Publishing Content About Food-Related Topics via Uptrennd (UPDATED)

Dear Visitors & Subscribers:  Thanks for your continued support.  Took some time off, beginning after the Thanksgiving holiday through the entire month of December.  Now I'm back to my freelance writing escapades and staying busy.   I found a social network called Uptrennd*, that allows me to share articles, blog posts and other content.  It can be original content or my content that has been published elsewhere on the web.  I write on a wide range of topics.  Below is an example of a foodie article published.

*Site shut down.

Do you like to bake? If you said “Yes”, that probably means you're very serious when you open an oven door. So if I also asked you: Cake mix or scratch? Your answer would likely … What's a cake mix? (O.o)

Baking is not one of my honed culinary skills. That means I use a cake mix. I have seen several chefs on TV cooking shows like Martha Stewart (“Martha Bakes”), or Ina Garten (“Barefoot Contessa”) and they make baking a cake from scratch look super easy. I'm like … Yeah uuuhhh … No!

This is my argument:

Cake mixes are real cakes! Boxed cake mixes are just as good as cakes made from scratch.

By contrast, Martha Stewart is the TV diva of homemaking. Divas are never wrong! Right? She feels that: Cakes made from scratch are a food of love. They are the result of your willingness to take your precious time to create something special for your loved ones to eat and enjoy; a delightful dessert that they will always fondly remember.

I DISAGREE! I have baked numerous cakes over the years, using boxed cake mixes, for my family and friends. None of them ever complained and sometimes they asked for more than one slice of cake. I put love into my cakes!!

So how do you bake a cake? Cake mix OR Scratch?

Do you have a favorite cake?

(Chocolate cake, carrot cake, red velvet cake, pineapple upside down cake, etc.)

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References:

“Martha Bakes.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 5 Oct. 2017, www.pbs.org/food/shows/martha-bakes/

Nystul, Jill. “How To Turn Ordinary Boxed Cake Mix Into Crave-Worthy Cakes.”  One Good Thing by Jillee, 5 Oct. 2016, www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/creative-uses-for-boxed-cake-mixes

Earley, Brigitt. “The 8 Best Boxed Cake Mixes of 2021.” The Spruce Eats, Dotdash Publishing Family, 29 Dec. 2020, www.thespruceeats.com/best-boxed-cake-mixes-4589590.

Ariza, Tracy. “10 Traditional Cakes from Around the World - Oh, The Things We'll Make!” Oh the Things We'll Make, 5 Jly. 2013, thethingswellmake.com/10-traditional-cakes-from-around-world/. 

Fox, Treathyl. “Which Countries or Cultures Make the Best Cakes? Let's Discuss!” EES Presents Food Ways, 14 Jan. 2020, eeschannel.blogspot.com/2017/05/which-cultures-make-best-cakes.html.

Original Source (Uptrennd site shut down. Republished on Read.Cash.)

Healthy Eating : Green Leafy Vegetables

My Mom Always Cooked Green Leafy Vegetables

In my mother's kitchen, growing up there were always pots on the stove. I don’t know if it was because she liked them or because it was cheap food that she could feed a lot of people or both. But at least 2 or 3 times a week there was always a huge pot of collard greens on the stove. My mom used to go to a farm and pick her own bunches of collards. The price she would pay at the grocery store versus picking the veggies herself at the farm was way cheaper! My mother always cooked as if she was preparing for a large army to come and feast! I come from a large family (there were 9 of us). In addition to keeping her own children fed, my mother’s brothers (my uncles) also had a habit of dropping by our house and checking to see what “Sis” had in the pots. We also had random visitors, who knew there was always something to eat at our house who would come looking for a meal. My mom never refused anybody. If there was food in the pot, they were welcome to it!

So when dieticians and nutritionists encouraged people to eat green leafy vegetables, I’m like: ‘They’re not talking to me. Because I ate collard greens from the time I could chew food until I left my home to live on campus and pursue my BBA degree at university.’

Why I Stopped and Restarted Eating Greens

~ Why I Stopped Eating Greens

I graduated from university, got married, and guess what? My husband’s mom did not make huge pots of collards. In fact, she never made them! He didn’t really start eating this green leafy vegetable until he came to America (he’s from The Bahamas) and he wasn’t really a fan. Consequently, I didn’t cook collards and I got out of the habit of eating this dark green leafy vegetable and similar vegetables.

• Did you know? Eating a lot of greens can be good for your eyes.

Why I Started Eating Greens Again

For the past few years, since so many health and wellness experts are touting the health benefits of green leafy vegetables, regardless of my husband’s food preferences, I made a conscious decision to try to include or reincorporate these veggies into my diet. The compelling research has indicated that dark green leafy vegetables promote heart health, can prevent certain cancers, and are an excellent source of many important vitamins and minerals that were missing from my diet.

Fortunately, I don’t have to go to a farm like how my mom did. They sell collards, mixed greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard, kale, and all kinds of cabbages (Napa, bok choy, etc.) in the local grocery store and the price is very reasonable. The greens come canned, frozen, or fresh. I love the dark green leafy vegetables and buy them canned. There are two brands on the store shelf that are very tasty: Glory Foods and Margaret Holmes.

It turns out my late husband had also decided that he wants to add cabbage to his meals, in soups, in stir fry, or in salads. He likes fresh bok choy and green cabbage. So it has been very easy for me to follow through on my decision to reincorporate green leafy vegetables in my diet. It has been a change in my eating habits that has benefited me.

Have you made any significant conscious dietary changes recently?

♦ Related Links:

Eat Your Greens! Drink Your Carrots!

Know Your Sorrel | Epicurious

Las frutas exóticas son maravillosas delicias naturales

 La fruta tropical debe haber sido abundante en el Jardín del Edén. ¿No te parece? Al menos, así es como me lo imagino de todos modos. ¿Te gusta la fruta exótica? Mi primera visita a Las Bahamas me abrió un mundo completamente nuevo. Había tantas deliciosas frutas del paraíso de las que nunca había oído ni probado.

Eso fue hace más de 30 años. En estos días, lo maravilloso de comprar comestibles en Estados Unidos es que puedes encontrar alimentos de casi cualquier parte del mundo. Estos alimentos no siempre estaban disponibles y eran tan abundantes. No es mi imaginación. Incluso el chef Jacques Pepin mencionó durante uno de sus episodios de televisión que cuando llegó por primera vez a los Estados Unidos para comenzar su carrera como chef, había muchos ingredientes que no podía encontrar fácilmente en la tienda de comestibles local. Tenías que ir a un mercado especial o una tienda gourmet. No es así en estos días. Gracias a Internet, es fácil investigar y aprender más sobre las frutas tropicales o las “frutas exóticas” o las “superfrutas” o las “frutas maravillosas” y por qué son tan buenas para usted. UH Huh. Correcto. Como si la gente necesitara torcer tu brazo para que te los comas. :)

¡Mira estos!

- La acerola, también conocida como cereza de Barbados, es originaria de las Indias Occidentales y también del sur de México y de América del Sur y Central. Afirman que esta fruta tiene numerosos beneficios para la salud, pero saludable o no, el sabor de esta fruta tropical es irresistible.

- La chirimoya sabe a chicle. La gente incluso le ha dado apodos a esta fruta como “fruta de helado” o “chirimoya”, llamada así porque tiene una textura cremosa similar a un sorbete. Pero tenga cuidado con las semillas, ya que pueden ser venenosas.

- Los dedos del hombre muerto se originaron en China. Realmente parecen dedos y su color es negro azulado. El sabor es similar al de la sandía.

- El kiwano o melón cornudo tiene muchos nombres. Es originario de África y se llama pepino africano. Pero también se le conoce como tomate inglés. (???) Por fuera es de color amarillo y naranja, pero la pulpa por dentro es de color verde lima. Ha sido parte de la cocina africana desde la antigüedad.

- El mangostán crece en el sudeste asiático y se considera una "fruta maravillosa". Uno podría pensar por el nombre que es similar a un mango, pero en realidad se parece más a un melocotón. Las investigaciones indican que el mangostán contiene más xantonas que cualquier otra fruta. Lo llaman el "Factor X". 

Estas son solo una muestra de frutas. La intención es abrir tu apetito y aumentar tu curiosidad. ¡También hay fruta del dragón, carambola, mano de Buda (cidra), moras, durian, moringa, abiu y más!

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• 15 frutas inusuales de todo el mundo para probar
• 25 frutas extrañas y exóticas de Asia de las que probablemente nunca hayas oído hablar
• Frutas exóticas de la A a la Z

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Original source

Food Lovers: Pesto Around the World

Another wonderful delight for enlivening salads, adorning sandwiches, dressing pasta … you name it! Always sing the praises of salsa. This time, doing a song and dance routine for pesto.

Hear the word pesto and one usually always thinks Italian. Right? But different cultures have their own version of pesto. Africa. Mexico. Australia. This link is an awesome foodie find! Not only does it tell you the main ingredients in everybody's version but it introduced me to a new word. “Permaculture”.

Preserving With Pesto – It’s Not Rocket Science

* * * You Might Also Like:

Spice Farming in Zanzibar

Exotic Fruit: Pomegranates

Spices in Filipino Cuisines

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Pesto - Vocal

Original Source

Contributor at Article Writing Jobs: My August 2020 Articles

Published 5 articles for the month of August 2020 at Article Writing Jobs. The topic categories were: Arts and Entertainment, Society and Culture, Food and Drink, and Healthcare.  

(UPDATE:  July 24, 2020. The AWJ editor chose to unpublish certain of my articles.  Apologies fro broken links.)

“So tell me, as an outsider, what do you think of the human race?” — Anonymous Have you ever thought that if an outsider (like an alien from another planet) saw the way that women are treated worldwide, … 

A Thoughtful Discussion About Women’s Rights

"My knowledge and understanding of angels is based on what I read in the Bible. Angels are spiritual beings. They are part of a heavenly order. They have performed various duties to serve humankind as ministers and messengers. They are not God … "

Would You Like to Learn About Angels?

"Several years ago I was approved as an affiliate marketer for a US-based company that imported herbs and spices from around the world and sold them mainly to US customers. This work-at-home effort opened a door to the wonderful world of flavorful cooking ingredients used in various cuisines.  … "

Four (4) Common Spices Used in Indian Cuisine

“Songs are thoughts, sung out with the breath when people are moved by great forces and ordinary speech no longer suffices.” – Orpingalik, Inuit poet and Shaman … "

Music Appreciation: The Harmony of Human Voices

"If you have a mental illness, get professional help. Everybody is different. But know this: You can regain your equilibrium and equanimity. There’s hope. …"

Dealing With Depression: My Personal Experience

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Contributor at Article Writing Jobs: My July 2020 Articles

Continuing to write articles about a variety of topics (business and work, society and culture, food and drink, entertainment: books). 800 words on any subject I choose at Article Writing Jobs.

This content is out of date.