What time is the super Bowl 50, this year? If you clicked here to figure out the answer the Super Bowl this year is February 7, 6:30PM ET, 2016. You can watch the game between the Panthers and Broncos on CBS.
Now that is enough said about a bunch of guys running with a ball. Let's talk about Super Bowl food. I don't want to do the same old chicken wings and since my parents are in town we will go all Italian. My cousin who ironically lives in Singapore passed me this delicious recipes
INGREDIENTS
For the dough
1 Kg of flour // 4 cups
6 eggs
1 KG of spinach // 4 cups
1 KG of other type of leaf like collards // 4 cups
Place the flour on the counter top of your kitchen and create a well in the center. Place the eggs in the center. Slowly with afford whisk the eggs and start dragging the flour in the center working it into the egg mixture. Knead by hand until smooth and roll into a ball.Wrap in plastic paper and set aside for at least 30 minutes. At room temperature and in a dry environment. Start working on your filling.
For the filling
5 eggs
200 grams of parmesan cheese // 1 cup
250 grams of ricotta cheese // 1 cup and 1/3
Salt
Majorana // teaspoon
nutmeg // teaspoon
In a large bowl place the ricotta cheese, cheese, eggs and the other ingredients and start combining together until you get a nice and smooth dense cream. Taste in salt and add more if desired. You can add spinach (1 KG) to this feeling but be aware that you need to make sure your spinach are drained of any water.
PREPARATION
Now the fun part. Work the dough into the pasta machine. If you have any electric one lucky you otherwise your arms will be sore. Make sure you pass each piece of pasta multiple times in the pasta machine until it is smooth and very very thin. It needs to be super thin to taste good.
Place the long sheet of pasta on a clean counter top. Use a ravioli mould cut the sheet into circle. We the edge with water and add about 2 teaspoons of filling for each. Cover with another circle and with the fork mark the edge to seal the two sheets together. This is why you need water so they will stick together. Alternatively, you can use egg yolk. You can use a spoon to place the filling in each sheet or you can have one of those fancy pastry bags like in the picture. You can serve them with just sage and butter or whatever you like. They are very versatile especially if you keep your filling just with cheese.
Happy New Year. It is officially 2016, which means we are going to see an increase in gym membership, fast diets and many lettuce recipes. The after Christmas panettone and stuffed turkey left us with unwanted extra weight all in the name of spending time with our loved ones. Studies say that an average person gains 5 pounds (2KG) during Christmas season. To lose the weight this person would need to burn a total of 17,500 calories extra which is approximately over 17 hours of jogging at a 10mph rate.
I have tried many diets through out the years. I was 16 when I tried my first diet which consisted of boiled carrots and potatoes with some type of grilled or broiled meat. In college my friends and I tried the infamous Master Cleanse diet, which included a juice made of cayenne pepper, maple syrup, lemon and water. You were supposed to only drink it for as many days as needed. I lasted half day, my friends were stronger than I was, but everyone was definitely pissed off and easily irritated. That is what lack of food would do to you. At some other point in my life I tried the New York diet, which said to have put Heidi Klum back in her pre-pregnancy shape and ready for a Victoria's Secret show. The diet consisted of as many boiled eggs as you want, no carbs, no grains, no this and that. If you were hungry you had to put a boiled egg in your mouth. Dinners were not bad, some of the recipes provided were actually quite normal, like meatloaf and grilled fish. I lasted 3 days after which I could not eat eggs for few months. Then there was the army diet or the Birmingham diet or also known as the 3 days cardiac fad, which was designed to help those patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The idea is to limit your intake and eat exactly what the diet tells you to (e.g. half grape fruit, half banana, and so on). The diet is said to make you lose up to 10 pounds in 3 days. This is probably the only diet I have finished. It works for a while until you have that special holiday dinner or that long week-end at your parents house. Other diets I have tried through out my life included: the minestrone diet, all you eat is minestrone; the melon diet, as you imagine you eat a lot of melon, the yogurt diet, the full moon diet and so on. All of these diets I quit within the first day or I actually cheated so gained weight. Even when I was eating healthy, following the so called fitness healthy food pyramid (increasing protein and decreasing carbs) I still was not really seeing any differences, quite the opposite my body would react by gaining weight and not muscle weight. My husband makes fun of me because overtime I would state, "Tomorrow diet," he knows I will end up having dinner with pasta, wine and chocolate. I just can't do it.
So what did I learn after this experience? I came to the conclusion that I hate diets - Duh! I knew I hated them when I would quit after one day. The idea of being restricted in what I ate made me wanted to eat more and more junk. When I followed real nutritional plans especially when working out - the idea that you need protein to build muscle - I still saw little difference. Funny enough the moments in my life where I did not give a shit about losing weight but instead relied on pasta for lunch and dinner, and chocolate chip cookies for snack I lost weight (probably muscle here that was saying goodbye). I had this discussion with my friend who is a real doctor. When we followed the same diet, based on a 1500 calories per day, she gained weight and was stuffed, I lost and was starving and proceeded to quit right away. So, in 2016 as we all have gathered some more meat on our belly my approach to dieting is quite different: 1. Go back to running and spend more time out; 2. Find recipes that look delicious and that they are actually healthy. So, probably let's ditch that lard, but not the bacon. And let's keep the wine and coffee. My suggestions for anybody trying to lose some extra pounds is to increase physical activity. I love being active and I would rather run the extra mile but keep my vino than feel miserable at night. Everyone is different of course, but listen to the way you feel and make small changes. If you are drinking 12 cokes a day, maybe try 10....
So who is hitting up the gym and doing some diets in 2016?
Ever wonder what shoes to wear with your leggings? Or what shoes to wear with leggings and a sweater or in the summer? Leggings are so far the most comfortable type of clothing items for women. You can dress them up or down and even use them to work out or go to bed. So here few ideas on what shoes to wear with your leggings.
{All content on this blog is copyright and shall not to be reproduced or republished without consent of Fashion For Real People.}
1. What can I wear with black leggings?
Pretty much anything, but to make the look stylish I like to pair them with boots, especially in the winter time. Boots elongate short legs and make them look slimmer, even better if you have boots with heels. But to keep it comfortable the best investment you can probably do is to buy a nice pair of black leather flat boots (as seen in picture). Pair your black leggings with a long t-shirt, blouse or longer jacket/blazers. Avoid short, tees or blazers unless of course you are a top model or super skinny. Given that leggings are not forgiving when it comes to show your curves and love handles getting stuck in your panties, I would pick a flowy top that contrasts but compliments hugging leggings/clothes.
2. Best Shoes to Wear with Leggings
- High Knee Boots (as shown in picture // similar here by Jeffrey Campbell)
- Ballet shoes (Porselli are the best in my opinion. Here where you can get some cute ones)
- Dr Martens or similar boots (I like the contrast that it is created between oversize shoes and skinny legs. It provides a slim effect believe it or not).
- Converse or leather sneakers (if done right, this is a youthful look and very comfortable)
3. What shoes to avoid with leggings - Pumps or any type of heels as in sandals.I have seen this look well done on skinny girls or few fashion bloggers on Pinterest, but this is a look that only few can pull off. This is what you want to avoid.
- Flip flops: while this look might be ok with young girls I would keep it only for the house.
- Uggs: same as above. Ok to wear it around the house, maybe run to the grocery, but I would avoid to pull it off as a night out outfit. You want to be comfortable but not look like you just roll out of bed, especially in your 30s. If you are young you can pull anything off - almost. This is far from cute or stylish even if celebrities wear it.
Here you have it, all you need to know about what shoes to wear with leggings, leggings in the summer and the don't do it with leggings. Make sure to heck out my other tips on how to be fashionable and still be you. I have written past posts on whether pantyhose are in and out of fashion and that one got a lot of comments!
Once in a while I do a product review. This is where I am either contacted by a company like Luminess to try and write about their product or I just find something I really like or dislike and blog about it. All sponsored blog posts are tagged in such a way but opinions are my owned. {All content on this blog is copyright and shall not to be reproduced or republished without consent of Fashion For Real People.}
This week I tried Luminess AirSupremacy Beauties, a spray foundation similar to Dior air flash spray foundation but much lower in price. The product is said to provide coverage without being heavy for up to 18 hours.
The kit came with three bottles which included two different shades of foundation and a blush. The kit also included directions and a blending brush.
I had tried spray foundation before by Revlon and hated it, so I was perplexed and intimidated by another spray foundation. I am always afraid to get the foundation in my eyes or all over my dress and it just seems unnatural. I pledged to try the product every day for 2 weeks with different applications and techniques to see the versatility of the product and whether I would actually make the habit of using it. Both pictures in this post show different use of the same product. To see how I looked before or sans make up you can refer to one of my older blog post.
Luminess Spray Foundation Application
The first application came by following the directions from the manufacture: apply the product directly on the face and blend. Alternatively, apply on the brush first and then blend. I prefer applying on the face as I could see how the product was on my skin.
The second day I used the product to contouring my face, as I am pretty loyal to my contouring makeup palette and even had a tutorial on how to apply contouring. Having two different shades was optimal. I used the lighter foundation as an highlighter and the dark to define my jaw line and nose area. I finished the application with the blush.
The third day, I only tried one color and sprayed it fast all over the face, without even looking. I was in a rush and still wanted to have some make up on. I used the brush to blend everything and I was done in 2 minutes.
By the 15 day, I was using the product so smoothly without even thinking about it. All my initial hesitation was gone. I am impressed by the product for one reason: it is easy and fast to apply. It also provides coverage but looks natural, which is something important to me. In fact I pervasively discussed on this blog how to get a natural look using make up. I am such a busy person and lazy that I hate working on make up in the morning. I just want something fast that makes me look and feel decent. Sometimes even with tons of contouring products I still look tired and you can tell the accumulation of products on my face. Add humidity to that and you get the hang over effect. With Luminess AirSpray Foundation (@LuminessAir) I never felt like that. It is very natural looking and light. It is so light that I even slept on it one time because I did not feel the need to take it off. I know it is bad but this product is awesome. I like having two shades so I can alter and adjust the color as needed. The brush is super helpful. I don't think another brush would work. The blush I did not care about. I ended up using my own highlight product, but I don't regularly use blush.
I would be curious to try this product in the summer when it is miserably hot and humid in Florida. Otherwise, this is a product I will continue using for its versatility and ease of use. And for lazy girls like me this is optimal.
If you want to buy the product here is a 15% discount. Use this code: 605578930 - Luminess Air Supremacy Foundation
The Christmas season is upon us and we are even more than usual bombarded with ads for the perfect christmas gifts. Incredible deals seem to be irresistible and even though we know from last year that the incredible turkey cooker or leaf blower really are only going to be taking up space in our closets, we just feel like we cannot resist. Fashion for Real People already gave you some strategies on how to shop smart this Holiday season and I want to extend this post by sharing with you 4 questions to ask yourself before buying the latest gadgets.
With the advancement in technology, buying the newest Apple iPhone or other little gadgets for our loved ones for christmas (or even ourselves) has now become common place.
New smart phones are hitting the market every month, smart watches are slowly satisfying the early majority diffusion of innovation curve, and other wearable technologies (the fit bit being the most adopted gadget in that area already) popped like popcorn into the market this year. CNET, a well known website on technology reviews, provides a list of "16 tech gifts that make almost anyone happy". The list includes drones, smart watches, virtual reality applications, computers, household electronics and other more or less useful items. Being a positive media psychologist, I wonder how these gadgets are supposed to make people happy. How do we know if a new technology will actually increase our well-being? Here are 4 questions you can ask to see if the new gadget you are about to buy is really making your loved one (or yourself) happy.
1. Will the technology foster lasting happiness? In positive psychology the phenomenon of the hedonic treadmill has been found to be the enemy to anything new that promises happiness. It means that over time, we simply get used to the new fun toy and thus happiness dissipates again. Remember the days where you were a child and you thought the new Iron Man Robot will make you forever happy, but after 3 days of playing with it, you got back to your coloring book because really there is only so much you can do with a plastic robot. However, a coloring book creates different challenges with every picture, providing variety in our experience, which, science shows, is important to increase happiness and counter the hedonic treadmill effect. So, when you think about buying a fancy smart watch or another wearable technology, think about if this device can provide varying experiences for you, so your happiness will not wear of with time because you simply get used to it.
2. Does the gadget satisfy an innate need? Positive psychologists have identified 3 innate universal needs (self-determination theory) that are essential for our psychological health and well-being and they include the need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. You can be assured that if your gadget tabs on any of them, it will likely have a lasting impact on your happiness. For example, any form of smart watch really is just an extension of our smart phones. And while it may satisfy our need for autonomy, that is feeling in control of our life, and relatedness, that is our need to feel connected to and care for others, it also may just create the illusion that it satisfies those needs. Because really, who is in control when the notification pings on our phone and we immediately drop everything we are doing, even a conversation with a loved one, only to check what that notification is? It is not us, but the technology. Now I am not against smart watches, but I think the minority of us is able to handle them in the right way. I found this gadget here, which is a “smart ball” synched with an app that tracks your throws and can help you to improve your basketball performance. It certainly satisfies the need for competence, which includes mastering a task, as well as autonomy. In the end, with all technology it comes down to how it is used. But if you are thinking of buying a new tech toy for a loved one, you may first want to think about how it will be used and if it will satisfy any of our innate needs, if you are interested to see a lasting happiness effect from your present.
3. Is the technology fostering connectedness or isolation? Research in positive psychology is very clear on the point that our relationships are the most important factor for our well-being.We spend increasingly more time at work which limits the time we can spend with loved ones. I mean, after coming home from work, going to the gym, cooking for the family, there is really not much time left in the day to "play around”. It is even worse then, when the new gadgets, such as smart watches, or a virtual environment application is getting all our attention. Now, again, we could use these technologies to play with our kids and show them, for example, what it may feel like under water (using a virtual reality headset) and discussing with them what fish we could expect to see at a lower or deeper level of the ocean. However, while I think that everyday consumer virtual reality applications such as google cardboard provide many useful opportunities in the field of education or even self-development, the technology itself does not lend itself to foster interaction with others. After all, if you have a VR headset on your face, there is little you can do to interact with others, because you cannot see them. On the other hand, playing a collaborative video game or even an I phone game like "Heads Up" does bring people together. Which again, is a good thing for our happiness level.
4. Is it more than just a thing? Science shows that experiences make us more happy than things. Now technology inherently are things, but some are more experiential than others. For example, the SlowWatch is a watch designed to slow things down and make you think of the big picture rather then every second of your day. It is a thing but also effects how you experience your day. Another example is the LumoLift a small device that helps you notice your posture, which generally is very slouchy and not healthy or sustainable at all. It is not only useful but it helps us to become more aware of our body, an often forgotten "thing" that is right attached to our brain. Other wearable technology like the WellBe or the Oura ring that help with stress reduction and mental instead of physical well-being are another great source of experiences fostered by technology. On the other hand, even though very cool, this shoe that can change its design with the click on your smart phone, is an example of a "thing" with maybe less promise to sustain happiness from using it. In general, instead of buying a material gift, you may want to think about an adventure you can go on with your loved one as a gift and thus, make a “real” experience happen. This way not only your loved one will be happy but you will as well; plus, you get to spend more time with them, which is what matters for well-being.
Ultimately, giving presents for Christmas is to make a loved one happy. Maybe that entails buying something that they wished for but never would get for themselves or it is something they could really use. What matters is that you give with love. If your budget doesn’t allow for some new fancy gadget, a voucher for a home cooked meal or a letter in which you express your gratitude towards your loved one or even your first knitting attempt of a hat or scarf will be just as well received. If the relationship is real and authentic, anything that comes from your heart will be appreciated.
What really matters in the Christmas season is taking time off and spending it with loved ones. In a time where smart phones are now extensions of our bodies, that means unplugging for the Holliday's, no phones on the dinner table, no laptops in the living room and just “hanging out” with friends and family. I think, this is the best gift we can give anyone. Being fully present with our loved ones. No technology distractions. Listening to their stories and sharing ours. We never know how long these moments last so we better take them all in. Here is commercial from a german grocery store which captures exactly that. You may shed a tear or two. I sure did, which only shows the truth behind it.
If you are contemplating to buy that new phone or watch or whatever it is, just think for a second if all that you want to give is not already there: You!
Check out my blog rewirehappiness.com for more posts on technology and happiness.
Short Bio about Dr. Sophie H. Janicke Sophie H. Janicke, Ph.D. is a positive media psychologist who investigates the role that new and traditional media play in promoting and affecting character development, self-transcendent emotions, prosocial behavior, and subjective well-being. Her research and teaching focus is on positive psychology, media and new communication technologies, and media and spirituality. Outside of academia, Janicke gathered work experiences in consulting German broadcasters, and scriptwriters and implementing workshops on mindfulness and work-life balance at universities and corporations. In her blog rewirehappiness.com she discussed how we can use technology to increase happiness.
