Pistachio - The nut that keeps on giving!

One of my new favorite snacks is the pistachio nut.  This nut is not only delicious but low in calories and contains great nutrients for you too! Pistachios are a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants! These nuts are available all year round and can be found at any local store near you. 

You can buy pistachios in different forms: shelled or unshelled.  I like them shelled because the pistachio tastes even better after the "hard work" of cracking the shells to get to the nut! Next time you are in the mood for a snack, reach for a handful of pistachios!

Oolong Tea

There are two types of tea that I enjoy drinking and one of them is oolong tea.  Oolong tea comes from the Fujian Province in China and also comes from the same tea leaf as green tea and black tea but it is the way they are treated or fermented that brings about the difference in color and taste. Oolong is tea, unlike black tea, is semi-fermented.

There are many reasons why this is one of my favorite foods.  One of the reasons I drink oolong tea is for its unique taste...almost like a cross between black tea and oolong tea.  The main reason I drink oolong tea is for its health benefits:

• It helps you burn more fat and that's always a good thing! :-)
• It helps in the reduction of tooth decay!
• It helps remove free radicals!
• Promotes healthy skin!

Of course, these benefits should not be an excuse to have the second or third serving of pecan pie or dorayaki or bowl of ice cream!  Oolong tea is not a miracle drink when it comes to weight loss or maintaining a healthy body...it is just one of the things that will help you get there! 

So on a cold day, on a warm day, before a meal , during a meal or with dessert (never forget dessert!), a cup or mug of oolong tea is always a good thing!

Directions 1 (oolong tea bag): 

• Place tea bag in a cup
  
• Pour boiling water over the tea bag
• Brew for 3 minutes then remove tea bag

Directions 2 (using a microwave):

• Pour about 8 oz of water in a mug and microwave until water is boiling
• Place oolong tea bag in boiling water
• Brew for 3 minutes then remove tea bag