Fruits with flavored chia in cups – Part 3 – Food 25

You may read previous posts (Part 1 and Part 2):

- Fruits with flavored chia in cups – Part 1 – Food 25
- Fruits with flavored chia in cups – Part 2 – Food 25

Image 1- Tangerine from backyard

The ingredients may include pears, hydrated Chia seeds (water, Chia seeds), sugar, citric acid, natural flavor, ascorbic acid (to protect color), Carmine, vegetable extract for color.

I love the taste of Pears in blackberry flavored chia. The package looks very nice and appealing.

The crisp chunk pears are juicy, but the juice mixed with chia is quite thick for me, and some people.

Image 2- Wild flowers, illustration

Image 3- Chia seeds floating on the surface.

They look great and whoever like chia seeds for their benefit, great cups for snack. The only one thing, Del Monte use carmine for their natural food color which is give the red or crimson color.

Since carmine is produced from bugs or insects, I feel I do not eat 100% fruits from these cups. Just reminder for who have allergic reaction to extract insect, it could be cause to mild hives or anaphylatic shock.

Note: “Off course we should consume fresh one. In storms areas like our state, we need to store the packages of foods and drinks.”

# Previous postings:

- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 3 – Food 9
- A Traditional Product of Louisiana – King Cake – Part 2
- Do You Know Ghost Orchids? - Part 1 – Nature 14
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 4 – Food 9

Differences between American and Italian Mozzarella Cheeses – Food 28

I know the word of “Mozzarella” comes from specific region of Italy, and the word refers to specific cheese.

Image 1- One of American Mozzarella cheeses, sold by Walmart

Hence, off course, Italian Mozzarella cheeses have unique characteristics, some of them are following:

- generally, Mozzarella made from buffalo milk.
- some regions of Italy use sheep and goat milk for Mozzarella
- high moisture
- tend to white in color
- milk is not considered pasteurized enough

Image 2- Candies, just for illustration

# Important posts:

- A Tropical Plant Called Pineapple – Food 1
- Oyster is One of Favorite Seafood in Louisiana – Food 2

Image 3- Mozzarella cheese on the shelve.

American Mozzarella cheeses have a “little bit” different compared to Italian cheese, few of them:

- mostly made from cow milk
- low moisture
- yellow in color due to cow milk
- milk MUST be pasteurized because of American regulations.

Have you tried both American and Italian Mozzarella cheeses?

If yes, what do you think?

# Previous postings:

- The Surprising Fact - Cooked Shrimps are Cheaper than Raw Ones – Part 2 - Food 8
- When should I get the Botox Cosmetic? - Part 2 – Healthy Life 16
- Outlawed - An Epic Western Novel – Part 1 - Reading 4
- What is Knockout Animals ? - Part 1- Science 8

Do You Know Cashew Milk? – Part 1 - Food 27

Have you seen the cashew tree?

Do you use any part of this plant?

Image 1- Creamy cashew milk

If you answer yes, then what part and what is the purpose?

From some sources, we know that cashew plant originates from Brazil, then spreading to the countries along the equator line and the other tropical areas that have good:

- soil
- temperature
- and the length of sunlight for this plan to grow.

Image 2- Two kids to play game, Just for illustration

The plants can reach between 26 – 50 feet (or 8 to 15 m) in height. A quite tall plant.

Image 3- The cashew milk is thicker than dairy whole milk and soy milk

Cashew (from word Caju) belongs to Anacardiaceae family, and the species Anacardium occidentale is most commercial plant.

Interestingly, people in our state, Louisiana can use any part from the cashew plants for multiple purposes.

From a cashew tree, people use almost all its properties: leaves, barks, seeds, shell of seeds.

# To be continued to part 2

## Previous postings:

- Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 2
- Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 1
- Will We Live Longer if We Think Younger? - Healthy Life 14
- Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 2

Fruits with flavored chia in cups – Part 2 – Food 25

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Fruits with flavored chia in cups – Part 1 – Food 25

Image 1- Grab some goodness from 2 - 7 oz.cups.

What are in the delicious cups?

There are combination of pieces of delicate fruits and chia seeds sold in the markets:

- Apples in raspberry cherry flavored chia
- Mangos in pineapple flavored chia
- Pears in blackberry flavored chia
- Mixed fruits in tropical flavored chia
- Peaches in strawberry dragon fruit flavored chia

Image 2- Tangerine on the branch

Image 3- White flowers, illustration only

Image 4- Fresh grape

Sure, the package has nutritional values. Whole serving in the cups provide:

- 100% daily value of vitamin C,
- 800mg of omega-3 fatty acids,
- 4-5g dietary fiber

Note: Off course we should consume fresh one. In storms areas like our state, we need to store the packages of foods and drinks.

# To be continued to Part 3

## Previous postings:

- Like Crazy, “a wild child cares for the wild woman who raised him” - Reading 2
- Do you know about E. coli Bacteria? - part 1 - Healthy Life 12
- Birds Fly Over Our Backyard – Nature 10
- Do you know about E. coli Bacteria? - part 2 - Healthy Life 12
- Why the Free Meals Program could Attract Kids to Come to Library?

Simple Homemade Coconut Oil glazed Beef Jerky – Part 2 - Food 24

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Simple Homemade Coconut Oil glazed Beef Jerky – Part 1- Food 24

Image 1- Homemade beef jerky

Then I pounded and cut the slices of beef, glazed the slices with the virgin coconut oil.

Next step, quick dehydrating. I heat them on the skillet until the side look brown then turned to another side.

Do it again and again, until both sides of beef slices look brown.

In a bigger bowl, I mixed sliced red onions, sliced jalapenos, and sliced green tomatoes, then I stirred them with virgin coconut oil.

Image 2- Tomatoes, illustration only

Image 3- Virgin coconut oil in the jar.

Afterwards, I added the sliced meat from the skillet into the bowl, mixed all together.

The final step, I took a photo (photo above, please see Imge 1) of my cooking before they're gone :)

What do you think about my quick and simple beef jerky?

I would like to say this is a special beef jerky because I like the taste of this virgin coconut oil.

# Previous postings:

- When do Pine Trees of our Neighborhood Produce Nuts? - Nature 9
- Could Positive Thinking Lead to Live Longer? - Healthy Life 6
- Family Saga and Meaning to be a Good Person – Part 2 - Reading 1
- Summer, be aware with Traveler's Diarrhea – Healthy Life 7

Sweet Tangerine at Backyard – Food 26

We have grown two Tangerine trees in our backyard. Luckily one grow well, and provides us with fresh fruit every year.

Image 1- Tangerine fruit on the branches

Another tree died at very young age, about 3 years old when it starts to produce “little” fruit. It died due to diseases; we guessed caused by fungi diseases several years ago.

Many of our neighbors have Tangerine, they grow the fruit either in front yards or backyards

Tangerine is seasonal fruit, start to ripe from October to early January in our neighborhood, and even in our state, Louisiana. 

Image 2- Some fruit on branches

In case of our Tangerine, we may pick the fruit about this time or second week of October.

Image 3- A fruit, ready to be picked.

Then, the fruit starts to fall down one by one in late November or early December when temperature dropping.

Image 4- Raccoon is one of critters consumes our fruit

Fruit may not reach January of next year. We are lucky enough if we found one or two fruit on branches in the cold month.

Unfortunately, we have at least two critters as competitors to consume our fruit, they are:

- raccoon
- and squirrels

Finally, have you tasted Tangerine?

# Previous postings:

- Wild Animals and Birds in my Backyard – Nature 8a
- Flash Flood at my Neighborhood - Nature 8b
- First Important Step to Know Mental Illness - Healthy Life 5
- Family Saga and Meaning to be a Good Person – Part 1 - Reading 1

Fruits with flavored chia in cups – Part 1 – Food 25

Del Monte and Dole are very familiar brands for either fresh or packaged fruits or vegetables.

Image 1 - Fruits and chia seeds in easy-to-carry cups

For tidbits fruits on the go, I prefer Dole. The most I like is tidbit tropical fruits in small plastic cups.

What I do?

I empty the cup into the glass and add some ice. This is my way keep hydrate in the cool weather

When I picked what I need to fill the Food Bank, I also bought fruits, either in the cans or in the cups.

Image 2- Grape, just for illustration

I saw the bigger package of chunk fruits in the dark black packages with contrast color of fruits.

Image 3- Two cups of fruit and Chia

There is a series of Del Monte Fruits and Chia. The size available is 2 - 7 oz.cups.

The price depends on cup sizes and number of cups in the wraps or in the boxes (big number of cups):

+ US$ 2.78 for two cups of 7 OZ size.
+ Sure, we will have a good deal if we buy 1 box with more than 24 cups.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- Can Scientists Create Glowing Plants? - Science 4
- White Azaleas in the City Garden – Nature 5
- The Amphibians Near Extinct due to Fungus Disease – Science 5
- What is Coronasomnia? - Healthy Life 2

Note: We consume packages or can foods during emergency times such as during storm, hurricane seasons

Simple Homemade Coconut Oil glazed Beef Jerky – Part 1- Food 24

Fresh meat and chicken are out, there are none either in my fridge or in stores. Since the Louisiana Health Emergency Proclamation, life was unpleasant.

Image 1- Thin cut of beef from Walmart

Groceries are almost empty everywhere in the city. Luckily, we have source of proteins as our stocks:

- fish cans
- packed tuna
- tofu
- frozen poultry
- frozen meat
- frozen salmon and tilapia.

Image 2- Street in the morning, just for illustration

Image 3- Half cut peppers

I chose meat (beef) than other proteins from our stocks. It is my last meat package, thin cut of beef.

I was so starving, and I could not wait for thawing and marinating. I did a quick and simple way in cooking.

I am thinking you can guess what I had done. Yes, you are right that I put the frozen beef into the pan.

By adding small amount of water, salt, coriander, chopped garlic and ginger, brought them to a boil.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- 8 Eggs of Bluebird for Incubation – Nature 33
- The Proper Times to Take Pills – Part 2 – Healthy Life 22
- Stretching to Prevent Leg Cramps - Healthy Life 23
- Do You Like Boba Bubble in Your Drink? - Part 1 – Food 20

Asparagus Contains High Dietary Fiber – Food 23

We love to consume green vegetable frequently, one of them is Asparagus with scientific name Asparagus officinalis.

Image 1- A bunch of Asparagus

We always get this plant from nearby grocery with reasonable price.

As you might know that there are at least 3 forms (types or kinds) of fibers in the nature:

- prebiotic fiber
- insoluble fiber
- and soluble fiber

Many people call dietary fiber instead of prebiotic fiber which important for people health and well-being, especially in respect to intestine health.

Image 2- Cutting of Asparagus, ready to cook

Our gut has “bad” and “good” bacteria, then, the good bacteria “need” dietary fiber as their source of “food.”

Image 3- Adding Asparagus to meal

The good bacteria will make our digestive system healthier by producing nutrient to feed colon cells.

Nutrient contains some crucial fatty acids, especially short chain ones. They are (just for example):

- acetate
- propionate
- and butyrate.

Sure, there are many other health benefit to consume Asparagus. We will talk later on (in other posts).

# Previous postings:

- Size of Bluebirds Birdhouse at the Backyard – Nature 31
- Is It Safe to Consume Foods after Expiration Date? - Part 2 – Food 16
- Hydrangea Flowers Blooming in the Summer – Nature 32
- The Proper Times to Take Pills – Part 1 – Healthy Life 22

A Simple Steamed Layer Cake – Food 22

This cake is popular in many Southeast Asian countries, they call its as a “kue lapis,” usually consumed as a snack.

Image 1- Steamed Layer Cake

The countries that you may find this snack as a traditional dish are following:

- Singapore
- Vietnam
- Indonesia
- and Malaysia

We may be lucky to see its at here in America sold in ethnic groceries such as Vietnam shops or Asian market.

Image 2- Ten layers of cake

Since the “Steamed Layer Cake” is not always available in groceries, we try to make its by ourselves.

Sure, we may adjust sweetness, colors and thicness of layers based on what we desire.

Image 3- Ready to consume

We collect the following important ingredients:

- rice flour
- tapioca flour
- coconut milk
- granulated sugar
- and other ingredients

Then, we just follow instruction from internet. After a while done. The result could be seen at Images 1, 2 and 3.

Have you tasted “Steamed Layer Cake”? What do you think?

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