Hot chocolate is able to improve memory , say scientists .

This drink is said to be the first that can improve cognitive decline in the elderly , and it is largely consumed in the UK .

Components called flavanol found in this drink and reportedly significantly improve memory .

Now experts are working with a British company to process a particular type of cocoa , which does not reduce the flavanol composition , to create a drink that has 15 times the amount of flavanol .

Scientists say this drink , the super -packed with cocoa , can strengthen memory and do as a 30 -year-old .

Coconut Dates

Ingredients


  • 8 dates, pitted
  • 8 tablespoons puffed-wheat cereal
  • 2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Preparation


  1. Place dates in a large bowl. Mash with fingers until dates form a ball.
  2. Add cereal; knead into dates.
  3. Form into 8 balls; roll each in coconut to coat.
By MyRecipes



Ingredients


  • 2eggs
  • 3⁄4cup milk
  • 1⁄2cup fine dry breadcrumb
  • 1⁄4cup finely chopped onion
  • 2teaspoons parsley
  • 1teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄8teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1⁄2teaspoon ground sage
  • 1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1teaspoon chili powder
  • 2teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1⁄2lbs lean ground beef
  • 1⁄4cup catsup
  • 2teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1teaspoon dry mustard or 1 teaspoon prepared mustard

Directions

Combine eggs, milk, and Worcestershire.
Stir in crumbs, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, sage, chili powder, and garlic powder.
Add beef and mix well using wet hands; place in a 8x4x2 inch loaf pan.
Bake in a 350F oven for 1 1/4 hours; drain off any excess fat.
Mix together catchup, brown sugar, and mustard; spread over meat and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bites

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 small banana, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Preparation

1. Place chocolate chips in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag or small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate melts. Dip banana pieces in chocolate.



You would do anything just to get to buy a chocolate!

And now do not panic , because science has favored this habit .

Here you can find the reason why being chocolates-eater , is not something to be worried.

968 people aged 23 to 98 years , are part of a study to discover the health benefits of eating chocolate .

Meanwhile, according to the study , said that people who eat chocolate more frequently had better memory to develop visual skills to learn the most impressive things from memory , abstract thinking and better powers of concentration,
Among others , scientists say that if eating chocolate , you help slow the aging of the brain and prevents the emergence of diseases such as those of madness .
Substances in chocolate are those which have beneficial effects on our mental activity .
These scientific facts proved also to dark chocolate and to what small amount of milk such as the white chocolate .
Irina Shayk Running Workout

Irina Shayk Workout Routine

The ‘Feel Good’ Factor
The super model prefers not to be skinny. She spends time in the gym because it makes her feel good and gives a well toned figure.
Discipline
She believes that while one can inherit good body but it is very much important to take care of it. She is as tough as steel, she says, and is not weary of pushing herself working out five times a week. According to her, laziness should be avoided to keep that taut shape.
Striking the Right Balance
Irina stands for the principle that our workout pattern should match our diet. She believes in eating what she likes and sweating out in the gym. This saves her from sudden food cravings.

No to Muscle Building Exercises
Shayk avoids exercises, which make the body muscular. She avoids heavy workouts like exercising with weights above 5 pounds, kettle ball, lunges and jumps.

Daily Exercises
Irina jogs for 15 minutes in the beginning. This warms her up for exercising.
This is followed by cardio sessions for more than one hour with interval of thirty minutes.


Irina Shayk Diet Plan
  • Irina consumes plenty of water to keep her skin and hair in great condition. She has to spend long hours, shooting on the sea beaches. Adequate water intake prevents her skin from drying up.
  • Irina does not believe in dieting. Occasionally she likes to pamper herself with ice creams and cakes. She also likes to take a day off, lying on the bed, watching T.V. and enjoying Pizza. Eating restaurant food is although, a ‘no’ for her. When at home, she visits the local Russian market to get some stuff for cooking. Her favorite meal is pelmeni (dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough). She ensures that she never overeats. Eating healthy is the key according to her.
  • On other days she consumes whole fruits and vegetables. Breads high in fiber, skimmed milk, tofu, clear soups form her general diet.
  • She also takes citrus juices, which she says are a great source of vitamin C and help her maintain beautiful skin.
Easy Summer Pasta Salad Recipe on twopeasandtheirpod.com The perfect salad for all of your summer BBQ's and potlucks! #salad


Ingredients:


  • 1 pound dry pasta (we used farfalle)
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
  • 1 small orange bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
  • 1 large seedless cucumber, chopped
  • 1 (12 oz) jar artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup store bought balsamic dressing (use your favorite brand)
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped basil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then rinse with cold water to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine pasta, peppers, cucumber, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes. Pour the balsamic dressing over the pasta salad and gently stir to combine. Add the feta cheese and basil and stir again. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to serve.


Patients with heart disease are no more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack if they eat a diet of fatty and sugary foods, research suggests.
But if they eat a Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables and olive oil, they can significantly reduce their chance of life-threatening complications.
Doctors have long urged the public to eat healthily to reduce their chances of long-term heart problems.
Evidence over many years has shown that eating too much heavily processed, sweet and deep-fried food significantly increases the risk of developing heart disease.
But the new study, which involved 15,000 participants from 39 countries, set out to establish the impact that diet has on those who already have heart disease.
The team, led by scientists in New Zealand, found that a Mediterranean diet significantly reduced the risk of suffering a major cardiovascular emergency.

They found that for every 100 patients eating this diet – which typically includes oily fish, fruit, vegetables and other unprocessed foods – there were three fewer heart attacks, strokes or deaths over the four-year study period.
A ‘Western diet’ – including refined carbohydrates, sweets and fried foods – was linked to more heart attacks than a Mediterranean diet.
But it did not increase the risk of heart emergencies when compared to the average diet of all the patients, the study said.
The team gave every participant a ‘Mediterranean diet score’ or ‘Western diet score’, depending on the kind of foods they ate.

Study leader Professor Ralph Stewart, of the University of Auckland, said: ‘After adjusting for other factors that might affect the results, we found that every one unit increase in the Mediterranean diet score was associated with a 7 per cent reduction in the risk of heart attacks, strokes or death from cardiovascular or other causes in patients with existing heart disease.

‘In contrast, greater consumption of foods thought be less healthy and more typical of Western diets was not associated with an increase in these adverse events, which we had not expected.’

His team, whose work is published in the European Heart Journal, said the findings applied no matter which country the participants were from. However, they warned the findings did not mean that the public could eat unhealthy foods with impunity.

‘The main message is that some foods – and particularly fruit and vegetables – seem to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and this benefit is not explained by traditional risk factors such as good and bad cholesterol or blood pressure,’ Professor Stewart said.

‘If you eat more of these foods in preference to others, you may lower your risk.’

He added: ‘The study found no evidence of harm from modest consumption of foods such as refined carbohydrates, deep fried foods, sugars and desserts.
However, because the assessments were relatively crude, some harm cannot be excluded.
‘Also, the study did not assess the total intake of calories, which is a major determinant of obesity-related health problems.’
British cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra said the study added to evidence that a Mediterranean diet can be even more beneficial to heart disease patients than drugs.

But Dr Nita Forouhi, of the University of Cambridge, said the conclusions were ‘premature’ – particularly as only about 2 per cent of the study’s participants reported daily consumption of deep-fried foods.

By dailymail


INGREDIENTS:


  • 1 pound dry pasta (I used farfalle)
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic glaze (I used DeLallo, but see instructions below for a homemade alternative)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the pasta from cooking.

Toss the pasta with the strawberries, mozzarella and basil. Pour half of the pasta into a serving bowl, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Then pour the remaining half of the pasta on top, and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with extra basil if desired. Also, if the pasta seems to dry, you can toss it with a tablespoon of olive oil.

*To make balsamic glaze homemade, whisk together 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Give it a taste. If you think it needs sweetening, stir in a few teaspoons of sugar or honey.

'Mangomisu'



Ingredients


  • 500g mascarpone cheese
  • 600ml thickened cream
  • 1/3 cup (50g) icing sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) Grand Marnier
  • Juice of 2 oranges
  • 300g savoiardi (see note) (sponge finger biscuits)
  • 3 mangoes, flesh sliced 1cm thick

Raspberry sauce
  • 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
  • 250g fresh or frozen raspberries
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Line the base of a 22cm springform cake pan with plastic wrap or baking paper. Place the mascarpone, thickened cream, icing sugar, egg yolks and vanilla seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed until thick and well combined.

Combine the Grand Marnier and orange juice in a separate bowl. Dip half the sponge fingers into the juice mixture and layer in the base of the cake pan. Spread with one-third of the mascarpone mixture, and top with one-third of the mango slices. Repeat the process, then top with the remaining mascarpone mixture, reserving the remaining mango slices to serve. Cover the cake and chill for 2 hours or until firm.

Meanwhile for the raspberry sauce, place the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small pan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool slightly, then add the berries and lemon juice. Whiz in a food processor until smooth, then pass through a sieve. Chill until ready to serve. (You can store the sauce, covered, in the fridge for 3-4 days).

To serve, carefully remove the sides and base of the cake pan and transfer the mangomisu to a platter. Decorate with curls of the reserved mango, then slice and serve with berry sauce.

Banoffee pies



Ingredients


  • 250g pkt Arnott's Granita biscuits
  • 125g unsalted butter, melted
  • 380g can caramel Top 'N' Fill
  • 2-3 bananas
  • 300ml thickened cream, whipped
  • Grated dark chocolate, to garnish

Directions

Lightly grease eight 10cm loose-bottomed tart pans. Place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse to make crumbs. Pulse in the melted butter until well combined, then press the mixture into the base and sides of the tart pans. Pour the caramel over the base, then chill until needed. Just before serving, slice the bananas and lay over the top of the caramel. Top with whipped cream, then garnish with grated chocolate.

Sticky date pudding



Ingredients

  • 200g pitted dried dates, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 60g butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups self-raising flour
Butterscotch sauce
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup pure cream
  • 100g butter, chopped

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 18cm (base) round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.

Place dates and bicarbonate of soda in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stand for 20 minutes or until tender.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a large metal spoon, stir in date mixture and flour. Stir to combine.

Spoon mixture into cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make butterscotch sauce: Combine sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until boiling. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour warm sauce over warm cake. Serve.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions


In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.
By allrecipes

You feel that you have added a few pounds in the belly , but still can not go to the gym or start jogging ?
Do not discourage , because there are some solutions to help you . If you want a meal that helps in the process of losing kilos , we suggest you try this drink with banana and almond milk . It is easy to prepare and delicious .

Ingredients

  • 500 ml almond milk
  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 2 large tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 2 large tablespoons of yogurt ( yogurt or natural )
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

Put all these products in the mixer .  Measure that will be created throw in a glass and enjoy !

Chocolate brownies



Ingredients

  • 200g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
  • 250g unsalted butter
  • optional: 150g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
  • 80g cocoa powder
  • 65g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 350g caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic

Directions

To make your brownies:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4
Line a 20 x 30cm rectangular baking tin with greaseproof paper
Smash up the chocolate into small pieces
In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth
Add the nuts, if you're using them, and stir together
In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar

Add this to the chocolate and nut mixture
Stir together well
Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency

Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes
You don't want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don't want a skewer to come out all clean
The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle

Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares
These make a fantastic dessert served with a dollop of crème fraîche mixed with some orange zest

© Jamie Oliver