FitSugar

My 2011 Gardening Journey Has Begun!

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:52:48 PST

Here's a post from OnSugar blog A Beginner's Journey . . . Gardening:

Last year, I planted my very first vegetable garden too late in the season and was partially impressed. I planted carrots, peas, string beans, okra, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and herbs.

What did manage to grow was quite impressive. However, I was afraid to eat it because I wasn't sure if it was safe (me = beginner). I have since learned that I live in Zone 5 and that I planted an "organic garden." I'd love to do it again so I'm on top of it early this year.

I've already found an awesome website. I'll be sure to share any future good ideas, advice, sources, etc. that I collect along my journey. Thanks for stopping by!

Want to see more? Start following A Beginner's Journey . . . Gardening or start your own OnSugar blog. Maybe your posts will be featured on CasaSugar too!

Let's Dish: What Was The First Meal You Ever Made?

partysugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:01:58 PDT

There comes a day in most people's lives when they decide to start cooking or baking. Some people pick up a cookbook or experiment with a technique they watched on the Food Network. Others, like myself, call a parent. I asked my father, "Dad, how do you make pasta carbonara?" I distinctly recall that day when I first cooked a real meal all by myself. The experience was so rewarding that I've been hooked ever since! I'm sure I'm not the only one who remembers their initial successes in the kitchen, so do tell: what was your first dish?

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Fish Tacos Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:00:01 PDT

With their crisp, crunchy skin and flaky, hot flesh, fish tacos are sublimely delicious. I always order fish tacos out but rarely make them in. To encourage both you and I to experiment with fish tacos at home, I've found two recipes.

One is quite simple and the other is quite complicated. Because deep frying fish fillets is not for everyone, the first recipe uses premade crunchy fish tenders. Feel free to take components of each recipe to make your own appetizing variation. For both recipes,

Beginner Fish Tacos
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

1 10.6-ounce package Gorton's Extra Crunchy Fish Tenders 3 8-inch flour tortillas 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 10-ounce jar tartar sauce 1 1/2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce

Directions

Bake the fish according to the package directions.
Wrap the stack of tortillas in foil and place in the oven during the last 5 minutes of baking.
To assemble the tacos, place the warm tortillas on serving plates, put 2 tenders on each tortilla, and cover with a few slices of the onion. Add a dollop of the tartar sauce and top with 1/4 cup of the lettuce. Fold over and serve.

Serves 6. NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 469(63% from fat); FAT 33g (sat 2g); PROTEIN 7mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 57mg; SODIUM 812mg; FIBER 1g; CARBOHYDRATE 32g; IRON 2mg

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Expert Fish Tacos
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

Pickled Red Onion and Jalapeños 1 red onion (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise 5 whole small jalapeños 2 cups seasoned rice vinegar 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt Baja Cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lime peel pinch of salt Tomatillo Salsa Verde 12 oz tomatillos,* husked, stemmed, divided 4 green onions, white and green parts separated 1 jalapeño chile 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 1/4 cups (packed) fresh cilantro leaves 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice Fish 2 cups buttermilk 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce 3 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 pounds skinless halibut, sea bass, or striped bass fillets, cut into 1/2x1/2-inch strips 16 corn tortillas 2 cups self-rising flour Vegetable oil (for frying) Fresh Salsa Guacamole

Directions

For pickled red onion and jalapeños: place onion and jalapeños in heatproof medium bowl. Mix vinegar, lime juice, and salt in small saucepan. Bring just to boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Pour over onion and jalapeños. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
For baja cream: whisk all ingredients in small bowl. Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
For tomatillo salsa verde: preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil roasting pan.
Char half of tomatillos, white parts of green onions, and jalapeño directly over gas flame or in broiler. Transfer charred vegetables to prepared roasting pan. Add remaining tomatillos and garlic cloves to pan. Roast until all vegetables are soft, about 12 minutes. Cool.
Steam and seed jalapeño. Place all roasted vegetables, green onion tops, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon lime juice in blender. Puree until smooth, stopping to push vegetables down into blades several times. Transfer to medium bowl. Season with salt and more lime juice, if desired.
For fish: mix buttermilk, cilantro, pepper sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and lime juice in large bowl. Add fish; toss. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Wrap tortillas in foil; place in oven to warm.
Whisk flour and remaining 2 teaspoons salt in medium bowl. Add enough oil to large skillet to reach depth of 1 inch. Heat oil until thermometer registers 350°F.
Working in batches, remove fish from marinade and dredge in flour. Carefully add fish to skillet, cover partially, and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain, then transfer to oven to keep warm.
Set up buffet with all taco fixings, along with fresh salsa and guacamole.

Serve 6-8.

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New Runners Be Careful

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:45:00 PST

If you're not normally a runner but have decided to take it up once the weather turns, congrats, just be sure to be careful.

This is because new runners are more likely to ignore foot and ankle pain and are at higher risk of injury since beginners or average runners take nearly twice as long to finish the same distance and also tend to weigh more than experienced runners, leading to more stress on feet and ankles.

This is not meant to discourage new runners but to serve as a friendly reminder: If you're thinking about taking up running this Spring, wonderful, just be sure to listen to your body and pay attention to any aches and pains. You may need to start with shorter runs, give your body a rest, and/or see a doctor so you can avoid injury and keep with it in the long run, pun intended.

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Backpacking: The Essentials

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:15:00 PDT

If you love to camp, you'll love backpacking. Basically instead of packing all your stuff in your car and driving to your campsite, and enjoying nature with people all around you, you pack all your gear into a backpack and hike to a remote and way more private location. No neighboring campers playing acoustic versions of their favorite Metallica tunes until the wee hours of the morning.

I would start off slowly and just do an overnight trip. There is a lot less food and water to pack if you are only going for an overnight. I tell you though, chances are high you are going to love it and start planning longer and longer trips. Serious backpackers go for weeks at a time.

Before heading out, it's a good idea to get a book on the basics of backpacking like Backpacking: One Step at a Time ($18.05). It'll give you life-saving tips on how to enjoy yourself in the wilderness, and how to have the least impact on the environment.

Having good gear is essential and you'll need lightweight hiking boots (sneakers are not sturdy enough when you're carrying extra weight on your back), and a good sized backpack. Since you're carrying all your stuff, you want to carry only what you NEED, and you want to get lightweight versions of everything. You'll need a lightweight tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. You'll also need enough food for your trip as well as layers of clothes - warm stuff because it can get cold at night.

Want to see what I pack? Then

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Class Act: Vinyasa, Power, Mixed. What's it All Mean?

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 03:30:00 PST

When checking out the yoga class schedule at your local gym or studio, your brain can get all twisted up trying to figure out which class to take, and you haven't even stepped on a mat yet. Allow me to explain.

Vinyasa or Flow - Usually a fast paced class, the instructor plays music and makes up the sequence, like a choreographed dance.

Beginner - This is a perfect class for someone who's just starting out. It's usually an hour or less and paced much slower.

Power - This is fast-paced, difficult, and based on Ashtanga Yoga.

Mixed - This could either mean "mixed levels," for both beginners and experts, or it could mean a mix of different postures taken from different styles of Yoga. I'd call and ask just to make sure.

Hatha - Literally means "sun moon" and is usually slower and more gentle.

How to Keep Your Run Pain-Free

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:54:30 PST

Sometimes, you start your run with the best intentions, only to be thwarted by recurring cramps and a headache that zaps all your energy. If you've experienced these nagging annoyances when you run, here are some tips for preventing pain and coping with it when it happens during your workout.

Headache: Often, a pounding headache that comes on during a run is due to inadequate water intake. Your body loses a lot of fluids while you're sweating it out on the treadmill, so before you even begin, make sure that you've had enough water throughout the day. During your run, sip water slowly, about five to 12 ounces every 20 minutes (or sip a sports drink with electrolytes if you are running for more than an hour), but don't drink so much that you feel all of it sloshing around in your stomach - that can lead to cramps or nausea.

More tips for pain-free running after the break.

The Artist Has a Big Night at the BAFTAs With Brad, George, Penelope, and More

Lauren Turner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:55:48 PST

London's Royal Opera House was buzzing with stars as the BAFTAs kicked off last night. Brad Pitt popped up on the UK red carpet after attending the Berlin Film Festival premiere of In the Land of Blood and Honey with Angelina Jolie on Saturday. He was up for best actor, as was his pal George Clooney, who mingled with Colin Firth and his wife, Livia Giuggioli, on their way into the show. Presenter Penelope Cruz got glamorous in red while nominees Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, and Meryl Streep followed suit in gorgeous gowns. Michael Fassbender was back in front of the cameras following a win at yesterday's Irish Film and Television Awards in Dublin. Other guys to suit up for the event included Jon Hamm, Jonah Hill, Gary Oldman, and Jean Dujardin. Chris Hemsworth, who is up for the rising star award, also went with black-tie and posed alongside his pregnant wife, Elsa Pataky. What did you think of all the BAFTA red-carpet looks?

Brad, who wore a coat by Dolce & Gabbana over his tuxedo, didn't end up taking home BAFTA gold, since The Artist's Jean Dujardin was declared best actor. Meryl Streep added to her trophy collection with a best actress accolade for The Iron Lady. Octavia Spencer from The Help won best supporting actress, and the corresponding male honor went to Christopher Plummer for Beginners. The Artist also won best picture and best director. Whether they won or lost, many celebs were in a happy mood following the show. Meryl, Octavia, Chris, Elsa, and more went to the official afterparty, and the Weinstein Company hosted another of their famous bashes.

Tone Your Middle With the Kettlebell Windmill

Susi May — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:27:14 PST

Swinging kettlebells around at the gym makes me feel like a super toughie. But I do love the sassy feeling I get doing slow and controlled windmills, a move I just learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren. Like most kettlebell moves, this is a full-body exercise, but the work is at your waist, toning the obliques and stretching the sides of the torso. The shoulders and arms are worked nicely, too.

If you're a beginner, try this exercise with no weights. Once you feel familiar with the sequence, add one five-pound dumbbell into the mix, holding the weight in the hand that remains held above the head. When you're ready, progress to using a set of four-kilogram (8.8 pounds) kettlebells.

Start toning your love handles now; bikini season is right around the corner.

Say "I Love You" With Nutella Pound Cake

Lauren Hendrickson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:20:43 PST

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make sweet treats for the ones we love, and since my love is a chocoholic, I get to try out a couple of new chocolate recipes every February. This month: a decadent Nutella pound cake that will make your sweetheart swoon.

Traditionally a pound cake is exactly that: one pound each of the essential ingredients - flour, sugar, eggs, and of course, butter. The cake is pretty easy to make even for a beginner baker, and the key is to never overmix the pound cake batter. You can either layer the Nutella and cake batter to create a swirled, marbled effect or fold the chocolate hazelnut spread into the cake batter entirely.

This is a dense cake, so use the toothpick trick to see if it is baked completely. Resist the urge to cut into the cake right away and be sure to let it cool for at least 20 minutes, otherwise the cake might start break apart as it cools. To serve, sprinkle with cocoa powder and pour a tall glass of cold milk. If you have a chocoholic or Nutella fiend in your life, keep reading for the recipe.