During the summer I like to eat all kinds of salads.  Salads are crisp and refreshing and almost any food item can be made into a  salad.  Eating salads almost every day may be one of the most healthy eating habits you can adopt and one of the simplest way to keep off the pounds.  Eating salads is a great way to to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. You can customize them to include the fruits and vegetables that appeal to you the most, and whichever ingridents you have available. 

In times of economic downturn, I always look for ways to reduce my household budget expenses and save extra cash. Living a thrifty lifestle does not have to mean doing without. Making small changes will allow you to save money and still enjoy your favorite things and activities.  Being thrifty can help you save for retirement, pay off your credit cards or student loans faster. To live in a thrifty way, you need to pay attention to your day-to-day expenses. 

Personally, I try to cut corners everway I can.  I scored a great deal on a microwave at Home Depot last month. I also use coupons when I do my regular grocery shopping.  Many websites offer free, printable coupons you can take with you to the grocery store. Check sites such as BettyCrockers.com for coupons of a variety of namebrand products. Combining manufacturer's coupons with store discounts can lead to major grocery savings. 

I find it difficult to keep up with everything going on in my life.  With the children out of school, now would be a good time to delegate some responsibilities. Having them to help me out can reduce stress quickly and efficiently.

I've learned that people who engage in positive thinking experience a host of health benefits.  Health benefits of positive thinking are increased life span, lower rate of depression, greater resistance to common cold, better psychological and physical well-being, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and bettercoping skills during hardships and times of stress.  According to research having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduce the harmful health effects of stress on your body.

I 've learned that your genes, personality and life experiences all influence the way you respond to and cope with  stress.  Situations and events that are distressing for most people might not affect you.  Also positive thinking helps with stress managemrnt and can even improve your health.  Postive thinking often starts with self-talk. You think the best is gioing to happen, not the worst.

I read in the news paper today that " Americans will never lose their sweet tooth." This lady saw that and said, she is going to start a cupcake company.  She had no formal culinary training, but she had baked cupcakes with her mother as long as she could remember. She started making test batches of cupcakes at home every day to perfect her recipes, giving them to family members to critique. Her cupcakes now sell for $35 per dozen.

This evening I attended my son first baseball game. The team played very well. The final score was 12 to 13.

 Every Sunday when I was growing up in South America Guyana, we got together as a family and choppped, peeled, and diced vegetables.  Now that my son, Joseph 9, is getting older, I try to continue the tradition of spending time with family on weekends. Joseph in very much into cooking and likes hanging out with me in the kitchen while I am cooking.

My favorite Guyanese dish is cook-up rice. Cook-up rice is considered a peasant dish and is a must-have dish on New's Years Eve. Guyanese cook-up rice is a one pot dish tha consists of rice, coconut milk, fresh herbs, a variety of meats, and any type of peas or beans such as blackeye peas and red kidney beans. To add extra flavor you can use corned beef brisket.

Welcome to my food blog! Here are three simple tips for Stress-Free Cooking.

1. Plan ahead - Planning ahead ensures that you have all the ingredients needed before you start cooking.
2. Prep ahead -  Begin to dice or cut your fruits and vegetables in advance. Prior prepping makes for a stress-free cooking day.
3.  Music- Listening to your favorite music while cooking, and cleaning is a great way to elevate stress. Keeping your kitchen clean and tidy can help reduce stress.