www.nodieting.net

Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Can you believe that it’s May already. I don’t know about you but to me time seems to move very quickly, very quickly for sure.

This month I had the good fortune to be a guest at a friend’s home who was hosting a Moroccan themed dinner.

So…what did she serve???  Well-below are some photos…

So as shown in the first photo, olives which are a constant Moroccan table staple were joined with olive butter which was sooo beyond yum.

Then we were served assorted cooked vegetables, another Moroccan dinner table staple which consisted of lentils, olives, eggplant, potatoes with chickpeas, carrots and broccoli.

Then we were served chicken with couscous which is a very favorite Moroccan dish.

Then came the oh, oh, so scrumptous traditional Moroccan dessert called Pastilla Au Lait.  Pastilla Au Lait is made of wafer thin crispy crepes, layered with crushed almonds and cream.  Oh my, it was the absolute bestest dessert that I have ever eaten (or at leastLOL it does land in my top 5 favorite…) and then last but by no means least there was the traditional Moroccan after dinner fruit dish for the table which was made up of oranges, bananas and strawberries.  A perfect dessert ending to a perfect Moroccan themed dinner experience.

So a great time was had by all and I can’t wait to eat out Moroccan food again and I think that you’d also enjoy the Moroccan dinner experience as well!

In Make Peace with Food,

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This month’s motivational quote:

Sometimes you just have to create your own sunshine.  
Anonymous

Food for thought:

What are three things that you can do today! to help create your own sunshine?

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Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http://www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Food-and-Bakery/Strawberries-Covered-with–Chocolate-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20%20piece%20Classic

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Food and Culture

May 1st-May 7th is National Strawberry Week

Strawberries-aren’t they wonderful!!  You can eat them plain or find one at a party or make some that are covered in all kinds of confectionery treats.

So what are some of the things that I recently learned about strawberries that I’d like to share that will let you think of strawberries in a new way…

OK…

l. Strawberries are a member of the rose family. Who knew?

2. It’s the only fruit with seeds on the outside.

3. On average there are 200 seeds on “each” berry. Who knew?

4. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.

5. The American Indians introduced the colonists to strawberries who crushed them with cornmeal and baked them into bread and eventually “yum”-created Strawberry Shortcake.

So I don’t know about you but the next time I think about strawberries-which ironically enough I just bought a box of today-I’ll be thinking about roses…How about you?

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Bite Size Fun Food News

May 22nd is National Shrimp Day!!

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So if you’re starting to think about warm weather and the beach and want to shed some extra pounds but want to eat what you want, stop when you want and become forever thin and healthy then click HERE to learn more about how you can do just that!

In Make Peace with Food,

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

April showers may bring May flowers…

but here’s some fun April news.  I actually stumbled across, are you ready—a Selfie Toaster. That’s right a toaster where your face or anyone else’s face appears on your toast.  See the graphic below!

Then guess what, then I found another toaster called Classic 1960’s Peace Sign Toaster-MakeToast, Not War!  as shown below!

So with a Newsletter called Your Make Peace with Food Newsletter, then how could I resist!!!

So now that you know that you can see yourselfLol on toast, I thought Hmm…what are some questions that you could ask yourself about yourself (some “selfie” questions!) and so here are some “April” selfie questions!!!

l. What is your biggest pet peeve”

______________________________________.

2. Which actor or actress would you pick to play you in a movie?

______________________________________________________.

3.  What person living or not living would you like to have a two hour lunch with an why???

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4.  Can you tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator?

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5. What is your favorite ice-cream?

______________________________

6. What is your least favorite flavor ice-cream?

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7. If you won a $5,000 dollar shopping spree to any store, which would you pick?

_______________________________________________________________

8. What is your favorite season and why?

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9. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?

_____________________________________________________

10. What makes you smile?

_______________________

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In Make Peace with Food,

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This month’s motivational quote:

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Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http://www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Food-and-Bakery/April-Showers-Bring-May-Flowers-jigsaw-puzzle

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Food and Culture

It’s Bacon Month and Let’s Hear from the Pigs…

Did you ever stop and think about how a pig must feel when he thinks about the prospects of becoming “bacon”???

Well, the video below shares their sentiments exactly!!

OK, I agree. They can’t be too happy at the thought of “becoming” bacon but whether you enjoy “real” bacon or the kind that I like which is MorningStar bacon-Enjoy!

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So here’s some fun trivia about bacon…

l. Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches became popular after World War II when supermarkets became popular and tomatoes and lettuce became available year round.

2. Bacon was found in China in 1500 B.C. and the Greeks and Romans kept up the tradition.

3. The actual word “bacon” dates back to the late 1500s.  In Middle English, “Bacoun” referred to all pork, but during the 17th century, “bacon” referred to only cured pork.

4. In 1924, Oscar Mayer patented the first packed, sliced packages of bacon.

5. In the US bacon is eaten 70% at breakfast, 11% at lunch, 2% as a snack and 17% at dinner.

So whether you like the “real” bacon or try MorningStar Farms Bacon http://www.morningstarfarms.com/home.html
“enjoy”!

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Bite Size Fun Food News

More Bacon News…

So I guess that I have bacon on my mindLOL, this month and I thought to myself, “Sora, I wonder if there are any candies with bacon?”  Being a dessert first gal, this thought didn’t come as a total shock so look what I found…

1. http://www.baconcandy.com/

This company has everything bacon.  I mean it’s like landing in BaconVille. Totally check it out!

2. http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/bacon_and_chocolate

Anything missing in Company #1 SoLOL you can find in Vosges Chocolate!

3. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/candied-bacon-recipe.html

And here’s a link to a short video teaching you how to make an easy sweet tasting bacon treat at home if you’re in the mood to do that!!!

I guess that baconLOL abounds!!!!!
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So if April is your month to stop struggling with your diet, then click HERE and learn more about how to eat what you want, stop when you want and become forever thin and all without having to diet!!!

In Make Peace with Food,

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Can you believe, three months into the New Year and soon it will be Saint Patrick’s Day and National Women’s History Month.  So what makes March special for meLOL-Well I found some new products that I really liked and wanted to share them with my Make Peace with Food Newsletter Readers.  I just get so excitedLol when I find a product that I like that I know it’s time to share…

So the first product that I found in my local deli is called Pocky and can be found at Pocky.com.

Here is a picture of a Pocky box of biscuits.

Now Pocky sticks are just what they look like on the front of the above box. They’re biscuit sticks covered in this case with strawberry cream but Pocky sticks also come in Chocolate Banana which is banana cream covered chocolate biscuit sticks, Chocolate Cream covered biscuit sticks, Green Tea covered biscuits sticks and let’s not forget…Cookies & Cream covered Biscuit sticks.  Trust me-this is one great product if you want a real nice treat…

The next product that I want to share with you is Green Giant Steamers which you can find in your local supermarket’s frozen food department and are very reasonable when it comes to calories.

So below is one of my favorites and it’s called Baby Vegetable Medley and it’s a combination of seasoned Cauliflower, sugar snap peas and baby cut carrots.

But here are 2 others (there are a lot to choose from-it just depends on what your supermarket might be carrying!)!

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

March on.
Do not tarry.
To go forward is to move toward perfection.
March on,
Do not fear the thorns, or the sharp stones on life’s path…

Khalil Gibran

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Food for thought:
What thorns or sharp stones might be on your March path and what is your plan to manage them spiritually or otherwise???

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Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/B1055D504337

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Food and Culture

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Bite Size Fun Food News

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Oh don’t cry Ms., Mr., or Mrs. Peanut Butter. Nobody has forgotten you.  You have a day all to yourself which is March 1st National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day.
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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

So here we are in February and soon it will be Valentine’s Day.  I always know that it’s going to be Valentine’s Day when I walk into CVS or Duane Reade and the aislesLOL are filled with all types of red hearts filled with all kinds of chocolate candy.  That’s why I’ve decided to write more about Valentine’s Day in the Food and Culture Section as well as in the Bite Size Fun FoodSection.

But right now, I want to share with you that I went to The Niagara Icewine Festival which is held in Niagrara-on-the-Lake.  Yes, it was absolutely freezing there but ironically I missed the New York snowstorm and that was a good thing.

So as part of the festival, I went on 4 tastings on Saturday and then 4 tastings on Sunday and here are some of the pairings that I experienced.

At Small Talk Vineyards, we tasted their Riesling Icewine which is blended
with their hard apple cider and it was paired with a gluten-free cinnamon and spice twist.  At the PondView Estate Winery, we tasted their Vidal Icewine with a Blue Cheese Bread Pudding and a Chocolate-dipped Strawberry cup.  Need I say more!!!  Then we went to Inniskillin Wines and there we tasted their Reisling Butter Wine which was paired with their southern favorite of chicken and waffles, spread with their own Riesling Icewine Butter.  Again, need I say more!!!LOL

But my absolute favorite tasting was at The Peller Estates Winery and here we tasted their award winning and world-renowned Cabernet Franc Icewine and that was paired with a gigantic specially make marshmallow infused with Icewine and then we roasted the marshmallows over open pit fires.  It was awesome!!!

So I completely recommend that you check out www.icewinefestival.com to see what the vineyards of Niagrara-on-the-Lake are up to next and then plan a fun weekend if that’s something that you’d like to do—

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

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Food and Culture

Valentine’s Day-Yeah!

Whether you’re single, in a committed relationship or married, Valentine’s Day is a time when love is in the air and we Americans make the cultural choice to intentionally honor love.

Now that can be a romantic type of love, a love of one’s family (or a particular memberLOL of one’s family), or one’s pet dog or cat or bird or maybe it’s your work that you love and feel so honored to be blessed with.

Regardless of what your heart shares with you “that you love”-Valentine’s Day in American Culture is a BIG day.

So I did some research and here are some fun facts about Valentine’s Day:

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Why is Valentine’s Day on February 14th?

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l. During the time of the Roman Empire during the reign of Claudius II, 270 AD Claudius didn’t want men to marry because he believed that single men made better soldiers.  Bishop Valentine went against Claudius and performed secret wedding ceremonies.  Because of this Valentine was jailed and executed On February 14th.
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2. In the Middle Ages, young men and women took names from a bowl to see who would be their valentines and would wear this name pinned onto their sleeves for one week for everyone to see, thus the expression, “to wear your heart on your sleeve.”  (Thought I’d put that in-cute!!!)
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3. And in 1537, England’s King Henry VII declared February 14th the holiday named Valentine’s Day.

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Why Chocolate???

OK, so we all know that Valentine’s Day is synonymous with chocolate and roses and greeting cards.

So first let’s talk Yeah! about Chocolate!

l. In the 1800’s Hmm…physicians commonly advised their patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining for lost love. Hmm…sounds familiarLOL

2. Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolate for Valentine’s Day in the late 1800’s.

3. Yikes!  Over a billion dollars of chocolate is brought on Valentine’s Day.

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Why Roses?

1. The Red Rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

2. 189 million stems of roses are sold in the US on Valentine’s Day.

3. 110 million roses, mostly red, will be sold and delivered on this holiday as well.

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What about The Valentine’s Day Card?

1. 145 million Valentine Day cards are sent in the US each year.

2. That’s only second to Christmas with 1.6 billion units, and that’s followed by Mother’s Day with 133 million units.

3. Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, others, wives, sweethearts and pets.

Well, hope you enjoyed what I shared about Valentine’s Day and hope that you have a blessed and love Day-starting with loving yourself.  After all, who will you definitely be spending the rest of your life with-YOU!

Happy Valentines’ Day! and Hugs from Sora

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Bite Size Fun Food News

So here are some fun Valentine’s Day desserts that you can serve and not angst about the calories.

So whatever you decide to eat on Valentine’s Day-Just enjoy it and have a Great Day!

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Well, we made it!  New Years has come and gone and here we are at the very beginning of a new year, 2016!

Over the holiday week, I got to see my folks who live in Boca Raton, FL and then spent a few days withmy brother and sister-in-law who live in North Miami Beach.

What I want to share with you are too great restaurants that I went to, one in Boca Raton and the other other in North Miami Beach.

Now in Boca, the restaurant was called Mozart Cafe.

So now basically, Mozart Cafe is a kosher dairy restaurant and the dishes are extraordinary and the portions were extremely generous!!!  I ordered The Crispy Salad which had mixed greens, peppers, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, feta cheese and the BEST EVER sweet potato chips that I have EVER tasted!!!  The menu also offered a large range of appetizers, calzones, pizza, foccacia, paninis and pastas. The ambiance was really lovely and I know that you won’t be disappointed.

Now the second restaurant that really rocked was in North Miami and is called Shuckers Bar and Grill www.shuckersbarandgrill.com

Shuckers is a waterfront grill restaurant that is located on the island of North Bay Village in the heart of Biscayne between Miami and Miami Beach.  They serve lunch and dinner daily and have a wide variety of bottled beers. Shuckers also has a 45 foot pier which can handle your boat while you’re parked to eat and you can eat either indoors or outdoors!!  The view is awesome and the food really rocked OMG—especially the Key Lime Pie-outstanding!!!!!

So the next time you’re in the Miami area be sure and check it out!
Again, it will not disappoint!

So I hope that you had some food fun over the Holidays and are ready to take on 2016 and know that “All things are possible to those who believe!”

In Make Peace with Food,

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This month’s motivational quote:

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Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

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Bite Size Fun Food News

I love everything vintage.  So the other day I got to think, “Sora, if you grew up way back when what kind of food posters would you see??”  So here are some of the vintage food posters that I found that made me smile.  I hope that you like them as well!

So again, I hope that you see how food isn’t something that is only chewed to be eaten and that we struggle with in our desire to be thinner and healthier but it’s also something that can entertain us whether it be part of an art project or a poster advertisement!

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Welcome to December and the end of the year filled with holidays and fun.

So I got to thinking about 2016 and what my resolutions might be for the New Year.

But I decided that I wasn’t going to make any new resolutions this year. That I just was going to keep on keeping on, set my intentions and let Karma take its course.

There’s an old Seneca proverb which says:  That each day is its own separate adventure.”  I kind of like to live my life that way because it always leaves the element of surprise and possibility and to me that’s part of the magic of life.

But what I did decide to do can be shown in the jar below…

I decided to place my intentions and wishes in a jar over the year and then next New Years 2017 take them out and see how I did.

It’s also my way of letting them go and giving them to the Universe and the Higher Power to help support me in my efforts which I’ve committed to and let go to on paper.

So we’ll just see…

For me it’s just a more comfortable idea of letting these thoughts go and putting them in a physical space outside my mind then having them rent space in my mind.  For me at least, it’s a very freeing feeling.

So it’s just a holiday food for thought and you never know what will happen when you let these thoughts go…….

Hugs and Happy Holidays!!

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched.  Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives…not looking for flaws, but for potential.

Ellen Goodman

Phew!  Love this.  It just completely promotes positive thinking and the possibility of self-growth on a day to day basis.

So what potential or potentials do you know deep in your hear that you have and the you can commit to grow on a regular basis?

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

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http:www.primarygames.com/puzzles/jigsaw/newyear/

Food and Culture

So here we are in December and it’s that holiday time of the year!!-Chanukah, Christmas and New Years.

So I decided that what better way to share the fun and joy of the holiday lights then to share three videos with you -letting you take your pick…

So the video below is a Chanukah Latkes Video.  Because what is Chanukah without Latkes-Not Chanukah…

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So now here’s a video to help you celebrate Christmas.  The video has some really fun and simple desserts. So check out this adorable DIY “create” gal and see if she inspires you as well!

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And now let’s listen to America’s Chief Entertaining Officer Tim Laird on an ABC News Food and Party Segment who will teach you the best way to pop the cork of that Champagne bottle, how to pick the best least expensive champagne to bring to “that” party and how to make some “very” fun and non-alcoholic drinks as well.

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So whatever holidays you choose to celebrate-have a great December-and may all your dreams come true-in 2016 that have especially been designed for you!!

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Bite Size Fun Food News

So to finish out this holiday Make Peace with Food Newsletter here are 3 interesting facts about Chanukah, Christmas and New Years!

I certainly didn’t know them and so I thought that I’d share them with you as well!!

3 Fun Chanukah Facts:

l. Another name for a dreydl is a sivion.
2. In Yemen, children went from house to house, tins in hand, to collect wicks for their Chanukah Menorah.
3. Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees or Israelites over the Greek-Syrian ruler, Antiochus over 2200 years ago.

3 Fun Christimas Facts:

l. Santa Claus’s origins come from a real person, St. Nikolas of Myra.  Among other things he’s also the patron saint of butchery.
2. Apples were the first know Christmas Tree decoration.
3. Animal Crackers became tree decorations in 1902.  The string on the box was created so that the box could comfortably be hung on a Christmas Tree.

3 Fun New Years Eve Facts:
l. The top three places to celebrate New Year’s Eve are Las Vegas, Disney World and New York City.  Internationally, one of the biggest celebrations is in Sydney, Australia.
2. The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball was first dropped in 1907 after there was a fireworks ban.  Back then, a 700 pound ball embellished with 25 watt bulbs made of iron and wood was dropped.  Now, however, it weighs 11,875 pounds, is 12 feet in diameter and is adorned with 2,668 Waterford crystals.
2. This tradition has continued to be held in Times Square, except in 1942 and 1943.  The ball wasn’t lowered because of wartime restrictions.

So wishing everyone a very happy December and May 2016 bring you Health, Joy, Success, Love and More Love,

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So after The New Year, if you decide that you want to commit to losing weight, become more healthy and make peace with food, then—

Check out your coaching choices at https://www.nodieting.net/no-diet-coaching/!

In Make Peace with Food,

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Welcome to the month of November and Thanksgiving.

So now there are a lot of things I could share about food this month but because we celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of the month that just doubles my desire to Give Thanks in Everything and to choose Gratitude-especially when the going gets yuck and tough!!! and so that’s what I wanted to talk about with you in this month’s Make Peace with Food Newsletter.

So now I’m a very big believer that when the going gets tough that it’s my job to change my thoughts and to choose gratitude.

Gratitude-especially when the going gets yuck is right there and available and is always the best helper!

So my philosophy is I can’t change anything about what’s going on- why not just switch my thinking to being grateful to what’s going on(yes,even when I don’t know why it’s happening or the possible outcome-) as a way to make peace with my negative thoughts “at that moment” and to give myself the opportunity to quiet my mind so that I can wait to listen “more comfortably” for my next step forward.

So now to help me practice this as much as I need to I have a sign hanging in my kitchen that says, “Gratitude makes everything you have enough.”
Now isn’t that really good “thought” medicine- Better than continually angsting about what you feel stuck in-especially if you’re feeling that you have no control over the situation at that particular time in your day.

I have found that things do have a way of passing, so why not just decide to enjoy and accept the process of your particular journey and not fight it!!! and use gratitude as an immediate tool to manage that “moment” in time…

So in the Thanksgiving spirit, I want to leave you with a poem that actually was sent to me a long time ago and it’s called

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So, have a wonderful November and however you spend Thanksgiving whether it be with family or friends just remember!!!

Hugs and Happy Thanksgiving!

In Make Peace with Food,

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This month’s motivational quote:

“You’re never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.”

Richard Bach

Food for Thought:

What “dream that was put into your heart” on this Thanksgiving should you recommit to through your faith and your perseverance?

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

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http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/turkeypuzzle.htm

Food and Culture

National Fig Week

Whether you like your figs fresh or dried the Week of November 1st to 7th is National Fig Week!

Now figs are considered to be one of the oldest cultivated fruits dating back over 6,000 years.  Unlike many other fruits, figs don’t contain much Vitamin C however are nutritionally packed with many other great nutritional resources.  Figs are a great source of Vitamin B6, have higher quantities of minerals including potassium and contain a high level of dietary fiber.  It’s this high level of dietary fiber which has resulted in figs being a mild laxative.

Now historically, figs were first mentioned in the first book of The Bible (Genesis).

In addition, the ancient Greeks are also believed to have fed figs to their athletes and the Romans were said to give figs to their agricultural slaves to keep them fit and hard working.  Figs are also considered, in many cultures, to be the symbol of fertility because each fig possibly contains between 30 to 1,000 or more seeds.

So whether you like your figs fresh (as shown above) or dry as shown below

you can enjoy them as a snack, in cereal, in a jam, in a cookie, as ice-cream or as a garnish.

Whatever your choice-Enjoy!!

Bite Size Fun Food News

Recently, at a sports event I tried spicy guacamole and it was a really nice treat with some taco chips.  Then I found out that November 14th is National Spicy Guacamole Day and so I decided to get the low down on what I was trying.

So what I found was that beginning with the Aztecs in Mexico, guacamole is an avocado-based sauce which has taken its place in American cuisine as a dip, condiment or salad ingredient.

The base of guacamole when served is made by using a mortar and a pestle to mash ripe avocados and then mixing in sea salt.  Sometimes tomatoes, onion, garlic, lemon juice, chili, yogurt and other seasonings are added. What takes guacamole into the spicy category is when jalapenos, chilis, cumin or red pepper have been added.

So the next time you’re planning a party, you might want to consider a Mexican theme, put out those taco chips and make or buy some spicy guacamole as an added treat for all.

So once more for the Thanksgiving of 2015…

So are you ready to stop dieting and make peace with food?

Check out your coaching choices at https://www.nodieting.net/no-diet-coaching/ and get your FREE consultation to make your thin and healthy dreams come true today!

In Make Peace with Food,

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

October is a great month.  First, I got to visit out-of-town family and see my nieces and nephews and that’s always great!!!  Also, I found some new products and went to a fun Event Planner Expo where I was able to sample a lot of Oh, so yummy… foods…  And last but certainly not least, this month is Halloween, one of my all time favorite holidays which I can’t wait to celebrate…

So let’s start with the new food products that I tried and really liked.  When I was in Atlanta my girlfriend introduced me to Green Giant Steamers www.greengiant.com.  So when I got back to New York, I tried The Garden Vegetable Medley, The Broccoli and Cheese and The Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs. I found each to be very well seasoned and they were really hearty additions to whatever dinner meal that I was having it with. So check them out the next time that you’re at your supermarket’s frozen food department and see if you like them…

Then the other day I attended the 2015 New York City Event Expo where I was also to sample a lot of different kinds of catered food, each served at a different event venue.  It was fun!!! So first there was Sobo Noodle Salad from Spin (an event venue at www.newyork.wearespin.com) which was Asian inspired, vegetarian and gluten free.   Then there was a piece of chocolate from La Maison du Chocolat (a storefront shop at www.lamaisonduchocolat.com) which was a dark chocolate rum raisin ganache and which was unreal.  Then there was a coconut lime macadamia rice crispy treat from MaritimeParc caterers (www.maritimeparc.com).  Then I tried a lavender scented goat cheese croquette from The New York Academy of Medicine’s catering services www.nyas.org and from Butterfly Bakery www.butterflybakeshop.com (you can order online!) there was an oh so fabulous Chocolate Cappicino Buttercream mini cupcake.

So if you live in the New York area or just like to try new food and there is a storefront-I say go for it!  I think that it’s always fun to expand your palate and why not???

And yes, yeah! and yeah! again-Halloween is working it’s way to us on the calendar and it’s my very favorite holiday.

So keeping that in mind, the other dayLol, I found myself at Dylan’s Candy Shop www.dylanscandybar.com and OMG-talk about creative Halloween “fun” candy treats.

Not an easy choice, at any stretch…

So I finally decided that I wanted to treat myself to one Halloween treat and yes,-it was an “extremely” difficult decision!!!!!

However, I settled for a Hershey’s Candy Corn Bar.  I mean I love Halloween Candy Corns and chocolate that tasted that way—how could I say no-I couldn’t—!!!

So the month of October, thus far, has been a fun food tasting adventure.

I find that if I taste something new and use of one of the two eat and stop yourself techniques in Sora’s Weight Loss “Management” Program then I feel confident about being able to have an amount that will satisfy me and part of that is knowing that I can eat and stop myself as well.

So Happy Halloween, what’s your fantasy costume this year, and if you see new food-and it looks good-try it!!!!!

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

Look for something positive every day, even if some days you have to look a little harder.

Food for thought:
When you’re having a tough day or a tough experience do you quickly become a negative thinker or do you think, “Hmm, what could be the lesson in this for me?” What can be the take away?

And yes, maybe the only lesson in it is to choose to stay as faith centered and as positive as possible and to Give Thanks in Everything.

So what is something that you can do when the going gets tough that you might not have done up until this point which can help you sit more comfortably with the challenge that you’re facing…

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

Food and Culture

National Popcorn Poppin Month

OK. Admit it. Walking into that movie theater you always think, “Hmm…should I get some popcornLOL.”  Well I do and so when I found out that October was National Popcorn Poppin’ Month how could I not share…

So for more than 30 years October has been celebrated as National Popcorn Poppin’ Month.

ThoughLOL-I couldn’t only have popcorn in October—it became an official food holiday month in 1999 by Dan Glickman who then served as our country’s Secretary of Agriculture.

Interestingly enough, the reason that October was picked to celebrate popcorn was because the popcorn harvest takes place in the Midwest each fall and so that’ s why we celebrate popcorn in the month of August.

So here are some fun popcorn facts:

1. Most popcorn consumption takes place in the fall.

2. Popcorn comes in two basic shapes when it’s popped, the snowflake shape and the mushroom shape.

3. The snowflake shape is used in movie theaters and ballparks because it looks and pops bigger.

4. The mushroom shape is used for candy treats because it doesn’t crumble.

5. Popcorn can “pop” up to 3 feet in the air.

So here are some nutritional facts about popcorn:

l. It is a whole grain and therefore a good food for you.

2. It gives you energy-producing complex carbohydrates.

3. It contains fiber which gives you roughage the body needs in your
daily diet.

So the next time you want to snack on “something”-why not have some “poppin” popcorn and add some fun to your day!

Bite Size Fun Food News

National Pumpkin Day

What better month than to celebrate the pumpkin than October for Halloween.  So October 26th is officially declared as National Pumpkin Month!

So let’s learn more about the pumpkin.  The pumpkin is native to North America and the oldest evidence of pumpkin seeds dates back between 7,000 and 5500 BC and were found in Mexico.  The word pumpkin comes from the word pepon which is Greek for large melon.

Each year 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown in the US and nutritional pumpkins contain no saturated fats or cholesterol and it’s rich in dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins.  It’s also a rich source of the B-complex group such as niacin, vitamin B-6 and thiamin.

So whether you want to carve up a pumpkin this Halloween or have some pumpkin soup, cake, cookies or pie-Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

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Hi!

Hard to believe that the summer is almost over and that soon it will be Fall. August was a fun month.  I had a challenging experience with a Butterscotch Sundae, found a new nice tasty breakfast treat and got to go to Bar Harbor, Maine where I also got to visit Acadia National Park.

So first let’s start with the challengingLOL Butterscotch Sundae!

I was invited by a friend to join her for lunch in Manhattan (where I live) at a restaurant called Serendipity3 which is located at 225 E. 60th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue and which is known for their desserts.  So I went really light on the entree and had what they called A La Garden of Allah which was a chicken breast covered with chilled cucumbers, tomatoes, basils and black olives.  OK. Well after I finished my entree, I thought to myself, “Hmm…What should I have for dessert???”  So I wanted a Butterscotch Sundae but when I saw the humungeous size of the sundaes that were being brought out-I was like what-“forget about it”—but then—this nice waiter told me that they would scale it down in size for me..-only in Manhattan-only in Manhattan would they scale down the size of a sundae for their clientele and so that’s how I managed my very yum…Butterscotch Sundae.

So now remember that I mentioned to you that I found this really nice tasty breakfast treat.

Well, what happened was that I was wandering the isles of Food Emporium (my local supermarket!) and I thought-“You know Sora-you need to find a new breakfast treat-something sweet and healthy for the morning…”

Well, Lo and Behold-there in front of me-I saw a box called Breakfast Belvita Soft-Baked and this box had 4 Mixed Berry Biscuits in it.  So I bought it, tried it and it was really nice.

So if you want to check out Belvita Products here’s the link http://belvitabreakfast.comand now that I’ve tried the Belvita brand, I’ve seen them in a lot of different stores so check out your local stores as well!!

And yes, I got to go to Bar Harbor, Maine over the Labor Day Weekend and it’s so very, very, very peaceful there.

I know that I just need to be in nature to successfully unwind to be able to go back to work and yes-nature-is really the best.

So I’d just like to share with you that while in Bar Harbor I had the MOST AMAZING Whiskey Ice-Cream with Bacon on top. Yup, bacon on top!!! Seriously, it was “forget-about-it”!!!!!

In addition, I also want to recommend a Foodie Tour that I took given by www.MaineFoodieTours.com.  The tour was interactive, we visited six locations for tastings and there only 10 people on the tour.  I totally recommend this kind of tour to get a sense of Maine’s best food products and there are many!

So welcome to the falling leaves and have a great month!

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

………………                                                                    .Rumi

So this month think about a challenge that you are having and how you might think that someone else is responsible for resolving that challenge for you.

Why not look inside yourself for your own answers for surely in time they will arrive…

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

www.jigsawflash.com/jigsawpuzzle/1015/big-peppers.html

Food and Culture

So here we are in September and it’s National Chicken Month.  In searching for interesting information about chickens I came across this video from the ASPCA.

I couldn’t help but be moved and so I wanted to share it.  I thought that it was a great educational tool.

So now that I’ve shared ASPCA’s message with you—I just wanted to give you a few ways that you can choose to have your preferred chicken dishes.

Like they say: Variety—is the spice of life!  So here’s some “chicken” variety for you to try!

White Chicken Chili

Korean Chicken Thighs

Chicken Nuggets

Chicken Enchilada

Aloha Chicken Wings

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So whether you like your chicken roasted, pan-fried, in a soup or in enchiladas-Enjoy!!

Bite Size Fun Food News

September 11th is National Hot Cross Buns Day.  Immediately, I could hear that Hot Cross Buns Nursery rhyme in my mind:

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So what I found out is that Hot Cross buns are described as a spicy fruit cake decorated with a while cross and they’re generally served with a butter spread.  Historically they were sold around the 19th century and you could hear the street merchants as they walked the streets calling out “Hot Cross buns!”  They’re also usually sold around Easter time.

So I know that Entenmann’s (the cake brand) usually sells them in the stores around Easter-so check them out-yum!

So are you ready to stop dieting and make peace with food?

Check out your coaching choices at https://www.nodieting.net/no-diet-coaching/ and get your FREE consultation to make your thin and healthy dreams come true today!

In Make Peace with Food,

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Theodore Roosevelt

Food for thought:

Are you feeling particularly challenged in an area of your life???

What can you do (or…choose not to do.,..) with what you presently have or where your presently are.

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http:www.jigsawflash.com/jigsawpuzzle/643/cheesecake.html

Food and Culture

National Peach Month

Did you know that August is National Peach Month.  I love peaches although not always easy to find a great ripe one (at least in ManhattanLOL!) but peach jam (yum) and peach pie when visiting my friends in Atlanta is always a good thing!

So what about peaches?  What makes them so special?

Well in checking them out I found some very interesting facts about them.

Did you know that the peach originated in China and has been cultivated since 1000 B.C.C.?

I certainly didn’t and it even gets more interesting…

The peach in Chinese culture has a very special significance.  The peach tree is considered to be the tree of life and peaches are symbolic of immortality and unity.  Sounds very good to me!!!

In addition, Chinese brides carry peach blossoms at their marriage ceremony.

Now to this day China is the largest world producer of peaches with Italy being the second largest producer to the European market.  California produces more than 50% of the peaches in the US and is able to boast 175 different varieties!

So what is the nutritional value of the peach along with some other interesting info…

Peaches are known to be a great source of Vitamins A, B and C.

In addition, similar to the plum and apricot the peach is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) as distinguished by its velvety skin.  It’s also classified as a drupe, a fruit with a hard stone.

So whether you like your peaches as a snacking food, as part of your morning cereal, or in a jam or pie or ice cream-Enjoy!

Bite Size Fun Food News

National Toasted Marshmallow Day

So when I saw that August 30th was National Toasted Marshmallow Day all those camp memories flooded back and all those LOL evenings over my mother’s kitchen stove in Brooklyn holding a wooden stick with my yum-marshmallows came to life.  What nice memories-all connected with the toasted marshmallow.

So here are some interesting facts about the marshmallow:

1. Marshmallows were originally called Fairy Floss.

2. Today’s modern marshmallowLOL is a version of a medicinal confection which was made from Althaea offinalis, the marshmallow plant and was used to help people with sore throats.

3.  Most marshmallows contain eggs or animal based protein.

4. Marshmallows manufactured today are made up of sugar, corn syrup, water and gelatin.

5. These ingredients are then softened in hot water, dextrose, vanilla flavorings (and sometimes coloring) and whipped up into a spongy consistency fondly known as the “marshmallow.”

So the next time that you get an urge to return to your childhood camping memories, find yourself a branch, sharpen the end of it and put on that iconic memory filled marshmallow and have some toasted marshmallow fun today!

So are you ready to stop dieting and make peace with food?

Check out your coaching choices at https://www.nodieting.net/no-diet-coaching/ and get your FREE consultation to make your thin and healthy dreams come true today!

In Make Peace with Food,

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Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Welcome to the first edition of Your Make Peace with Food Newsletter.  I’m so excited to be sharing my monthly newsletter with you which will include a monthly motivational quote (love those quotes!), a monthly food puzzle (yes, a real food jigsaw puzzle that can be done online!), some monthly Food and Culture news about the month that we’re in and last but not least they’ll also be some Bite Size Fun Food News as well!

In this newsletter, you’re not going to find me telling you what to eat or what not to eat. Remember, that I’m a No Diet, Weight-Loss Coach and so for me all food is fair game (unless you’re struggling with a specific medical issue and your choices are by definition more restrictive!).

So think of this newsletter as a shelter from every other weight loss newsletter that tells you what you can and can not eat.  Think of this newsletter as a form of food edutainment which can help you navigate a more friendly, peaceful and fun filled relationship between yourself and your daily food choices!

In Make Peace with Food,

This month’s motivational quote:

Inch by inch anythings a cinch, yard by yard life is hard.

Food for thought:
What challenges are you struggling with that you can break down into smaller steps to make it easier to manage? and how would you do that???

Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

www.jigsawflash.com/jigsawpuzzle/628/box-of-chocolate.html

Food and Culture

Blueberries

Well hello Blueberry!  It is your turn to shine. Yes, July is National Blueberry Month and let’s say rah rah to this little blue beauty!

Bite Size Fun Food News

Who Doesn’t Love Cotton Candy (at least on occassionLOL!)

Here’s some fun news!  July 31st is Cotton Candy Day.  Yes, its cotton candy that stirs some fond childhood memories and I must admit that I recently had some when I visited family and friends in Atlanta and we would up at The Georgia State Fair.  I could not resist checking it out!!

So here is some interesting information about cotton candy:

l. It was first called Fairy Floss.

2. It has one ingredient and that is sugar.

3. It has been made for over a hundred years.

4. It became an instant hit when it was mass produced and readily available and…

5. It only contains as much sugar as one would get if they drank a can of an average soft drink.

Well, I say if it floats your boat, why not and just to add some fun into the mix, I found these images which take cotton candy very seriously…