CAESAREAN AND OBESITY

There are many researchers proving that kids that are delivered naturally have many advantages over the ones that were born after an operation, C-section. Only one example is that the risk of suffering from asthma is greater in kids that weren't born naturally. However, the topic of today is the link between the birth types and the increased risk of obesity in kids. 


According to some research results formed and done in the USA (Boston Children's Hospital), there is a strong link between obesity and the birth type in kids. 

The research was published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood magasine and and it was noted there that the process of digestion in people that were born through caesarean changes due to the affects of C-section on the bacteria in the digestive system. When they compared over a thousand kids a quarter of whom were born after a caesarean operation and the rest was born naturally (vaginal birth), it was apparent that the quarter that wasn't born vaginally were fatter and were twice more under the risk of obesity. 


This is something to keep in mind especially for those women who have an option of choosing the type of birth they would like to experience at the end of their pregnancies.  

RECYCLED FRAME

Another great little recycling project for you and this is the source of it. Enjoy!

FOOD DESIGN (3)

Here is another simple, yet very impressive design that I have found for you! It would complete a 'caterpillar/hungry caterpillar' themed party beautifully.

CHOCOLATE COATED KIWI and HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE

This is something that I have recently come across with on the internet. These chocolate coated kiwis would be a good substitute for packaged ice-creams and chocolates that are high in sugar and have many types of preservatives and artificial ingredients.

If you would like to make your own chocolate sauce, here are a few recipes for you:

Homemade Chocolate Sauce Recipe 1:

Ingredients:

Sugar - 3/4 of a cup

Flour - 1 1/2 tablespoons

(Unsweetened) cocoa powder - 1/2 cup high-quality

Milk - 1 1/4 cups 

Butter - 2 tablespoons

Vanilla - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or to taste)

Salt - tiny pinch

Mix the sugar, flour and the cocoa powder in a bowl until there is no chunks. In a pot, melt your butter in with milk and vanilla essence on medium heat. When the butter melts, start mixing your dry ingredients that you mixed together in a bowl slowly. Add a little at a time and whisk them until there is no lumpy bits. Put it on medium heat once again and stir until it starts boiling. Once bubbles come up, turn the heat down to low and simmer until it the mixture thickens. It only needs about 6 minutes of simmering. Add a little pinch of salt to bring out the chocolate flavour better and then the sauce is ready.

Homemade Chocolate Sauce Recipe 2:

Ingredients: 


Milk - 150ml (2/3 of a cup)
Cocoa powder - 220g (2 cups)
Butter - 160g (3/4 of a cup)
Water - 230ml (1 cup)
Flour - 30g (1/4 of a cup)
Sugar -120g (1/2 of a cup) - if possible use powdered sugar

Mix the cocoa powder with the butter and using a blender, make a fine paste. Heat up your water with the cocoa powder and butter paste in a pot and once hot (not boiled), take it off the stove. Add your milk, sugar and flour into the hot mixture and then mix them well until there is no lump. (If you would like to use it as chocolate, then pour it in some containers and freeze it for at least 5-6 hours).

Enjoy something sweet today!

A HANDBAG RE-DO

This is the source of this project. Enjoy!

PAPER CLIPS TO ORGANISE CABLES

A very easy and totally affordable way of organising cables! A brilliant idea!

HOMEMADE YOGHURT SOUP

During cooler days, I cannot think of anything better than some nice hot soup for meal times. This is definitely one of our favourite soups especially during autumn and winter. It is easy to make, doesn't take long to prepare and cook, and satisfies everyone in the family from our tiny baby to the eldest in the family. It is filling enough and if you'd like your dinner to be quick, healthy and light, then this is a real winner. It has both carbohydrates and protein in just right proportions.

This particular food originally comes from Turkish cuisine but it is altered slightly in different recipe books. Below is how we make it.

Our homemade yoghurt/rice soup

Ingredients: 

A cup of rice
A medium size bowlful of natural plain yoghurt
1 tablespoonful of wholemeal or white plain flour
Ground mint
Salt
Hot chilli pepper flakes (optional)
Olive oil (optional)

Method:

Version 1: Boil rice in plenty of water in a pot until the rice is cooked. In a bowl, mix the yoghurt with the flour well and then slowly pour it into the rice. As you do so, keep stirring. Once it starts boiling again, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes (so that there is no raw flour smell in the soup). Add in your salt, chilli flakes and mint just before taking it off the stove.

Version 2: Boil rice in plenty of water in a pot until the rice is cooked. In a bowl, mix the yoghurt with the flour well and then slowly pour it into the rice. As you do so, keep stirring. Once it starts boiling again, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes (so that there is no raw flour smell in the soup). Add in your salt. In a saucepan, heat up some oil (1-2 tablespoons) and cook the pepper flakes and mint in it for a minute or until it starts changing colour. After that, pour this mixture onto the soup and it is all ready to serve.

Note: The recipe above takes less than half an hour to be prepared, cooked and served.