Get in my belly!

Good or Bad? - Cranberry Juice

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:46:00 +0000

I have recently been reading more and more about nutrition. As I sipped on a bottle of cranberry juice I brought to work today, I couldn't help but wonder if it was any good for me to drink. I've done a bit of research and here is what I found.

The Cranberry:
The cranberry fruit's American version is primarily grown in the northeast. Berry picking season is from September through October and so this is when you will most likely find better deals. It is a very good idea to purchase fruit while it is in season for the best prices and taste as well. You should also note that this varies on your location. The clerk of the produce department at your local grocer would have knowledge and information on what that is and in my experience they are usually very excited to share this with you.

Uses for Cranberry:
The cranberry fruit is made into a juice (with a lot of sugar), and also used as a very popular pie filling and sauce.

Cranberry juice has also been given "scientific" credit for fighting UTI's, but that has been arguable for several years. I put a few articles under related link for this and I honestly don't see it being the miracle helper many people think. As with many things, it most likely affects each person differently.

How Cranberry Juice is Made:
A video I watched on how cranberry juice is made explained how they are harvested from the water their plants grow in, and then transported to a facility for processing. They are washed, sorted, frozen (for up to several months), then defrosted with very hot water, and juiced. "Enzymes" are added to help soften their skins (and make more product). After all of this, the juice is mixed with sweeteners and bottled for sale.

Other berries categorized for drying (Craisins) are pitted, squished, and soaked in a sugar/water mix to sweeten them, and then put to dry.

Conclusion:

-Fresh cranberries can be washed and prepared at home to be sure less additives are used.
-Craisins aren't as natural as you'd like them to be, they add sugar! And don't let the logos full you - cranberries (and other "raisin" foods) are NOT sitting in the sun for days to dry. They are stuck onto a hot plate and cooked for 3 hours at a time.
-Cranberry juice is good in moderation (as with anything else), but the sugar content is quite high. It would be good to water down your cranberry juice that is purchased from the store. Another option is to purchase Cran-mixes that use apples or other fruits as the sweetener instead of sugar/other additives... Read the ingredients - and realize that it is not required by law for a company to share all the ingredients in their product.

Related Links:
Brittanica: Cranberry (fruit)
NPR Article: "Cranberry Juice For Urinary Tract Infections? It Really Can Help"
WebMD Article: "Cranberry Juice Fights Urinary Tract Infections Quickly"
ABC News article: "Cranberry Juice No Good for Bladder Infections"
YouTube Video on how Cranberry Juice is made

Have you wondered about any other foods and whether they are good for you? Let me know and maybe we can learn more about it together!

BBQ Ribs that will knock your socks off!

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:09:00 +0000

I love barbecued ribs. I can eat them without any sides items - just ribs are enough to make me feel like I've had a great meal. With this said, I am always slightly embarrassed to order them at restaurants because - let's face it - it ain't a pretty scene to watch
someone eat those "finger lickin' great tasting ribs". It's unladylike and gross. This is why I prefer to make them at home and be as unladylike as the ribs deserve.

There are a few levels of meat tenderness in the case of (bone-in) ribs. Also I should note that this applies to both beef and pork meat, but I prefer pork ribs.

*There's chewy, but not tough

*Fall off the bone (my recipe is here)

*and Fall of the bone and might as well be called pulled pork (or "ropa vieja" for beef).

Ribs on the grill are really good, but there is definitely an art involved in getting them just right. This recipe is for oven "grilled" ribs and I promise will taste just as good if not better! Best of all, it will be really hard to mess up.

There is a printable available at the end of this post under "related links".

First, PREHEAT oven to 300 degrees. The timer will be set for 1 hr. 30 minutes.

Next, SEASON the meat with Complete Seasoning and Fajita Seasoning / If you like a kick, rub some Cayenne pepper or Chili powder also.

Then PLACE meat into a baking pan (mine is a 9x13)

Now COVER the baking pan with aluminum foil.

Place in OVEN for 1 hr. 30 min.

After the 1 hr. 30 min. have passed:

Remove from oven, drain the juices (carefully!) Slather with you favorite BBQ sauce (we really like Sonny's Sweet BBQ sauce).

Bring temperature UP to 400 degrees and place in oven UNCOVERED for 10 minutes.

Brush some more sauce and cut/separate ribs.

Gather the napkins and enjoy!

P.S. Go ahead, click on the images for a better look!

Things to do with all your left over (plastic) Easter Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:53:00 +0000

This morning Jazlynn was in need of some maracas to dance a long with a DVD that teaches dance (Baby Dance). Immediately, I thought of putting some rice in a couple of her plastic Easter Eggs and voila!
Problem solved.

There are plenty of things to do with your left over Plastic Easter Eggs, some I normally do and others I found online. Here are a few of my favorites.

Photo: Dollar Store Crafts (blog)

Click here to view the Easter teacups

Here's a link to the PDF version of this post (text only, no images).

And while we're on the topic of recycling... here's a special message from Jazlynn reminding you about Earth Day this year!

Related Links:

Plastic egg tealight holders
Plastic Teacups

Have a blessed weekend!
Zully

For the seafood lovers

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:58:00 +0000

About a month ago, we went for a spontaneous drive to the Cape and had lunch at a fun spot on the water.

Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar is about a 10 minute ride from the Cocoa Beach pier. This was my first time though Ruben had already been a few times with biker buddies in the past. The atmosphere is really relaxed and the servers are all very friendly.

We opted to sit outside (though I later regretted this because it was too breezy) and it was nice.

Panoramic view of patio area over the water

IMPORTANT! If you are considering clicking for a closer look at these photos (be careful not to drool on your keyboard!)

1/2 lb. Snow Crab Clusters (described as 'succulent'
on their menu, and rightfully so!)

These snow crab legs were very fresh tasting - no complaints whatsoever.

Tahiti taters, steamed island veggies, and cheese bread
(sides that come with crab legs)

These potatoes were so good and the carrots are so very sweet (I couldn't eat it all, but wanted too). The cheese bread, admittedly very greasy (and probably a frozen, pre-made item) was not the best, but still went well with the meal.

Hurricane Burger with Cheese ($9.49)

I thoroughly enjoyed the food at Grills and will likely visit again (and hopefully soon).

The total damage was less than $35 - and for the portions and truly fresh taste of that crab I

Related Links:
Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar (Official website)
Direct link to their online menu

What's your favorite seafood spot in Central Florida.
Zulaika H.

How to make Tembleque

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:05:00 +0000

Tembleque (tem-bleh-keh) is a dessert made in Puerto Rico, which is basically coconut custard.
The word "tembleque" means jiggly or wiggly - yes like Jello is wiggly and jiggly.

You can purchase mixes right by the Jello in your local supermarket (and follow the directions on the box) or you can make it on your own with the following ingredients:

27 oz. coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
cinnamon and coconut for garnishing

Directions:

Combine coconut milk, sugar, salt, and corn starch in a saucepan over medium heat.
Once the mixture has thickened and starts to bubble (be careful!), remove from heat.
Pour into mold (or individual dessert glasses) and allow to cool.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Serve.

PRINT RECIPE CARD HERE

Happy Jiggling!

Zully

my March Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 02:36:00 +0000

March is a very eventful month for me. Both my parents (18th, 21st) and my grandmother (24th) have March birthdays. And now, I also have my daughter's birthday to celebrate (on the 19th).

My daughter's birthday celebration will be on Saturday and so I have not made her cake yet, but will post it likely in the next week.

Tonight, I worked on a special cake for my mom. In the past I shared a strawberry filled cake I made (which was so good). This time, I opted to make a Chocolate cake with coconut and cream cheese frosting.

Once the cake cools, I used a cake leveler to slice the cake in two

This is what the bottom half looked like before I frosted it.

I sprinkled coconut after I frosted this first layer of cake.

Then I placed the top layer onto the first.

Then the fun part...

My mom loves butterflies so I made something a little special :)

I can't wait for her to see tomorrow!!

Shhh... she hasn't seen it yet ;)

This post will save you at least $45; How to make Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse @ HOME!!

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Kobe's is good, really good. But Kobe's made at home can be just as good and WAY cheaper!

It's true - I've figured it out and am sharing it with you.

I love Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse - it really is so good. We have eaten a lot of Asian cuisine, and though Kobe's is very commercialized, the food is still good. The only thing that would have made this meal better made at home was knowing the cut of meat they use. For the recipe I just used steak we already had at home.

Grilled Items I made:

Noodles
Vegetables
Steak
Shrimp

Ingredients:

Yum Yum sauce <--link to printable (butter seasoned with Badia All Seasoning)
Soy sauce (I use low sodium)
Linguine; you could use a narrower pasta like Linguettine or Bavette also. Fettucine is too wide a noodle. (You could use whatever you have if you want)
Chopped vegetables; I like Onions, Zucchini (my favorite!), Carrots, and Broccoli.
Steak chunks
Kobe's White Sauce <-- link to printable recipe
Can be purchased at any Kobe's location for about $5. You can also purchase a case of 6 for $27, but I wouldn't suggest you buy that many for home use. There is also a gift bag option on their online store where you can get 3 different sauces for $19 (this would be the way to go if you don't have one nearby).

Equipment:

For grilling the (cooked) noodles, vegetables, and meat I use a griddle. I would suggest opening windows for proper ventilation (it gets very steamy). Another option may be cooking it outside - sometimes we just set up by the grill in our patio area.

Cooking Instructions: (Please note printable Recipe Card available below under related links has items numbered differently)

1st You'll want to cook your pasta as directed on package (boil as normal).

2nd While waiting for your noodles to cook, you should prep your vegetables and meat by chopping and then set aside.

3rd Preheat Griddle

4th Place 2 tbsp of Yum Yum Sauce onto hot griddle; then pour soy sauce onto melting butter.

5th Place noodles over sauce and heat until Yum Yum sauce is absorbed. Noodles should still be soft. Serve noodles onto dish.

6th Cook vegetables next with same procedure in steps 4 & 5.

7th Cook protein (meat) last with same procedure in steps 4 & 5.

8th Serve and enjoy.

YUM! This has actually become one of my go to recipes. We've cooked this at home a handful of times and are due for a new bottle of White Sauce - BUT I may try making my own first. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Getting this same food for two at Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse can cost you $60 or more for two (especially considering travel, drinks, gratuity, etc.). The total for making this at home can be as little as $12.00 (depending on protein choice) and can feed up to 4. This is an 80% difference of the cost of eating out. Things to remember is I did not make soup and salad -- but even those can be made for less than $5 more dollars for 4.

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD HERE

Related Links:
Kobe's Steakhouse (Official Website)
Badia Spices (Complete Seasoning)
White Sauce Recipe <-- Link to my printable version. (I found several online with no credit to initial publisher)

You're welcome :) & please do share your results!
Zulaika H.

*I did not receive compensation for products I advertised on this post.

How to make the cutest treats for Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:35:00 +0000

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Today marks another first for us... the first time our daughter has a Valentine's Day in school (pre-school). Jazlynn is such a sweet girl and she absolutely loves making friends (way more social than I ever was).

So while this holiday was approaching I, of course, took to Pinterest to find ideas on what to do since I wanted to make treats at home (luckily Jazlynn attends a private school and this is still allowed).

I decided to make Valentine Rice Krispies Treats.

Gathering Materials:

Labels
Pipe cleaners (or ribbon)
Plastic sandwich bags (non-ziploc is best)
Glue
Scissors

First I found some cute labels to cut and paste/tie onto the treats bags. (NOTE: fill these out BEFORE cutting them). I was so happy with these and the internet is just filled with these free items (take advantage people!). I also bought some red pipe cleaners and cut each into 4 shorter pieces (about 3 inches). I used these to tie the sandwich bags (which I cut). You could buy regular (and cheaper) bags that do not have the "ziploc"- I was just using what we already had at home.

While I prepped and did the stove top stuff, Jazlynn wrote out her cards. I was so proud of her writing out all of her classmates' names in their cards. Talk about great handwriting practice for your pre-schooler!! (Note: she did half of the cards on one day, and the other half while I cooked the treats).

Ingredients & Materials for Treats:

16x9 baking pan (if you have two it will save you time)
Large cauldron or stock pot to prepare (non-stick would help)
Butter, 3 oz. (1 oz per batch/pan) ---->1 oz. = 2 tbsp.
Marshmallows (one 16 oz. bag can make 3 16x9 pans)
Rice Krispies cereal, two 14 oz. boxes (store brand will taste the same!)
Sprinkles, optional

First I, heated the butter in the pot and made sure to distribute all around to help keep the marshmallows from sticking and or burning.
Then I put in the marshmallows and stirred them constantly over medium heat. Below are some pictures of what to progression will look like as you watch it and stir (you can click the photos for a closer look).
Once it is all liquefied remove from heat and pour in the cereal a couple cupfuls at a time. Stir and repeat until cereal is all sticky.
Next, is where sprinkles can be added and stirred until the batch has the desired look. (NOTE: I found that adding sprinkles actually helps the batch from sticking to the pot.)
Pour into baking pan, evenly spread, press down firmly (I like to use a greased piece of aluminum foil for this because you can get your hands over it without getting all sticky).
Place in refrigerator to cool for 15 minutes and start on your next batch (if applicable).
Once cooled, use knife (or fun cookie cutter shapes) to cut into desired shapes and individual servings.
Serve (or store).

Making Everything Pretty:

With all the above done, all that was left to do is put everything together. Each treat in it's own bag, with a couple labels and tied with the pipe cleaner.

I really enjoyed doing this, especially spending that quality time with Jazlynn and getting to know all the funny things she has to say about her classmates. You will find out some very interesting things, but overall it was just great to appreciate how she's growing up and her own little person.

Do you think you might try something like this for your kids at home?

Related Links:
A Daily Dose of Davis (Site I got the idea from for making the rice krispies treats)
Worldlabel.com (site with cool printables I used, check their site for a fun variety!)
Livinglocurto.com (site with cool printables, not the ones I used, but liked)
Justshortofcrazy.com (other cute Valentine ideas for school children, or whoever)
YouTube videos on how to make rice krispies treats

Happy Valentine's Day!

Secrets of Wonton Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:23:00 +0000

Roast Pork Wonton Soup ($2.25)

The dinner we had at China Garden last night was great and I was most impressed with their rice and customer service. Below are several pictures so you can see what we had.

There were just a couple other cars parked outside when we arrived, but I am sure this is only because we chose a Wednesday night to visit. It immediately felt very quiet and intimate. The interior of the restaurant is decorated mildly and felt spacious. We were asked by a young woman whether we would like a table or booth, and then were lead to our booth.

All the booths have a glass over their table cloth for protection, which also doubles as an ad space for their restaurant and even a request to "Like" them on Facebook.com. There was also a really cute promotion for a Valentine's Day dinner for two; the entrees are served on heart shaped plates.

While it is customary in American restaurants to serve bread at the table, Chinese restaurants often give "crispy noodles", which you can dip in Duck Sauce. (Complimentary)

I really like Wonton Soup and it's very important for me to try it at every Chinese restaurant I go to (this way I know if I can pick it up when I feel sick (like chicken soup, wonton soup makes me feel better). Anyway, they were good. A little bland (could use a little salt), but I did not add salt and instead ate it as is. The wontons were soft and didn't taste as if they had been sitting out.

Roast Pork Wonton Soup ($2.25)

Note: I used to work at a Chinese restaurant as a teenager and their wontons were prepped daily and placed in the refrigerator for cooking the next day. At the beginning of the work day they were cooked (boiled like pasta) then sat in a bowl separate from the broth. When the item was ordered, the noodles were then combined with the broth and fresh chives in a bowl and served. If you ever get wontons that are too soggy it means they have it altogether and it is not combined to order. Alternatively, if the wontons are rubbery (more tough) it may be that they were sitting out for too long (without moisture or steam).

For our entrees, Ruben ordered Roast Pork Egg Foo Young ($7.95 which includes white rice) - think Chinese omelette. I ordered Roast Pork Fried Rice and an Appetizer order of Chicken Wings.

Roast Pork Fried Rice ($7.25)

The rice was REALLY good. It was cooked just right and even the meat was tender. I fully enjoyed the half order I was able to eat - China Garden gave a portion that can feed 3 or 4.

Chicken Wings, 8 pieces/4 whole wings ($5.95)

The chicken wings were good also. These also tasted fresh and made to order. If you like wings at a Chinese place, these will not disappoint.

Leftovers from our food to take home: Steamed rice, chicken wings,
Roast Pork Egg Foo Young and Roast Pork Fried Rice

As you can see, there was plenty of food for the two of us with our orders - enough to take plenty home. This could be lunch for two! Ruben had half of his Egg Foo Young so this is to show how much he got.

The total of our meal was $27.21 - this includes the above and a Sweet Tea for me; Ruben just had a water.

Related Links:
China Garden's Official Website (complete with online ordering option)
China Garden's official Facebook page

Have a great day! :)
Zulaika H.

Jimmy Hula's

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Jimmy Hula's is a burger joint with radical toppings in each of their specialty burgers. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the whole place is decorated to feel like a
hut on a tropical resort. There are surf boards and stickers on the brightly colored walls. The booth seats are like rear seats of cars with bright colors upholstery. There are a couple locations, both near me in Central Florida.

The burger I love and always have at Jimmy Hula's is the BURNT REYNOLDS which is topped with a fried Egg, American Cheese, Bacon, Lays Chips, Lettuce, and Ketchup. And it is AMAZING.

With all those toppings you would be more than satisfied, but I also like to add CAJUN FRIES (mmm!)

If you have never gone, you really really should go. I promise you will not regret this place and it'll become a new favorite. Please keep in mind that I am not being paid or receive any benefits to say this to you - I just really love their burgers.

P.S. This may seem unimportant, but Jimmy Hula's serve their soft drinks in a styrofoam cup with *CRUSHED* ice.

Are there any local burger places you really like? Do you think they are better than Jimmy Hula's? If so, let me know so I can go too!

Related Links:
Jimmy Hula's (Official Website)
Direct Link to their menu (PDF)
Video on HowStuffWorks.com on how styrofoam is made

The location for my most recent visit was on Aloma, but I've also been to the UCF area location and it is just as good.

Hope you are having a great day,
Zulaika H.

Oh don't forget to for easy sharing of my reviews and recipes and a bunch of other fun stuff on there.

Fast Day 9

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Now that I am eating solid foods again, I'm glad I can use my favorite salad packing bowl.
The (green) insert doubles as an ice pack that keeps everything inside cold. There is also a container that fits in the center for my dressing.

Greens (from my garden), tomato, raspberries, granola, and chile cashews

The Chile Cashews are so good. I roasted these for about 8 minutes and then tossed them in a mixture of salt, pepper, Chile flakes, and vegetable oil.

...I think I might need to start making recipe cards for download on here for you.

This is a tool I use from Sparkpeople.com

Thanks for reading :)
Zulaika H.

Spontaneous Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 02:30:00 +0000

I'm back to chewing again and it comes complete with an adventure to St. Petersburg.
The weather in Florida was really nice today and my husband felt a spontaneous to go ride a jet ski. For several years he and his friends have always gone to one place for the best deal - Woody's Watersports. The drive is a little over an hour, but it's scenic and enjoyable since I get to ride shotgun instead of driving.

We had a blast on the wave runners (as usual). Afterwards, I had so much salt on my skin it was hard to get my jeans back on.

I'm still fasting bread, meat, and desserts. What we had here were french fries, which were quite good. We have had more of a meal here in the past and it was good. This seems to be a hangout for local teenagers (warning). I haven't seen it get full of them, but I have always noticed there are a couple teenagers on a date there whenever we go. This makes a whole lot of sense though - they are fairly priced fast food and sell ice cream. Another note is the food could be a little greasy - if you have a question on how the food will be prepared just ask them because they are very friendly and are willing to listen to what you want - great customer service is key and they've got that.

A few videos just for fun...

Related Links:
Google+ page for JJ's
Woody's Watersports (Official Website - wish they updated this more frequently, they actually have newer, blue waverunners now)
Google+ page for Woody's

As soon as Urbanspoon adds JJ's as a listing I will provide that link here.
Update: They've added the restaurant to Urbanspoon:

Thanks for reading :)
Zulaika H.

Getting down and dirty

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Petunias

I remember being about five or six and playing outside in our yard. We lived in a white townhouse that had a grass run dividing two driveways. I can remember
sitting on the ground and sorting through the dirt to find bugs, rocks, flowers - an endless amount of entertainment.

Sometimes when I tell my daughter to "not get her clothes dirty" this comes to mind and I HAVE TO bend the rules for conscience sake. How could I enforce cleanliness in the middle of fun?

I spent some time gardening on New Year's Day and planted some peas and lettuce. I can already see them coming up. So exciting!

Peas Jan 1, 2013

Peas and lettuce Jan 1, 2013

Peas Jan 9, 2013 (8 days)

Peas and lettuce Jan 9, 2013 (8 days)

Tomatoes Jan 9, 2013

The tomatoes were planted about a month ago and today, I saw the fruits of our labor and got so excited. I can't wait to have these on a salad in a couple/few weeks.

Petunias

I love getting my hands dirty, but I have to place a special thank you to my husband, who waters our plants every day and I am so thankful for that :)

Fast Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 03:00:00 +0000

This really gets easier with time. I almost feel like I can go on like this forever. Because I am juicing and know what goes into my "food" it feels so right. The other unbelievable thing I am experiencing is
how fully energetic I feel in the morning. I needed to get up early to run an errand this morning and I felt awake before my alarm went off.

To contrast all of this, I am also starting to feel as if I should be doing more. Shouldn't my fast be difficult? Shouldn't I struggle and feel worse? So that brings the question - does sacrifice automatically imply discomfort? Does God want me to suffer?

I'm learning that it is quite the opposite. This isn't about enduring hunger or pain at all. This is about bringing up my soul into a cleansed state. Where I can better connect with God and bring forth all the joys in life He intended me to have.

I went into the break room of my job today to find something I am seeing everywhere... TEMPTATION.
Isn't it weird how that happens?

For instance:

If you're waiting for someone to meet you and they will be in a red Camry - for the duration of your wait all you see are red cars!
Or if you just want to quickly (because you should already be driving to work) return some pants that didn't fit properly at the store, the line is all of a sudden full of people this early in the morning.
Or if like me, you are sacrificing food for a week and your birthday goes without cake (on the day). You get random emails from restaurants (who have never emailed you promotions before) about special deals on your favorite Chinese dish. Or you go to get a bottle of water in the break room and find that someone is giving away a bunch of candy!

But that is just the way things are sometimes.

Do not confuse my rant for anger - I really find this quite amusing. I am laughing as I type this because I know I've already won.

For lunch I had soup, Sun Ripened Orange Tomato Soup (I am getting a bit tired of tomato soup).

In other news, Jazlynn started her dance class today. She really enjoyed that and we already cannot wait until the next session.

I'll leave you guys with a song I really love.

Have a great night,
Zulaika H.

No cake on my birthday?!

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Green Juice

Chicken Parmesan

I woke up with great energy today, but doesn't everyone on their birthday?
Even though yesterday I ate (basically) nothing I felt fresh and prepared to start the day.

For my "lunch" at work I prepared Green Juice with my [new] juicer. The juice contained the following:

celery (which I usually do not like AT ALL, but tastes alright if masked) (8 stalks)
cucumbers (2)
parsley (1/2 bunch)
spinach leaves (1/4 bunch)
and green apples (3)

Green Juice

I must admit I added another apple after mixing it up at first. No exact recipe was followed I just juiced equal parts of each.

I also had a V8 vegetable juice (small can).

For dinner, I had some tomato soup. But I didn't finish the whole bowl because it tasted too rich.

Food I MADE, not ate (below)

I am the only one in my household who is fasting so I am still responsible for making dinner. I made Chicken Parmesan.

I seasoned the chicken

Next, I dipped in egg (nature's glue). (I showed how this is done in this post)

Breaded with "Italian Bread Crumbs"

Put in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (turned halfway though cook time).

Served with mozzarella cheese on top (Ruben really likes a lot of cheese).

Although I did not have cake on my birthday (first time in my entire life), we did celebrate on Saturday before the fast began and I fully enjoyed some strawberry filled tres leches cake my mom got for me.

Thanks for reading,
Zulaika H.

Never done this before

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 03:00:00 +0000

For breakfast, I made cashew milk

I'm doing something I've never done before.

For the first 7 days of my Daniel's Fast, I will be on a liquid only diet. A couple years ago, my sister did all liquid for a few days (I can't remember how many) and though you could tell it was a bit difficult at first, she handled it quite well.

On my previous post, I discussed what fasting is. Now, on my 21 day journey I will share what I consume and the day to day focus of my fast. The thing about fasting is it is very sacred and I probably shouldn't be talking about it publicly. But I have always noticed that people that do not fast for religious reasons often have questions; questions are mainly about why and how it is done. While I will be sharing this process, there will also be things I keep to myself. Any revelations I feel are mine and not for sharing will be kept to myself. I also want to note that my personal experience will not necessarily reflect "the perfect fasting procedure" or what you might experience during a fast.

Usually, our church schedules our fast to begin on a Monday, but that is not the case this year. As I mentioned, for the next week I will only consume liquids.

For breakfast, I made cashew milk

Cashew Milk Recipe (one serving)

1 ounce raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)
1 cup of water
1 tsp of vanilla
Blender

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Strain.
Serve.

I made the mistake of not drinking something nutritious for several hours (just drank water) and got a very strong headache. I was determined not to take any medicine and focused on the day's events.

I sat in the patio and read a little, and wondered why I don't try to make time to do this more often. It felt so relaxing.

For dinner, we went to my in laws and I had broth from the soup she made. It was very good. There was a lot more food; tostones, rice, shredded beef, bread, and salad - all things I couldn't eat.

This is what the soup looked like

This is what I actually "ate"

Overall the day was not too hard and I feel it can only get easier. Especially if I plan my "meals" better for the next 6 days.

Today's Note:
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Whether you are a Christian or not, this makes sense. If you focus on positive things in life you are more likely to have positive results. If you are a pessimist, it will be more likely for you to be unhappy.

Seize the day. Bring your focus into something great!

Fast Day 1

Why I never blog in January

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, you can do things over and over again without really realizing the end results. The Daniel's Fast is something I have participated in for 5 years now and this will be the first time I actually share this online - or with anyone outside of my family.

You probably never realized this, but aside from my first post of 2013 (yesterday), I have NEVER posted anything in January or the beginning of the year. The reason for this has mainly been because of a sacred tradition I have with my church family to fast for 21 days in January of every year. This is not the only time a Christian (or person of any religion) may fast, but it is a time my Pastor usually schedules to start the year in prayer for the future of our congregation and nation.

What is Fasting? - Abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, esp. as a religious observance.

Religious observances are not the only occasion for which people fast. A person may fast due to a political stance, or also for health reasons (at the direction of a physician).

There are many reasons why people fast.

[Religious] Fasting is used universally in several religions as a means to focus on spiritual goals.
[Religious] Fasting, usually combined with prayer, meditation, or other types of worship are tools believed to bring you closer to God.
[Health / Scientific] Interesting article by Michael Mosley (BBC News) this past August on how fasting intermittently could be very beneficial.
[Health / Scientific] Another article on ScienceDaily.com from May 2012 on how fasting can actually override the harmful effects of a high-fat diet. This means you can use fasting to reverse the cholesterol damage you are doing now!
[Political] There have been several recorded fasting events in which practitioners were fighting for specific rights in their political arena. Mahatma Ghandi was known to practice fasting for both self purification and political mobilization.

We are not the only church who have this tradition and maybe you even have been part of this.

If you would like to follow along with me as I complete the Daniel's Fast this month, subscribe so you can get the latest posts with recipes and information. You may be looking for spiritual guidance or you may just be trying to lose some holiday weight by eating healthier. Whatever your reason, I'm glad to share my experience with you for this 21 day fast.

The fast will be from January 6th thru the 26th. I look forward to sharing throughout this journey.

Related Links:
BBC News (Official Website)
Science Daily (Official Website)

Not fasting? Here's an interesting slideshow from WebMd.com I recently viewed on Eating Healthier this New Year.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

Before I go on, I want to thank my readers. Those of you who randomly arrive here via your Google search for Puerto Rican Pork chops or my
Urbanspoon reviews and those of you who come back for a random read into my life and the food I share with you all.

For 2013, I have wanted to set a resolution. I do not usually make a resolution for the simple reason that hardly anyone actually follows through. But I wanna do something for real. I have several goals for this year and I still have to actually put these things into priority.

I'd also like to hear from you and get feedback on recipes you would like me to try and post about. Is there anything you've been too afraid to try and would like some how-to photos of on here? Let me know!

Consider subscribing to my blog this year so that you have faster access to my new posts via Google Reader, Blogger, or whatever RSS feed site/program you use (my feedburner link is above on the RSS Link).

Stay tuned for my plan to participate in a church-wide fasting event - The Daniel's Fast.

Cheers,
Zulaika H.

"just like your [Italian] Mama makes..."

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:00:00 +0000

My title is a quote from one of Giovanni's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria's reviews. My husband and I went for a late dinner last night and had such a fun time.

When I first heard Ruben talking about Giovanni's I just assumed it was a pizzeria where his townie friends hung out. I deeply regret that thought now that I have experienced the atmosphere, which comes with great conversation and the nicest staff I've ever dealt with at a local chain.

I had a couple of these (left)- I don't know what it was, but it was very sweet and my favorite color :)

I also had their Chicken Parmesan (Dinner portion), which comes with a house salad and garlic bread. I did not get my garlic bread, but
the rest of my experience (not to mention large portion sizes) was going so great I didn't even realize it until today. No real complaint there , but I will be craving the bread now. Also, we sat at the bar so I can understand the bartender forgetting if they do not usually serve food and just drinks.

If you ever come here, please please have their house dressing with your salad. It's also available for purchase to take home and I honestly think it is AMAZING!

Ruben had a stuffed pizza - I took a bite and it was pretty good. The texture was perfect.

When our visit was finally over and we were leaving I noticed something - a very important something. There was a woman coming into the restaurant with what seemed to be her elderly father. The little Italian man could barely walk, but I could still see his enthusiasm about getting inside Giovanni's. I realized if this little Italian man was coming to eat here, they MUST know what they're doing!

Related Links:
Giovanni's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria (Official Website)
------->I was kinda bummed that their online survey
and feedback forms aren't working right now.
Urbanspoon page (for location I visited)

Now go support this place!

Zulaika H.

Hamburger Mary's

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:00:00 +0000

An interesting meal for an interesting date.
You know how after a certain age, calling your boyfriend a "boy" friend sounds childish and embarrassing? Mid-20's isn't old, but it is starting to feel not-so-young. Tonight marked our One Year "Dating" Anniversary for my husband and me. Ruben and I generally don't do anything spectacular besides reminisce on such occasions. Thank God we've always had a good open communication - it helps that we were true friends years before ever being involved romantically.

And so it was pure coincidence that my boss offered me a pair of Magic Tickets for tonight (they lost - this season doesn't look good for Orlando =\ ). It was fun and the seats were great. While downtown, Ruben took me to a fun spot called Hamburger Mary's.

Not sure if you've ever heard of the franchise, but if not you may want to research before agreeing to come here (Clue: Mary may not be a "Mary"). Personally, I thought it was a really fun experience and the food was fantastic.

Every Wednesday night, there is a sort of "Trivia Night" hosted by a man who is incredibly vulgar. Still, the experience is entertaining and gets everyone laughing.

As soon as you walk in, it's quite easy to figure out what kind of party there is inside. The room was crowded and loud - not too loud, but enough to feel the very casual theme of Hamburger Mary's.

A "Mary" statue greets us
as we enter

This photo frame is just one of several photos and posters throughout the dining room of Hamburger Mary's. The whole dining room is extremely colorful and feels warm and bright day or night.

Below is a photo of the booth's fabric and the wall beside it pained in lime green as well as a photo of the front of a menu.

Ruben opted for The Queen "Mary" Burger - anything with grilled onions and bacon will usually catch his eye on a burger menu. I have to say, it was one of the prettiest burgers I've ever seen.

The Queen "Mary" Burger ($10.95)

Since this was my first time at Mary's I opted for the basic Mary Burger. It was really good, though next time I will likely ask for more of the "Mary's special sauce".

The "Mary" Burger ($9.95)

The bite view of The "Mary" Burger

We left hungry, happy, and entertained.

Related Links:
Official Website for Hamburger Mary's
http://www.hamburgermarys-orlando.com (Orlando site)
Urbanspoon Page

Happy Anniversary babe!

Pasta and [skinless] Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:59:00 +0000

Pasta and baked breaded chicken. We had left overs for dinner tonight (from my mother in law).

I won't be describing how it is made today simply because I do not have the recipes. I will, however, provide you with some good substitutes I found online (see related links) below.

To make this a little healthier for me, I ate the chicken "sans" skin.

Related Links:
Potato Flake Fried Chicken recipe from Sparkpeople.com
Baked "Fried" Chicken recipe from Sparkpeople.com
Tomato Basil Fettuccine recipe from Sparkpeople.com
Fettuccine with Quick Tomato Sauce and Hot Chili Oil by Larry Stone (foodandwine.com)

Have a great night!

Zulaika H.

Recent Wawa Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 03:00:00 +0000

Wawa is a well known food mart which also sells fuel. Apparently, they are very common in some states/areas, but it wasn't until this summer that our town had a couple locations premiere.

I personally love the place. It's very entertaining to see everything neatly placed in the store. Everything is so organized - I love when stores are so visually appealing. With that, however, comes a consequence - overindulgence.

We stopped by tonight for a snack and I came out with something I didn't plan on consuming - at all.
I wanted a Butterscotch TastyKake Krimpet cake (very delicious with milk), but after staring at all the labels and seeing the crazy calories I opted for a cup of soup instead. It may have still been a high calorie choice, but not as bad or as sweet as a cake.

Another cool thing about this place is the center of the store has this window area - behind the window is where the employees make your food. You can see everything.

My husband always gets a smoothie - strawberry, but usually banana related. Last night it was a banana smoothie. They are good.

The picture I took of my soup came out very blurry so I'm providing the Wawa photo from their site here (it's the upper left bowl):

The soup reminded me of the Broccoli cheese from Quizno's - I swear whatever they do (or buy premade) has to be from the same company. It tastes exactly the same - and it's my favorite. The part that Wawa tops Quizno's on is the buttered roll option. The bread goes perfect with the soup.

The last time I got hot food from Wawa was on Nov. 10th (Saturday night). It was the first time I tried their chicken strips and I really liked them (though they are deep fried and probably not even real chicken). Either way, they were good.

Related links:
Wawa.com
Urbanspoon page for the Wawa location I frequent

Thanks for reading,
Zulaika H.

Thanksgiving Brunch 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Zully Hernandez) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:20:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the first Thanksgiving in years that I do not make a turkey. Okay, that isn't true. I didn't last year either - but that was ONLY because I was away for military training and that shouldn't count. It didn't feel like Thanksgiving happened at all for me in 2011.
Don't get me wrong, we were taken out to a great restaurant and shared a meal with our shipmates. The food was great and I even took pictures of it (maybe I can dig those up and update this post another time). It still isn't the same when your family is two thousand miles away (1,949 to be exact).

This year I'm thankful for a lot of things. God has blessed me with a supportive family that enjoys watching me grow as a woman, a mother, and now a wife. I'm also thankful that I could start a new tradition - Thanksgiving Brunch. I love making food for the holidays and brunch is a new meal I never took on with guests.

I am posting links to the recipes that I used for the meal today (see related links below).

The full spread:

The Raspberry Lemon Scones:

Quecitos:

Related links:
Recipe (very traditional) for Quecitos (think cheese danish with a Puerto Rican twist)
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (from Sparkpeople.com)
Raspberry Lemon Scones (I would suggest adding more sugar than recipe calls for if you like your scones sweeter OR but sugar on top before baking so it'll caramelize on them)
Egg Muffin cups (I only used egg and cheese in mine, but this was my inspiration)
Creamy Fruit Salad (not pictured above)
Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes (and other ideas)

I hope you enjoy and have a great Thanksgiving.

Zulaika H.

It's been a while...

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:00:00 +0000

It's been a while since Ruben fired up the grill.
Tonight he mentioned having a discussion about this with his friend earlier and so we already knew how it would be going down tonight.

This is the first time I have ever made mashed potatoes since I married Ruben and it's because, as I have previously mentioned, he does not like potatoes.

I also made asparagus. The rice served was actually some leftovers my mother gave me from yesterday - and it went really well with everything.

Good night,
Zulaika H.

Buffalo Wild Wings

noreply@blogger.com (Get in my Belly!) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Buffalo Wild Wings has a cool vibe. The location we went to is huge and features more than a dozen television screens all showing different sports and news channels. This was a fun place to
have lunch and all the staff was friendly and we will definitely go again.

As soon as you enter, you follow a path towards the register and place your order. After you do you are free to choose where you want to sit and someone comes to take your drink order. When it's all ready, they bring it to you.

Here's an indoor view of the location we went to

All of the booths and chairs have their logo carved into them

I ordered my wings with the sauce (they have 20 sauce/seasoning options by the way!) on the side (controlling your sauce instead of ordering them drenched is always my preferred option). I also got carrot sticks on the side with ranch - Yum!

Looking forward to our next visit - these wings were good. I can make better tasting ones at home, but their sauce selection is great and I enjoyed our lunch here.

Related Links:
Buffalo Wild Wings (Official Website)
Urbanspoon Site (for location we went to)

Zulaika H.