Talin’s Delicious Salad Dressing – Say Goodbye to Creamy!

Hello everyone,

I have started to eat really healthy for the past month and I am experimenting a lot in the kitchen about alternative and healthy ways to eat your food. Now some salads even though they are loaded with Veggies, can sometimes have many calories because of the dressing you put onto your salad. It plays a big part in promoting healthy eating. So, I came up with my very own dressing which is loaded with flavour, No calories and it kicks your salad up a few notches. Not just a notch. Just like Chef Emiral Lagasse would say.  Now it depends on how much Salad you are making, so eyeball how much of the ingredients below as to the quantity. Like say you have more than 5 people to feed or as desired or as you go, but here are my measurements.

Now without further due, here is my flavorful dressing.

Ingredients you will need to mix in separate bowl before adding to your garden salad:

Dry Ingredients:

1 tsp — Ground sumach Sumac (like a purplish/reddish powder)

1 tsp — of Salt

1 tsp — Black Pepper or Cracked Black Pepper.

1 tbsp — Ground Dried Mint

1 tsp — Ground and Chopped Parsley Flakes (You can find it in your spice aisle at the grocery store)

Pinch — of Cinnamon with the tip of your fingers.  Not too much!

half tsp — of Ground Ginger

Liquid Ingredients:

2 — Fresh Lemons — Make sure the skin is bright yellow as we will use some to zest about 1 tbsp worth of zest, maybe just a bit more than cut it in half and squeeze both Lemons well. Make sure you roll it a few times on your counter or cutting board to activate the juices inside and it will be easier to squeeze out with your Lemon squeeze.

3 tbsp — Olive Oil

3 tbsp — of Pure White Vinegar

1 Lime — Squeezed both sides and cut in half — Follow the same concept as Lemon but without Zesting it.

—– **NOTE** You can play around with the quantity and depending how small or big your salad is, make it according to the number amount of servings.

To Prepare:

Mix all the Liquid ingredients first, then as you go, add each dry ingredient separately into the mix and keep mixing it with your tbsp and then let your salad dressing sit for about 10 to 15 minutes until the dry ingredients have settled with Liquid ingredients because you want to let them incorporate with each other. Do not add it into the salad until after you let it sit. meanwhile you wait for the dressing to settle, set the table, do the dishes you took out to make your lunch or dinner so less washing of dishes later and you can get things done quicker after, then by the time you do all that, it will settle in, then you mix it well into the salad, and there you have it. Talin’s Salad Dressing. .

 

Bon apetit!

Sushi Lovers — This is For You

In the many years I have heard about sushi, the maki rolls and Japanese style cuisine, I told myself that I will never try sushi ever in my life and I will stay away from it because I am thinking about all the raw fish and everything and how I do not like things raw, but then this summer my great friend and sister said Hey Talin, let’s go to an all you can eat Sushi place, and so I decided, you know what? Why not, so I went and I had the Sushi and I fell in love with it. Now I am so addicted to all that, the Miso Soup, The California, Avocado Rolls, Dragon Rolls, Volcano, there are so many names for them. I tried the Salmon, Tempura, noodles, seaweed green salad, and so much more. I always said that I won’t try it, but now I can’t get enough of sushi. Its healthy and good for you and its so tasty and when you put it in the soya sauce, its extra tasty.  I have become a sushi expert now. Been to that restaurant like 5 or 6 times since summertime. Once you get hooked, you will want to go all the time.

My first Sushi experience, my great friend showed me the ins and outs on what to order, the best things on the menu and choosing and selecting different types of sushi’s and rolls for me to try. The first time i went I went with the simple ones, then. They bring you tea when you get into the restaurant, they put soya sauce and this green very spicy hot dip where you mix it with your soya sauce to make it have a kick to it, they bring you a little bit of a salmon too. The second time when we went to sushi, I had the more advanced type of sushi and I loved it all. It was so yummy and it depends on how they are made. You can’t eat sushi everywhere.

I always like to try new things and I am very happy and excited that my great friend introduced me to it. I want to try to make sushi myself so that when I entertain at home, we can have a sushi night all prepared by me. I might take a course or learn to do it from online. Maybe I can become a sushi chef later on in future, but now I will just stick to the all you can eat Sushi place I go to. When we went to all you can eat, you could eat as much dessert you want like mango or mousse cake, green tea ice cream or different varieties of them, and as well as you have a selection of soft drinks to choose from as well. There was just a place mat style menu and anything on there you can eat as much as you want.

If you order too much and you leave sushi, maki rolls or something on the plate and do not eat them, depending on the place, they charge you if you leave them. They try not to waste any food.

Now, you can’t try sushi from anywhere. Do not buy the ones in the sushi boxes you see at the malls or whatever. When you go to a sushi restaurant, observe that there is no fish smells, and make sure they bring it fresh to you. Not in a box because you never know how long the ones in the box sits for. always be cautious and mindful of where you buy it.

Do you like sushi? How was your first experience? Let the sushi lovers unite. Bon Apetit!

Happy Thanksgiving! Love From Talin

As Thanksgiving weekend has arrived and as I am thankful everyday not just this one day, I’d like to say thank you God for everyone in my life and everything. Thankful for having such a great beautiful family, beautiful friends, beautiful fans, and giving me my talents, and the special gifts in my life that keep me going. I do not care about the material things in life, all I care about are the people in it. You all are my gifts that make my life blossom. You all are my colorful flowers that make my world a beautiful place. I am grateful. Happy Thanksgiving, as everyday should be. God bless everyone and I love you all very much. I do not know what I would do without you all. I wish everyone great health, happiness and all great things of life. I am so blessed.

Talin’s Special Pomegranate Vegetable Salad

Pomegranates are one of my favourite fruits to eat and pomegranates can be used in so many ways as juices, a snack, salads and so much more. Pomegranates Originated from Armenia. Even though the Apricot is Armenia’s National fruit, but Pomegranates are equivalent to that. Pomegranates have so much nutrients and health benefits. You can get them at your local grocery store or specialty grocery stores. They are lovely fruits and I like them a lot. Well, here is how you make Talin’s Pomegranate Vegetable Salad.

You will need:

– 1 Red Onion – Chopped into Salad Size…

– 1 or 2 Romaine Lettuce – the full thing —- depends on how many people will be having salad.. Wash the romaine lettuce

– 2-3 Pomegranates — take the red seeds out — first before doing so, wash the pomegranate from the outside….

– Washed 1 Green Pepper — chop into salad size pieces.

– Half of a Cucumber or a whole one — Washed and chopped  into salad size pieces.

– 1 or 2 tomato’s on a vine — washed and chopped into salad sized pieces.

– 2 or 3 Celery Sticks WASHED. Chopped into elbow macaroni like pieces but slightly bigger…..

– 2 Lemons washed skin — Squeezed  ————— Mix this with the 2 ingredients below:

– 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

– 2-3 sprinkles of SEA SALT

—- Optional — You can put Feta Cheese, A little Cracked black pepper, Black Olives…

*****Remember to wash all your ingredients very well and discard the ends.******

To Prepare:

Just incorporate all the salad ingredients into a big salad bowl, then add the pomegranate seeds on top then the Lemon Olive Oil juice, then toss and mix the salad very well until all the ingredients incorporate with each other and there you have it. A HEALTHY SALAD.

Enjoy!!!!

Talin’s Vegetable Whole Wheat Spaghetti

They say that you shouldn’t eat pasta that much and that it is bad for you, but really it isn’t. Pasta is very nutritious for you and we always hear that pasta makes us super fat, well, its not always the case. I myself love pasta and I can eat it day in and day out. I try to make one or two pasta dinners a week whatever it is such as Penne Rigate, Orzo, Tagliatelle, Bucatini, Rigatoni, Regular Spaghetti. Now there is this Barilla Commercial that shows in Ontario of this lady cooking pasta and she is not satisfied with her brand of Pasta, so this good looking guy who is her neighbor sees her cooking and knocks on her door to give her Barilla Pasta and he doesn’t stay at the door and then the guy sees her enjoy her guests and he looks on and smiles and she smiles. Its so awesome. How come it never happens to me? I should get Barilla lets see if that will do anything for me. Well, enough of that, here is my Vegatable Whole Wheat Spaghetti.

Ingredients Required

Whole Wheat Spaghetti 375 G or 450 G — It can serve about 3 to 4 people.

Oregano/Basil/Salt/

4 Garlic Cloves

3-4 table spoons of Tomato Paste – Make sure you fill up well.

2 Red Onions Diced, Green Peppers Diced, Portobello or Regular Mushrooms, Red Peppers Diced — You choose the amount you like of each ingredient.

To Start

With 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a non-stick pan or deep wok, cook the Red Onions, then after it has cooked slightly put the Oregano, Basil, and 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt, then put in the 4 cloves of garlic mashed, then you get the tomato paste and mix it around and put some water but make sure not a lot of water. after that cooks together put in your vegatables. Let it cook for about 10 minutes. As that is cooking

put about 4-5 cups or more of Water in a separate pasta cooker —let the pasta water boil with the Salt and Olive Oil. — It is important to let the water BOIL First before putting in the Whole Wheat Spaghetti.

Now when the water has boiled, put in the  Whole Wheat spaghetti. Becareful while doing so.  Let it cook for a good 10 to 11 minutes on medium high.

To finish

After Mix the Sauce you cooked with the Spaghetti and Serve instantly.

BON APETIT!

Not Everyone Will Be Your Friend, Find Ones That Will Be

Out of everything I have been through in my life, and trying to make sense of who are my true friends or not and among everything else, It is a hard thing to for some to make sense of it all. In life you will encounter so many different types of people and you will meet all sorts of people, but not everyone will be your friend. You just talk to people, not knowing their name or where they come from. It happens in spontaneous moments when your out in public, when you are traveling and people in school, work, or other places. Some people come into your life for a few minutes, you will meet and talk to someone for an hour or half an hour or whatever the case maybe, and then you part your ways. Its happened to me a lot and it is pretty cool that way too. You talk to someone and then you never see them again, but I remember once talking to someone at a coffee shop and then I saw that same person again 3 weeks later. We ended up coming in at the same time. I am a person who never forgets faces and who never forgets whom I have spoken with in person. She remembered me too. We had a few minutes conversation and that was it, and we parted our ways. We haven’t seen each other since, but maybe we will again. It is incredible how things happen in such a way where people who can relate to things end up meeting and talking, bu then never really become friends. I love spontaneity and things that just happen without planning. I feel that is one of the best ways to go.

You sort of have a gut instinct in you when the time is right and when the person is right to make friends with them. People have this feeling all the time when a person is right to ask their name and have a friendship with them. It has happened to me. I remember many times at my Armenian community center or when I am on my travels somewhere, you automatically feel, that person is appealing and you take a look in someones eyes and you see fake or real, and when you can really understand each other and relate, that is the type of friends you need. When you can relate to each other and when you can be there for each other in good times and in the bad, when you can have many things in common, share each others feelings, confide into each other. It the best type of friendships to have. Not so much the quantity of friends, but the quality of the relationship you have with your best friend or your closest friends. Its one special thing you all have in common together that nobody else will really understand your inside jokes, your humorous personalities, your outlook on life, the common interests, and finding a solid foundation to build your trust among your friends. it is always a good idea to really analyze and to really get to know people before you really jump into friendships quickly. Give it time to become best friends, or very close friends.

The worst thing you can do to someone is replace them, and feeling replaced by others and tossed to the side. Some people find good friends for a year or 2 or 3, and then you become an old part of their life, so then they jump into new friendships and toss you like yesterdays newspaper in the recycling bin. That is how I feel sometimes and it is not a good feeling. Find someone who will be by your side to understand you and your feelings and who will stay friends with you forever and ever and not leave your side after a year to 3 years of friendship. It is a crummy thing you can do to someone and that is not a good trait. Unless that person is not who you thought you knew and if things happen that are not good, then that is okay, but when you know you have not done anything to hurt someone and when you know you haven’t ever said a mean thing to that person or people, and get shafted, it is not a good thing. People need to realize that doing this is not good.

Be faithful and loyal with friendship, that will strengthen yourself and good habits will always be remembered. Do yourself a favour and choose friends wisely who will go to the ends of the earth for you and then naturally people will help each other and everything will fall into place. Just believe and do it. All the best in everything.

Apologies For Not Blogging Much in the last couple of Months

Hey All,

I just want to apologize to my fans, followers, readers of my blog that I have not been able to write much in the last few months and have missed quite a bit of days and sometimes a couple of weeks at a time. I had gone through some scary stuff these past few months as I had stated in my previous blog, but now I am here to stay and I will be blogging and writing a lot more frequently and most probably everyday. I will be writing a lot more content and a lot of happy and fun things. I am quite excited to write again and I finally can, now that chapter of my life is over with. Onto the next page. Will write more tomorrow. Have a lovely day and night wherever you all are. 🙂

 

My Experience in Women’s Breast Health – In Younger Women

This year of 2013, I went through a terrifying ordeal a few months back, and it was about my breast health. In March of 2013 I did a self-breast test and I felt a lumpy feeling, I thought okay, women get this sort of thing when their menstrual cycle comes around, but mine came and went and the lump was still there, so in April, I had a full medical examination from my doctor and I asked him to send me to have an ultrasound done, and so I went there and then they said that I need a surgical biopsy done of my left breast, and so the results came back a few days later stating that I do have a Benign Phyllodes Tumor which is Fibroadenoma, which happens to women who are 15-35 years of age and if left untreated, it can get bigger and harder to remove, so mine was caught in time because I saved myself the hassle in the long run. I did a self-test after I showered. It was something that I was really frightened about. I could not believe that this was happening at my age and I just jumped and had to get this problem corrected and for my future. I said at 28? How can this be?

I have always read that women need to do self tests. So at the end of June, 2013, I had my day surgery to remove the Benign Phyllodes Tumor and apparently it was about 8cm’s in length, then I had my final Day surgery Last month in September, 2013 to remove just a little bit of the tissue around so that it will never come back again. I did not stay overnight in hospital. I was in and out in a few hours. They put me to sleep, checked my blood pressure and everything else before I left to go home from hospital. I asked the doctor if I am at a higher risk in future in developing breast cancer, she said no. She said benign Phyllodes tumor happens and if it is properly surgically removed, there will be no risk. I am so relieved. It was the scariest thing I had ever gone through in my life. I automatically thought that I had the malignant kind and I lost weeks of sleep due to being so worried about the lump I found, but I thought too much and the results came back in my favour and it was a huge blessing. I felt at ease and I can sleep better at nights knowing that this is all over and I had my surgeries and I can go on with my life. in about a couple of weeks I will be visiting my doctor to discuss about my surgery and what happened.

I never really told a lot of my family members or friends about my situation, but I decided to write about it and share with everyone because this is something that cannot be kept secret, because I can be saving someone elses life and I can be preventing a serious health issue to others and give them this advice to go get assessed from your medical professional. Taking preventative measures is crucial.

Spreading and raising awareness on breast health is imperative and It is so important to get checked out, no matter how old you are. It does not matter if you are young or old. Things happen at all ages. It can save your life. Early detection can save you big time. Monthly do a self test, look at your breasts in the mirror before or after you take your shower, if you feel like the shape, colour, and the feeling of your breast is not right, have it checked out right away, if you feel extra sensitive after your periods and warmth or prickling like an orange peal, or nipple discharge or unusual pain again have it checked out. It could be other health problems too that need to be addressed and dealt with accordingly not necessarily in relative to your breasts. It can develop in 1 or both of your breasts and either left or right.

Health is the most important thing above anything else. without it, we have nothing. Health is wealth.

Be aware always because I care about everyone and their best interest. I wish you all the best . My thoughts and prayers to women who are going through the tough one right now.