to provide you with the freshest food possible. Most of the produce is picked daily and comes in eco-friendly containers. Tender Greens even serves high-quality drinks from boutique wineries, breweries, and coffee roasters.

These fresh, healthy meals are offered at an affordable price. You can choose from big salads, food from the grill, simple salads, and comfort soups. Favorites include backyard steak, herb-brushed albacore tuna, Yukon mashed potatoes, and tuna nicoise salad. If you enjoy the food, you can get it catered at your next event, or even buy Tender Greens' cookbook to try the recipes at home.

The space itself gives off a relaxed, laid back vibe. You can eat inside or on the outdoor patio. Much of the décor is made from recycled materials and environmentally friendly products, and the restaurant features artwork made by local artists.

Tender Greens
31 Fortune Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 679-9135
www.tendergreens.com
www.yelp.com/biz/tender-greens-irvine-2

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Baking Tutorials From These Websites Have Delicious Results

November 20, 2014 by

If you’re the type of person whose idea of baking includes placing store-bought cookie dough on a cookie sheet, read on: Though it may seem intimidating, learning to bake is much easier than it seems. Learn the basics of baking with these helpful websites!

Baker’s Corner
This accessible website provides just about every resource a beginning baker will need to make something warm and fluffy or gooey and sweet. The Learn to Bake page includes detailed descriptions of the necessary utensils, lists of staple ingredients, and a toolkit of weights and mass that will help you get the proportions straight. Once you become familiar with the ins and outs of baking, you can even browse the recipes to test out your new skills.

Become a Better Baker
Designed for bakers of all skill levels, Become a Better Baker aims to improve everyone’s baking skills and understanding. It offers tutorials for techniques like kneading with a dough hook, properly rolling cinnamon rolls, and even greasing a pan to perfection. If you prefer to learn from example, this is the site for you.

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Cream Pan: Sweet and Savory Japanese Pastries

November 6, 2014 by

Donuts come in both sweet and savory flavors at Tustin's Cream Pan. Don't let its mom-and-pop vibe fool you—the Japanese baked goods that pack its shelves are anything but ordinary. Try the curry donut, plain or stuffed with chicken, for something a bit outside your normal breakfast nosh. Or treat yourself to its most popular pastry: the strawberry croissant. Powdered sugar dusts the top of the flakey shell, which surrounds a sweet center of cream and strawberries. You can also swap out strawberries for slices of banana, scattered across an open-faced version of the pastry.

For something a bit heartier, abandon sweets and opt for one of Cream Pan's savory eats. From pork katsu sandwiches and hot dogs topped with Japanese food fixings (think hard-boiled egg) to sushi and croquettes, its chefs reinvent the grab-and-go lunch.

Cream Pan
602 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 665-8239
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cream-pan-tustin

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