May 2017 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Recently, I was invited by a colleague to attend a luncheon at the Hard Rock Cafe located right in the middle of Times Square.

After doing some research I found out that Hard Rock Cafe International is a chain of theme restaurants which was created by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London in 1979.  In 2007, New York’s Hard Rock Cafe opened keeping in tradition with its rock and roll memorabilia and the rest is history.

So here’s what was served…

Then for the main dish they served Chicken and Brown Rice Pasta with Mixed Vegetables…

And for dessert, yum, yum, they served a Tiramisu in a brown and vanilla chocolate cup with whipped cream and mixed fresh berries!

It was a very fun lunch and if you are in The Times Square area you might want to check it out!

In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational quote:

 

 



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

 

 

 


Food and Culture

May 11th is Eat What You Want Day!

OK. Please excuse this shameless self-promotion  but so yeah!!! May 11th is Eat What You Want Day!

I’m so ecstatic that this day was created because it promotes all that I believe in as a No Diet, Weight-Loss Coach.  I believe that all food is equal and that only reason that some folks label their foods “good” food and “bad” food(except of course if they have a medical condition where restriction is part of the problem’s management) is that “good” food is what one believes that they can eat and stop themselves when they decide and that “bad” food is food that one feels that they can’t stop eating when they decide but rather when the food decides.

Now everyone who struggles with a weight challenge has that challenge including myself!!!  There are simply foods for each of us that are easier to be around and then there are foods that are not easy to be around..!!!

However, the two eat and stop yourself no diet, techniques  in Sora’s Weight Loss “Management” Program let you have enough of food that you want   and  always be able to eat and stop stop yourself.

So yes, now you CAN eat what you want and STOP when you want 
and do it all without having to diet! !!!

And so that’s why May 11th  is such an important day to me!


Bite Size Fun Food News

May 13th is National Hummus Day

So what I discovered is that International Hummus Day is pretty much a new holiday.  It was started in 2012 by a young entrepreneur named Ben Lang. Ben’s goal was to create a holiday around a food that could bring together people from all around the world in particular the Middle East.

Keeping that in mind, it was interesting to learn that Hummus is a Levantine and Egyptian dip food or spread that is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans and then blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.

That with chickpeas as its main ingredient, that it has large amounts of fiber, protein, B vitamins and manganese.

Also that in 2006 Hummus was in 12 percent of American households and that by 2009 that number went up to 17 percent.  It’s been said that this has been a direct result of American’s willingness to embrace new ethnic and exotic foods.

So the next time, you see Hummus on your supermarket’s shelf and you haven’t tried it yet, you might want to!!!


So if you have any questions about how to eat what you want, stop when you want and become forever thin and healthy all without having to diet then clickHERE to learn more.

In Make Peace with Food,

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April 1st Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!
The other week, I met a friend on the Lower East Side and we decided to have dinner at a place called Mezetto which is located at the corner of East Houston and 2nd Avenue right down the block from The Sunshine Landmark Movie Theater.
So here’s what the bar area looks like…

And here’s what the inside of the restaurant while looking onto 2nd Ave looked like…

So the menu was largely Mediterranean, Spanish or Middle Eastern and everything looked so intriguing that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to try.

But yes, I absolutely love Brussel Sprouts and so I ordered the Brussel Sprouts and Figs appetizer and added a side of chicken to it.

Let me tell you that the dish was fantabulous.  The sweetness of the figs coupled with the honey and the crunchiness of the brussel sprouts, pine nuts, almonds and apples with the combination of chicken was so good!  I definitely want to have this dish again.

And then for dessert, I had what I hadn’t had “forever” which was halva.  The dessert was called Halva Parfait and yes, it was perfect!

The dessert had two types of Halva (both solid and shredded) and then to the right was the Toffee-Coffee Syrup with finely chopped pistachios.

So yes, it was a sublime culinary experience because of the mixture of textures and the combination of flavors which were just outstanding.

So if you find yourself on East Houston near The Landmark Sunshine Movie Theater then check out Mezetto, it won’t disappoint!

In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational quote:

 

 

 




Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

https://www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Flowers/Beautiful-Bouquet_1-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20classic


Food and Culture

 April 12th is National Licorice Day

So my sister really loves Licorice and when I saw that April 12th was National Licorice Day I decided to do some research on my own-to find out more about this fun confectionary treat.

What I found out was:

l. Licorice is a confection flavored with the extract from the root (who knewLol!) of the licorice plant.

2. That it’s combined with sugar or other sweetener and a binder (gelatin, gum arabic or starch) but that the big American brands use corn syrup.

3. That additional ingredients used for making licorice are beeswax for that shiny looking surface, molasses to provide the familiar black color and ammonium chloride (Ugh) and also that some brands substitute anise oil instead of using licorice root extract.

4. That these ingredients are then dissolved in water and heated to 275 degrees F and then poured into molds and then those pieces are sprayed with beeswax to make their surface look shiny. (Again, who knew…).

5.  In addition, original licorice was black and later red licorice was made with strawberry flavoring.  Today you can find licorice in a lot of different flavors including apple, blackcurrant, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, grape, mango, raspberry and watermelon.

So the next time you have a yearning for something different there’s usually a package of Twizzlers at your local candy counter and as Andrew Zimmern would say, “If it looks good, eat it!”


Bite Size Fun Food News

April 25th is National Zucchini Bread Day

So when I noticed that April 25th was National Zucchini Bread Day, I started thinking, “Hmm, have I ever eaten Zucchini Bread and why is it so special???

So in doing some research about Zucchini I find out that:

l. A zucchini has more potassium than a banana.

2. The word zucchini comes from “zucca” the Italian word for squash.

3. That the most flavorful zucchinis are not large but are small to medium sized.

4. That according to the World’s Healthiest Foods Nutrition info that the nutrients and vitamins found in zucchini can help prevent cancer and heart disease.

5.  That the flower of the zucchini plant is also edible.

So if you’d like to check out a lot !!! more types of Zucchini Bread combinations then go over to Pinterest where you’ll find 1,000 + ideas on yes—Zucchini Bread!!!


So if all this talk about Licorice and Zucchini Bread is something that you’d like to try and not gain any weight while experimenting and maybe even lose some weight at the “same” time then click HERE to find out more.

In Make Peace with Food,

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March 1st, 2017 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Here we are in March-and I wanted to share a fun experience I had last month when I found myself in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada for a Wine & Chocolate Festival.

But why talk about wine & chocolate when I can show you some photos of some of the pairings of the different wineries that I visited.  However, I do want to let you know before I share the pairings that some of the wineries were on very large estates (so beautiful) some of them were medium sized but very friendly and engaging and some were more boutique like in nature. I really like Canada and Canadians and the atmosphere in all of the wineries was very comfortable and very relaxing.

So the first pairing that I want to share with you was at Coyote’s Run Estate Winery and was a 2013 Black Paw Cabernet Sauvignon and was paired with a dark chocolate and bacon brownie. Now I enjoy going to wine tastings and so that’s why I go 🙂 but the bacon brownie—let’s not even talk about it.  It was soooo great that I asked the kitchen for the recipe.SoLOL  Seriously it was unreal and here’s a photo…

The second pairing that I want to share with you was served at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery and was a 2014 Sand & Gavel Redcoat with a Roast Chicken meatball in dark chocolate mole sauce.  Again, need I say more!

The next winery we visited was the Strewn Winery.  The Strewn Winery paired a 2011 Cabarnet Franc Icewine with 3, yes 3 samplers.  OMGoodness!!  Those samplers left to right were pulled pork with cocoa on a tortilla chip, roast rhubarb with white chocolate shaving, and let’s not forget about the Thai peanut butter ball in dark chocolate. I am definitely feeling like I’m in Chocolate Heaven…

The fourth pairing that I want to share with you was at the Konzelmann Estate Winery where they paired a 2013 Pinot Noir Reserve with a French cocoa macaron filled with Valrhona and caramel ganache.  No words…

And yes, there’s more chocolate on the way—

🙂 So the last tasting that I’m going to share with you was held at the Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery and that pairing was a 2014 Grand Reserve Red Meritage with Chocolate and fennel cheesecake…

So as you can see and imagine, it was Chocolate Heaven and along with the paired wines it was really an amazing “tasting” experience!!!

So if you want to get out of the city and enjoy wine tasting and chocolate then check out Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada and see what festivals are on their 2017 calendar today!

In Make Peace with Food,

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________
This month’s motivational quote:



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/Puzzle-of-the-Day/Wine-Cellar-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20classic



Food and Culture

March 6th is National Oreo Day!

OK. I admit it.  This month I have “chocolate on my mind”  and having recently gone to the Canadian Wine & Chocolate Festival I couldn’t believe that I found a video on You Tube as to how to make alcoholic Oreos.  Who knew.  So for those of you that like your alcohol, check this out!!


Bite Size Fun Food News

                                  March 17th is National Artichoke Day

OK. I’m over my chocolate run for the month and so I decided to explore the artichoke which has always looked like a complicated vegetable to cook.  But when I saw how healthy the artichoke was I was, “Wow, this is impressive!”

So here are some interesting facts about the artichoke.

l. Artichokes are a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C, folate and magnesium.

2. The antioxidants in artichokes are good for your liver and help promote healthy skin.

3. Artichokes are high in fiber, calcium and protein.

4. You can find artichoke hearts that are packed in vinegar, oil or marinade and canned.

5. California is known as the artichoke capital of the world.  They supply nearly 100% of North American fresh artichokes.

So next time, I see artichoke on the menu, I am definitely going to try it!!

 


So if you’re starting to think about the summer and the warmer weather that is on it’s way then click HERE to find out how you can get bathing suit ready without having to diet!

In Make Peace with Food,

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February 2017 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Some friends and I decided to celebrate the Chinese New Year(which was on January 28th-) and we decided to check out this new restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn called The Chinese Club Restaurant.  The restaurant is located at 208 Grand Street and the couple that owns this restaurant also has a Malaysian restaurant named Laut which is otherwise located at 15 E. 17th Street in the Union Square area.

The food that is served at The Chinese Club is called Hakka Cuisine and Hakka Cuisine is a combination of Indian Spices and Chinese techniques. The owner’s grandfather to whom the restaurant pays homage was a migrant worker who at the turn of the century while living in India set up The Darjeeling Chinese Club to serve as a safe haven for Chinese immigrants and expats alike.

So here are the three dishes that we ordered and shared…

The first dish that we ordered was Organic Butter and Salt and Pepper Mushrooms.

They were so scrumptious!  They tasted like fried shrimp and sooo not like mushrooms. They were simply divine!!

Then we were served Allo Chat…

Allo mean potato and Chat means street so that this an Indian street food with Chinese flavors.

Sooo good!

And the last dish that we shared to celebrate the Chinese New Year was called Wings on Fire and was coupled with spicy mayo sauce.

It was beyond description***

So if you find yourself in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, then check out The Chinese Club Restaurant.

It won’t disappoint!

In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational quote:

Honor the space between between no longer and not yet!

Nancy Levin

How are you talking to yourself and treating yourself in those “in-between” spaces???

 

 



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http://www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Valentines-Day/Moonlight-and-Romance-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20classic

 


Food and Culture

National Chocolate Lover’s Month

Well, Happy February and it’s no coincidence that it’s also Chocolate Lover’s Month.  So this month I decided to share some images with you that you could also post on your social media site of choice “to share the love.”



Bite Size Fun Food News

                                 Links to Valentine’s Day E-Cards

Ever want to send someone special an E-card for Valentine’s Day?

Well, here are 3 links to sites that have just what you need!

http://www.123greetings.com/

http://www.americangreetings.com/

http://www.crosscards.com/cards/holidays/valentines-day-2-4/


So if you want to give yourself the gift of peace with food without having to diet for this Valentine’s day then click HERE and find out how you can do that!

In Make Peace with Food,

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January 2017 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

So here’s to a very happy 2017 and I hope that you had a fun, happy and healthy holiday season!

So what better way to start off the New Year then to check out a new skin care line that I learned about which is made entirely from fresh, organic-food based ingredients and can by used by men and women alike.

I met Stephanie Peterson, the founder of Smoothie Beauty at The Healthy Guru Expo which was held at The Metropolitan Pavilion on 18th Street in New York City.

Here’s Stephanie…

Stephanie shared with me that as a little girl, her Korean grandmother always made face masks with natural ingredients and as a result of that was able to maintain her very youthful appearance.

That as a little girl, Stephanie was very inspired by her grandmother and loved to watch her grandmother make these natural face masks.

However, today Stephanie is an international model with The Wilhelmina Modeling Agency and shared with me that as part of her job that she always found herself in different climates which always had a negative effect on her skin and defeated her much desired holistic lifestyle.

So as a result of not being able to find a skin care line to balance her complexion Stephanie started to buy the natural local ingredients of the country that she was in and in that process she was able to create her own skin care line for a happier and healthier holistically centered skin.

So the name of Stephanie’s skin care line is Smoothie Beauty and it’s 100% preservative, chemical and fragrance free, ethically sourced and made from the finest natural ingredients for the maximum effectiveness.

So as Stephanie likes to say, “Just fresh food ingredients and real results.”

So check out Stephanie’s skin care line and begin using food products to celebrate your skin and to let it shine as well!

In Make Peace with Food,


This month’s motivational quote:

                                    Until you reach the end of the road,
                             there is still time to change the path that you’ve chosen.
                                                                                      Susan Gale

 

 



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:
http://www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Fruits-and-Veggies/Dry-and-Fresh-Fruit-Assortment-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20classic


Food and Culture

January 9th is National Apricot Day

I don’t know about you but I love Apricot Jam so when I saw that apricots had their own special day I said, “Yeah!!!”

What I found out is that the word apricot means “precious” in Latin. Wow!  Also, wow-who knew that apricots often ripen earlier than most summer fruits which makes them a very precious commodity each spring.

That the apricot tree first appeared in China more than 4,000 years ago and that it eventually found its way across Asia to the Mediterranean.  That it was many centuries later, that the Spanish explorers introduced the apricot to the New World and planted the trees all over the west coast.

So that today it’s the farmers in California’s San Joaquin Valley who produce 95% of all the apricots grown in the US.

So whether you like Apricot Jam, fresh apricots or dried apricots-Enjoy!!!


Bite Size Fun Food News

January 4th is National Pasta Day

Spaghetti was found in restaurants in the US around the end of the 19th century.  It’s name was Spaghetti Italienne (which is believed to have been made of noodles cooked past al dente and a mild tomato sauce flavored with easily found spices and vegetables such as cloves, bay leaves and garlic).  It was only decades later that it became commonly prepared with oregano or basil…

It’s been written that there is a debate on the origin of spaghetti however we do know that pasta has been consumed for many years.

There are records in the Jerusalem Talmud of Itrium of a kind of boiled dough which was common in Palestine from the 3rd to 5th centuries AD.

A 9th century Arab dictionary describes itriyya as string like shapes made of semolina and dried before cooking and in an 1154 writing for the Norman King of Sicily, itriyya is mentioned as being manufactured and exported from Norman Sicily.

Dried pasta became popular in the 14th and 15th centuries due to its easy type of storage and people were able to store the dried pasta in ships when exploring the New World.

A century later, pasta was around the globe during the many voyages of discovery.

So now that you have a sense of history about spaghetti here are 5 additional facts:

l. The word, spaghetti is the plural form of an Italian word spaghetto, meaning “thin string” or “twine”.

2. Pasta existed for thousands of years before anyone ever thought to put tomato sauce on in.

3. You can fry your leftover spaghetti noodles.

4. The average person in Italy eats more than 51 pounds of pasta every year.

5. According to Miss Manners (a.k.a Judith Martin), a fork is the only utensil that may be used to eat spaghetti while anyone is looking.

 


So if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to take off some weight and you don’t want to diet and feel deprived while doing it,  then click HERE to find out how to easitly do it without having to diet!

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December 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Welcome to the holiday season!  So to start the party off, I attended The Event Planner Expo which was held at The Metropolitan Pavilion located at 125 West 18th Street.

The Expo is the largest showcased event for all event planners, wedding planners and party and corporate planning professionals.  But the funniest part for me was checking out the foodLOL.

So first I saw Pera Soho and Pera Mediaterranean giving out some samples.

Their food was really the best at the event and as seen below their hors d’ouerves included Mediterranean Tartar and then Garlic Yogart.

Then I saw an exhibit table for LIQS. LIQS is a company who makes cocktail shots and custom labels them.  They came in such flavors such as Tequila Cinnamon Orange, Whisky Fireshot, Vodka Lemon Drop and Vodka Lychee Grapefruit.  I thought that the idea was unique…

Then I met the nicest gals who represented Cookie Dough Confections.  They handed out yummy one-of-a kind DOlicious sweet treats which are handmade in New York City!

Then if you want to treat yourself to some really special pasty check out Landuree. They have a store on Madison Avenue and one on West Broadway.

And then last but by no means least Ben & Jerry’s set up their own ice cream stand so that you could try your favorite flavor!

 

 

So let the holidays begin…


In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational quote:

 

Year’s end is neither an ending or a beginning but a going on…

 
With all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.
Hal Borland

 

 



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:


Food and Culture


                                               Season’s Greeting and National Bake Cookie Day

December 18th is National Cookie Day. So who doesn’t love cookiesSoLOL!!

So what I found out—was that cookies arrived in America in the 17th century.  However, the word arrived much later with the Dutch in its original form of “koekje,” meaning “little cake”.  This was soon shortened to cooky or cookie although cookies themselves date back to 7th century Persia.

But why talk about cookies when you can buy them or better yet make them…

 

 


 

So click the link below and you’ll find some really inspiring Christmas types of cookies (similar to the above posted images) + 22 more- and see which ones might be fun for you to make!


Bite Size Fun Food News

 The Christmas Card

So ever wonder what the Christmas cards of yore looked like which were either replicas of famous artists works or originals done by the actual artists.

Well, here are a few examples that are presently archived at The Smithsonian Museum.

Enjoy!

So here is a Van Gogh inspired Christmas card created by Arturo Rodriquez which was inspired by a post card that he found in the Louvre.

So here is a Christmas card that was done by abstract artist Frederick Hammersley who met Pablo Picasso, George Braque and Constantin Brancusi during the 1940’s.

Pablo Cano, a Miami based artist who creates marionettes, sent this Christmas card to Miami based art critic Helen L. Kohen in 1989.

Noche Crist, an artist who lived in Washington, D.C. sent this screen-printed image of the C & O Canal in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood to his D.C. artist colleague Prentiss Taylor in 1962.

And last but not least here is another Christmas card created by Frederick Hammersley who created this screen-printed Christmas card.


So with the new year approaching, are you ready to let some weight go and become a healthier and happier 2017 version of you?

If this your year to make that commitment then learn how to do that without having to diet and click HERE now!

In Make Peace with Food,

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November 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

.

Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

True confessions, Yes, being a very big chocolate lover 🙂 I thought, “Sora, how could you not go to The New York City, Big Chocolate Show and so I found myself there which was truly an educational experience in more ways than oneLOLLOLLOL.

The Big Chocolate Show was held at Terminal Stores which is located at 269 Eleventh Avenue between 27th and 28th Street and the show did not disappoint!!!

I got to taste many incredible chocolates and got to meet Chocolate Makers from all around the world.

So here are some of the choocolate brands that I wanted to share with you along with some other very interesting “chocolate related” products that I think that you’ll also find very interesting as well.


So the first two chocolate companies that I wanted to let you know about come from Ecquador.

The first chocolate company is called Pacari and can be found atwww.samichakra.com/organic-chocolate.

Galo Pazmino, President of the company explained why Pacari chocolate was so special.  He shared that the company only uses one type of cocoa bean which is called arriba and which is considered one of the finest cocoa beans in the world.  He then told me that the company works with small farmers and these farmers produce small batches in order to preserve the aroma of the chocolate at its highest level.  Also that all ingredients on each of the farms are both organic and biodynamic.

Then I spoke to Ana Martinez of Minka Chocolate www.minka.ec another brand of chocolate which is made in Ecquador.

Ana explained that Minka is located in Ecuador and that they grow their cocoa beans on a single farm and that the cocoa bean is infused by the aroma of the diversity of this single farm.  That’s because the single farm has 5 haciendas (where they house their cocoa beans) and that each hacienda provides a different aroma which is given off by the plant that shares its space with the cocoa bean.  So that one hacienda has a banana tree, another a prune tree, another a citrus tree and another a generic Ecuadorian tree. Again, all of these varied smells, individually housed in each hacienda are what gives their cocoa beans the most interesting smell and flavors which is really interesting to me.  So how cool is that!

So now let’s talk about another chocolate company that I found which I thought was amazing.  The company’s name is Christopher Elbow’s Chocolates www.elbowchocolates.com and Christopher told me that they can be found at Dean and Delucas for anyone living in the city!  Yeah

After tasting the yellow chocolate ones in the middle which tasted like a key lime pie unto itself and then the ones on the right being the most Amazing house made caramels with grey French sea salt—I was hooked!!!


What can I say but simply divine!

Now for some fun chocolate related items that I found:

First I found a chocolate maker, so if you can’t find the chocolate that you like then you can actually make your own.

That can be found at www.melangers.com. Check it out!

Then I found, can you believe-both Mint Chocolate and Orange Chocolate Hand Lotion from www.indichocolate.com ,

OK. So I had to buy the Mint Chocolate Body Lotion.  Are you serious…LOL, smelling chocolate without the calories-how cool is that!!!  And just to let you knowLol they also have a travel size so check them out as well!

But then OK, I must admit it, I had the most fun when I met Moran Etstein, Isaeli-born, chocolate artist whose company Drizzle, Inc can be found at www.DrizzleNYC.com.

Moran, an amazing chocolate artist, both created and developed her own line of chocolate mannequins with handmade chocolate outfits and accessories that she so apply calls “Chocolate Fashionistas.”

In addition, to hand crafting her “Chocolate Fashionistas” Moran also offers fun and educational chocolate workshops for kids and adults for a multitude of events where the attendees get to create their own chocolate works of art.  Again-How fun is that!!!

So here are some of Moran’s “Chocolate Fashionstas”…

Yeah-I already feel sooo inspired to make my own chocolate creation.

So I hope that I’ve inspired you to try new types of chocolates and to also think of how chocolate can be used not only as something to “chew” but that it can be elevated to an art form as well, as Moran does at www.DrizzleNYC.com…

So the next time The Big Chocolate Show is in town, check it out.  It was fun and I was glad that I went and you will be too.

In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational poem:

Thoughts for Thanksgiving on Gratitude…




Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

 

 

 


Food and Culture

 Yes—Thanksgiving Dinner Made in One Hour for Real!!!

OK. I kid you not.  This gal will teach you how to make a Thanksgiving Dinner in one hour. Yeah!!  I feel so inspired.  Check it out!


Bite Size Fun Food News

So with Thanksgiving coming up-I decided to do this exercise and share it with my Make Peace with Food Readers…

This exercise helped me to stay in Gratitude and I’ve included a blank copy so that you can think it through as well!

Here’s mine:

T   Time is on my side and I am grateful for each day.
H  Help is always available when I give myself permission to ask for it.
A   Asking for help is a “good” thing-It lets me grow and expand my limitations.
N   Never say Never.
K   Kites in the sky are like your ideas.  Let them go and you will find your way…
F   For family, friends, colleagues, readers of nodieting.net‘s Make Peace with Food Newsletter and converted dieters-who are part of my life now!
U   Using what Theodore Roosevelt said which is, “Do what you can-with what you have-where you are.
L    Love

Now it’s your turn.  See what you come up with…!

T    ___________________________________________________________
H   ___________________________________________________________
A   ___________________________________________________________
N   ___________________________________________________________
K   ___________________________________________________________
F   ___________________________________________________________
U  ____________________________________________________________
L  ____________________________________________________________


So if you’re thinking about your waistline with Thanksgiving, Chanukah and Christimas coming around and want to shed some pounds without having to diet and/or learn to manage yourself more comfortably at The Thanksgiving Table or your holiday parties in a more fun and easy way then click HERE and find out how to do that!

In Make Peace with Food,

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October 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

A few weekends ago, I found myself attending The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest which was about 2 hours from Manhattan by car.  It was one of those hot and humid days but being at the fair was awesome and was reward enough…

Now the fest was primarily a celebraton of all things wine.  The event’s main focus was in highlighting the wonderful wineries that are found in the Hudson Valley Region and all over the state of New York.

However, the fest also held wine seminars, showcased Craft Beer and their local breweries, showcased Hard Apple Cider, Distilled Spirits, food as represented by a lot of fun food trucks in addition to Gourmet Specialty Foods, Cooking Demonstrations, live music and let’s not forgetLOL-the shopping.

So true confessions, I don’t really drink and so for me it was more about the food and the shoppingLOL but I did wind up tasting a few smoothie types of drinks that you can put wine in but other than that combined with the extreme humidity I stuck to my trusty bottle of water 🙂

So first let’s check out the fest and the grounds…

Then I met these two adorable guys who represented Greig Farm.

Greig Farm which is located in Red Hook, New York is a Hudson Valley Farmers Market.  They also have a restaurant, you can picnic there and you can pick seasonal fruit and vegetables and pay by weight. Sounds like a relaxing day that would be fun to experience!Then I ran into Chef Vincent Tropepe, an award winning chef whose line of biscotti was awesome and who is also signing copies of his recent book, In My Whites, A Matter of Culinary Perspective. Fun to meet him.

Then Oh my goodness, I visited Ms. Vee’s Sweet Treat’s booth.

I must confess that all the mini cupcakes that were on display were so tempting that I didn’t know which one to try.  But then I was offered a mini cupcake which was made of maple butter and topped with bacon.  Let me tell you that it was Beyond Divine.  I’m really picky when it comes to baked goods but I have to tell you that Ms. Vee’s Sweet Treats is off the charts and I mean off the charts!!!The cupcake was completely divine!

I took a photo of the mini Maple Bacon cupcake just to immortalize it.LOL!

And then where did I land up but in Peanut Butter Land!  I found a Peanut Butter Company called The Peanut Principle and check out all their Amazing flavored Peanut Butters. Wow…

So if you have an opportunity to visit the Hudson Valley area I totally recommend that you do so even if it’s just to go exploring.  Their wines, food and just the scenery alone is worth the ride up there!  🙂

In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational quote:

Patience gets you everywhere on time.
Karen Salmansohn

What are three ways that you can work on patience?

l.

2.

3.



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http//www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Fruits-and-Veggies/Freshly-Picked-Apples-On-the-Farm-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20classic

 


Food and Culture

It’s Halloween Month and October 13th is National M & M Day!

M & M’s are produced by Mars, Inc and were originated in the United States in 1941.  M & M’s are now sold in as many as 200 countries and in the U.S. and more than 400 million individual M & M’s are produced every day.

So here are some additional interesting facts about M & M’s:

l.  In 1991, Peanut Butter M & M’s were put on the market.

2. In 1996, Mars introduced M & M Minis, smaller candies usually sold in plastic tubes instead of bags.

3. In 1999, Crispy M & M’s were released.  However, they were discontinued in the U.S. in 2005 and remained available in Europe and Southeast Asia.

4. In 2010, Pretzel M & M’s were released.

5. In 2013, the M & M’s chocolate bar was re-released.  It was originally released in 2004 and was named M-Azing.

6. In 2014, Mega M & M’s were re-introduced.  Before them, the “Mega M & M’s had been released in 2007 promoting the Shrek Movies, being dubbed “Ogre Sized M & M’s.”

7. In 2015, Crispy M & M’s were re-introduced in the United States and are doing well as of today!

So in the spirit of Halloween, if you could design your own type of M & M, then what would that be???


Bite Size Fun Food News

October is National Apple Month-Anyone for Bobbing for Apples???

OK. OK. Maybe we’re still not bobbing for those apples but I couldn’t help think about that at this time of year especially with Halloween two weeks away!!!

So here are some interesting facts about apples…

l. There are yup-about 2,500 varieties of apples grown in The U.S.

2. The Golden Delicious, The Red Delicious, The Fuji and The Granny Smith are available all year round.

3. Apples used in baking include The Braeburn, The Gala, The Granny Smith, The Golden Delicious, The Honeycrisp and The Honey Gold.

4. Apples used in pies include The Golden Delicious, The Braebrun, The Jonagold, The Jonathan and The Granny Smith.

5. Apples are fat, cholesterol and sodium free and a good source of fiber and Vitamin C.

So whether you like your apples fresh, in a pie, in a tart, as candied apples or as cold or hot apple cider-Enjoy!!!!!


So if you’d like not to diet and become your forever thin and healthy self, then click HERE and find out how you can do that today!

In Make Peace with Food,

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September 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

                           Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

A few weekends ago, I found myself attending The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest which was about 2 hours from Manhattan by car.  It was one of those hot and humid days but being at the fair was awesome and was reward enough…

Now the fest was primarily a celebraton of all things wine.  The event’s main focus was in highlighting the wonderful wineries that are found in the Hudson Valley Region and all over the state of New York.

However, the fest also held wine seminars, showcased Craft Beer and their local breweries, showcased Hard Apple Cider, Distilled Spirits, food as represented by a lot of fun food trucks in addition to Gourmet Specialty Foods, Cooking Demonstrations, live music and let’s not forgetLOL-the shopping.

So true confessions, I don’t really drink and so for me it was more about the food and the shoppingLOL but I did wind up tasting a few smoothie types of drinks that you can put wine in but other than that combined with the extreme humidity I stuck to my trusty bottle of water 🙂

So first let’s check out the fest and the grounds…

Then I met these two adorable guys who represented Greig Farm.

Greig Farm which is located in Red Hook, New York is a Hudson Valley Farmers Market.  They also have a restaurant, you can picnic there and you can pick seasonal fruit and vegetables and pay by weight. Sounds like a relaxing day that would be fun to experience!Then I ran into Chef Vincent Tropepe, an award winning chef whose line of biscotti was awesome and who is also signing copies of his recent book, In My Whites, A Matter of Culinary Perspective. Fun to meet him.

Then Oh my goodness, I visited Ms. Vee’s Sweet Treat’s booth.

I must confess that all the mini cupcakes that were on display were so tempting that I didn’t know which one to try.  But then I was offered a mini cupcake which was made of maple butter and topped with bacon.  Let me tell you that it was Beyond Divine.  I’m really picky when it comes to baked goods but I have to tell you that Ms. Vee’s Sweet Treats is off the charts and I mean off the charts!!!The cupcake was completely divine!

I took a photo of the mini Maple Bacon cupcake just to immortalize it.LOL!

And then where did I land up but in Peanut Butter Land!  I found a Peanut Butter Company called The Peanut Principle and check out all their Amazing flavored Peanut Butters. Wow…

So if you have an opportunity to visit the Hudson Valley area I totally recommend that you do so even if it’s just to go exploring.  Their wines, food and just the scenery alone is worth the ride up there!  🙂

In Make Peace with Food,



This month’s motivational quote:

Patience gets you everywhere on time.
Karen Salmansohn

What are three ways that you can work on patience?

l.

2.

3.



Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

http//www.thejigsawpuzzles.com/Fruits-and-Veggies/Freshly-Picked-Apples-On-the-Farm-jigsaw-puzzle?cutout=20classic

 


Food and Culture

It’s Halloween Month and October 13th is National M & M Day!

M & M’s are produced by Mars, Inc and were originated in the United States in 1941.  M & M’s are now sold in as many as 200 countries and in the U.S. and more than 400 million individual M & M’s are produced every day.

So here are some additional interesting facts about M & M’s:

l.  In 1991, Peanut Butter M & M’s were put on the market.

2. In 1996, Mars introduced M & M Minis, smaller candies usually sold in plastic tubes instead of bags.

3. In 1999, Crispy M & M’s were released.  However, they were discontinued in the U.S. in 2005 and remained available in Europe and Southeast Asia.

4. In 2010, Pretzel M & M’s were released.

5. In 2013, the M & M’s chocolate bar was re-released.  It was originally released in 2004 and was named M-Azing.

6. In 2014, Mega M & M’s were re-introduced.  Before them, the “Mega M & M’s had been released in 2007 promoting the Shrek Movies, being dubbed “Ogre Sized M & M’s.”

7. In 2015, Crispy M & M’s were re-introduced in the United States and are doing well as of today!

So in the spirit of Halloween, if you could design your own type of M & M, then what would that be???


Bite Size Fun Food News

October is National Apple Month-Anyone for Bobbing for Apples???

OK. OK. Maybe we’re still not bobbing for those apples but I couldn’t help think about that at this time of year especially with Halloween two weeks away!!!

So here are some interesting facts about apples…

l. There are yup-about 2,500 varieties of apples grown in The U.S.

2. The Golden Delicious, The Red Delicious, The Fuji and The Granny Smith are available all year round.

3. Apples used in baking include The Braeburn, The Gala, The Granny Smith, The Golden Delicious, The Honeycrisp and The Honey Gold.

4. Apples used in pies include The Golden Delicious, The Braebrun, The Jonagold, The Jonathan and The Granny Smith.

5. Apples are fat, cholesterol and sodium free and a good source of fiber and Vitamin C.

So whether you like your apples fresh, in a pie, in a tart, as candied apples or as cold or hot apple cider-Enjoy!!!!!


So if you’d like not to diet and become your forever thin and healthy self, then click HERE and find out how you can do that today!

In Make Peace with Food,

.

.

.

Share

August 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Can you believe it’s August already.  It’s like the summer is just flying by…

So now a while back—I found myself at Jacob Javits Convention Center where  attended The Fancy FoodShow.  Talk about fun and talk about food.
There were endless tastings and endless choices but when it came down to the nitty gritty I found a few great food items that I wanted to share with my Make Peace with Food Newsletter readers.

I just thought that they were awesome.

So here we go…..

So the first vendor that I wanted to share with you is The Plymouth Cheese Company.  The Plymouth Cheese Factory in Plymouth, Vermont has been producing high quality, raw milk artisan cheeses for over 125 years.  The factory was built by Calvin Coolidges’s father in 1890.  Today, Plymouth Artisan Cheese is an award-winning, handcrafted revival of the original recipe, which is in turn based on the rich and full-bodied granular curd cheeses the first English Settlers brought to the New World.

I really loved the packaging of the cheese and they tasted great!

The second oh so yum product was the fudge created by Calico Cottage which is located in Amityville, New York.

So all of the fudge looked sooooo wonderful that seriously I didn’t know which one to try.  But at the finish line came the Chewy Praline Vanilla Fudge with a praline and peanut inside and a caramel swirl on top.  Need I say more!!!

So then I found a Japanese Company called www.souton-h.com which served the most delicious jams that I have ever tasted.  Check out the uniquely flavored jams below…

Next came some more fun foods

I found a company called Barnana whose candies are both tasty and delicious and are made from upcycled bananas (upcycled bananas are bananas that are not perfect for sale and would otherwise go to waste).

They are then combined with organic coffee, organic peanut butter, organic coconut and let’s not forgetLOL organic chocolate!!!

And last but not least look at this talk about packaging…  Have you even seen such whatever labels for peanuts.  I thought that it was pretty original.

So I followed Andrew Zimmern’s advice at this Fancy Food Show!-If it looks good, eat it and was just a whole lot of fun!!

In Make Peace with Food,

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This month’s motivational quote:
 .

Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition
They somehow truly know what you truly want to become.
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Steve Jobs
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Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

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Food and Culture

A French Chocolate Fashion Show

So talking about shows I thought that I’d share with you how food is used in fashion!  In the video below you’ll find a very French fashion show using mostly chocolate and I think that it’s very Ooo-La-La.  Enjoy!

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Bite Size Fun Food News

 

And Now…A Fruit and Salad Fashion Show!

So after watching how chocolate was used to create a French fashion show, let’s see how Tim Gun and a Salad Fashion show do…

So you’ve just seen a Chocolate Fashion Show and a Salad Fashion Show-which Fashion Show if either would you like to have taken part in???  You only live once!!!

So Happy Fashion Food Dressing and have and with it!!

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So being in the last month of summer, if you’re thinking about letting some weight go click HERE and find out how to do it without having to diet!

In Make Peace with Food,

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July 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

Here we are in July and I hope that you all had a great 4th of July and did something fun.

I was really lucky and got invited to a wine and chocolate pairng experience and it was really fun.

The chocolate and wine pairing was hosted by Roxanne Browning of www.exoticchocolatetasting.com and I got to try new wines and in particular taste new artisanal chocolates that I otherwise probably wouldn’t have come in contact with in my day to day life.

So below is a listing of some of the pairings that we had.

I’m not going to post a photo of the wines because they came in glasses and most of them were red but I will post the names of the wines and because I’m a dessert first kind of gal I will post the wrapper images of each chocolate that was passed around so you can see them as well.

And if you’re interested in where to find these artisanal types of chocolates then go to Roxanne’s site, www.exoticchcolatetasting.com and click on the page where it says where to buy and if you’re interested in finding any of the wines then check out www.winfieldflynn.com.

So the first pairing was Sean Minor Chardonnay 4 Bear, Central Coast, CA and it was paired with:

The next pairing was Nino Negri-Quadrio, Lombardy, Valtellina, Itally 2011 (a red wine) and it was paired with

The next pairing was also with another red wine which was Balance Siraz, South Africa 2013.  It was paired with:

And the last pairing that I’m going to share is another red wine-Lambrusco Rose Bertolani, Italy and that was paired with:

So if you’d like to try any of the wines or if you’re intrigued by the idea of trying some of these artisanal types of chocolate then as Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods would say, “If it looks good, taste it!”

In Make Peace with Food,

 

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This month’s motivational quote:

 

A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.

Grace Murray Hoppe
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Food for thought:

What challenge(s) in your life are you not taking action on for something that you say that you want?

What are three baby steps that you can take today or this week to start moving forward and away from shore for one of your challenges???

Name your challenge:_________________________________________________________________

Baby Step #1________________________________________________________________________

Baby Step #2________________________________________________________________________

Baby Step #3________________________________________________________________________

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Food and Culture
July 13th is National French Fries Day
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Screen Shot 2016-08-03 at 9.37.01 AM

News Flash!!!  French fries may not be French at all.  Belgians have said that they invented “pomme frites.”  In fact, Bruges, Belgium, is the home to the Frietmuseum or The Fries Museum.

So what do we know about French fries in America?

Americans eat about 26 pounds of fries each year and The US is the leading supplier of fresh potatoes in the world.  Also more than 25 percent of all the potatoes grown and harvested in the United States are made into French Fries.

Now, here’s some French Fry history…

French fries were first introduced in America by Thomas Jefferson because Jefferson was a known lover of potatoes “served in the French fashion!”  So with Jeffereson’s love of fries, French fries were first served at a White House dinner in the year 1802.

Also, wow!- if you think that French fries have little nutritional value that is simply not so!

Potatoes are a good source of fiber and French fries are a source of potassium, which is well known as an important source of energy that you need to help get you through your day.

And…it’s also well known that America’s favorite fry condiment is ketchup and around the world some other top condiments include sugar and vinegar (in Great Britain), gravy and cheese (in Canada), and butter and sugar (in Vietnam).

So whether you love fries or not-it’s fun to know how they landed on our shores!

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Bite Size Fun Food News

 

Celebrate like Popeye-On National Fresh Spinach Day

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Yes, Popeye is back in National News!!

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July 16th is National Fresh Spinach Day-so if you’re feeling like joining Popeye you might want to eat some spinach to help celebrate this very special day!

Spinach, is a very unique vegetable because it’s tightly packed with a lof of nutrients.  Some of those nutrients are folate, iron, calcium and vitamins A, B6, C, E and K.

Wow!!!  Sounds pretty impressive to me…

And the good thing abut spinach is that there are countless ways to enjoy it.

You can have a raw spinach salad, you can saute it with olive oil and garlic or you can toss it into a pasta.

So however you choose to enjoy your spinach, just remember like Popeye would, “I am what I am that’s all I am!”

Happy National Fresh Spinach Day!

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So if you’d like to feel more comfortable when putting  on your bathing suit this summer and want to take off some extra weight without having to diet or deprive yourself then click HERE to find out how you can do that now!

In Make Peace with Food,

 

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June 2016 Make Peace with Food Newsletter

Personal Note from Sora

Hi!

June is bustin out all over, and the feelin’ is gettin’ so intense… one of my favorite songs from the Broadway show Carousel and that must really be showing up in my life because at the check out line in The Food Emporium I actually “bought” yes boughtSoLOL a copy of Life and Style Magazine.  I just needed some immediate escapeSoLOl from the rest of my day’s to-do list and this was it!!!!

However, I did find some interesting information in the issue which I thought that I’d share with you along with some other research that I did on the topic.

OK. So I found out!!! that the reason! that Jennifer Aniston has a healthy glow is that she credits it to actually adding collagen powder to her morning smoothie. So for all you self-care lovers-you can now get a similar blast of wrinkle-reducing protein with tasty collagen fruit chews from wellness leader www.reserveage.com

Life and Style Magazine said that having this chewy candy is “like eating a Starburst with the benefits of botox.”

Well, ok, if that’s the case I’ve definitely added it to my list of “try” it.  Like-you never know!!!!!

So after reading about this, I thought “Hmm Sora, I wonder which natural foodscan also act as anti-aging products “straight from nature” and went and did a google search.”

So this is what I found:

l. Brazil Nuts are one of the best sources of the trace mineral selenium which helps to improve skin elasticity and is also a potent antioxidant which helps reduce the risk of skin cancer and prevents premature ageing.

2. Red Grapes are rich in resveratrol, a super antioxidant with great health-promoting and anti-ageing properties which promotes health and longevity.

3. Kale is one of the best leafy greens to help combat ageing.  It’s also packed withantioxidants, and Vitamin A and C.

4. Salmon is full of Omega-3 essential fatty acids which nourish the skin and prevent dryness and premature ageing. Who knew???

and last but certainly by no means least there’s watermelon.

5. Watermelon is rich in antioxidants and also contains high levels of the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which has strong anti-ageing properties as well as being rich in vitamins A and C.

So you may want to consider adding some of the foods as part of your daily foodchoices or you may decide to try those Collagen Replenish chews.

It’s worth a shot.  Keeping yourself, your skin and your body as healthy as possible is always a great self-intention.

Self-care is always the way to go…

In Make Peace with Food,

 

 

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This month’s motivational quote:

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Life is a balance of holding on and letting go…

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Food for thought:

What are you holding on to in any area of your life-that still might be keeping you weighed down and unable to move on?

What are you holding on to in any area of your life that is working for you!!!

and

What baby steps can you now take to work on letting go what you’ve identified as holding you back???

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Your Monthly Food Puzzle:

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Food and Culture

June 13th is Cupcake Lover’s Day!!!!!

So when I saw that June 13th was Cupcake Lover’s Day-how could I resist learning more about it. So  I couldn’t!

So now let’s find out some fun facts about the cupcake:

l. The mention of a cupcake recipe goes back to 1796 when Amelia Simms wrote a recipe in “American Cookery” which mentioned “a cake to be baked in small cups.”

2. But it wasn’t until 1928 that the actual “word” cupcake as used by Eliza Leslie in her cookbook “Seventy-Five Recipes for Pastry, Cakes and Sweetmeats.

3. Cupcakes became popular because they saved time in the kitchen and were easier to bake than larger cakes.

4. Original cupcakes were not frosted.

5. Crumbs in New York City is the most popular cupcake bakery in the US.

Well—maybe you’re a donut person or maybe a cupcake person—or maybe both —–but whatever you decide to have—Enjoy!!

 

 


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Bite Size Fun Food News

June 18th is International Picnic Day

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Well, again, welcome to June, it’s warm weather, sand n’ surf and the possibility of the a picnic in the park…

When I was a little girl we didn’t go on many picnics with a blanket and a basket but we had many family gatherings at a park on Long Island and my Mom made many wonderful backyard barbecues back in Canarsie, Brooklyn.  So when I saw that it was International Picnic Day I wanted to learn more about “picnics” both here and abroad and here is what I found…

l. The most popular day for picnics in the United States is the 4th of July holiday.  In Italy, it is Easter Monday, while in France it’s on Bastille Day.

2. In 2000, a 600-mile-long picnic took place from coast to coast in France to celebrate the first Bastille Day of the new millennium.

3. One of the earliest stories about the picnic comes from tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men who would feast on bread, cheese and ale-all under the “forest” trees.

4. In the Victorian era, picnics were very elegant affairs and they included tables, linens, crystal, chairs, servants as well as gourmet food.

5. The first actual picnic table was designed in the late 1800’s.

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So if you’re thinking about the beach this summer and want to let some of that extra weight go check click HERE and find out how to do that without having to diet!!!

In Make Peace with Food,

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