From SPUD Vancouver

I would like to share some of the shots of winter in Richmond which is usually the mildest in any winter storm that hits the Lower Mainland. The above was…

Here's a video about "Chopsticks" which was shared by a friend on my facebook a/c which I love to share with chowtimes readers. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soBtqb15s0A] The copyright of this video…

Papaya is a tropical fruit. We used to have papaya trees growing wildly in our backyards in Malaysia.

Here is an article from a facebook posting by a friend which I like to share.

1. Papaya is a fruit that is rich in fiber and lowers cholesterol levels. It contains enzymes that help prevent oxidization of cholesterol, which in return helps to prevent heart-attacks.
2. The antioxidants in papaya help in controlling premature ageing. This quality of the papaya helps you to get a younger look.
3. Papaya contains a high amount of potassium and the flesh of papaya is very high in Vitamin A.
4. Papaya seeds and leaves are useful in treating intestinal worms found in the body.
5. Papaya helps prevent constipation and also aid in digestion. Papaya contains the protein called papain which is a digestive enzyme that helps in natural digestion process (more…)

Here are some household tips I received from a friend that I would like to share with chowtimes readers.

You can flip a toaster on its side and grill cheese on your toast with it. Remember to place a plate in front of the toaster to catch the toast when they are ejected out when done.

You can divide and store ground meat in a ziplock bag. Just break off the amount you need and keep the rest in the freezer for later use.

You can place a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling liquid to prevent boiling over. (more…)

This article on the benefits of Mangoes was posted by a friend on facebook.

Mango Prevents Obesity

Mango contains a sufficient quantity of fiber, which causes slow absorption of sugar into the blood stream; helps reducing appetite, maintain blood sugar levels resulting in controlling body weight.

When the fiber passes through intestines it also eliminates a number of harmful fats of the body.

Mango is also valuable to combat acidity and poor digestion.

Improves Digestion

Mangoes are very much beneficial for people suffering from acidity and its enzymes helps to relieve indigestion problems. The Bio-active elements such as Esters, Terpenes and Aldehydes present in mango aids to easy digestion.

Lowers Cholesterol

High level of soluble dietary fiber, pectin and Vitamin C present in mangoes helps to lower serum cholesterol levels specifically low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. (more…)

Here is another email from a friend. It’s about banana with dark spots. I often used over ripen bananas with dark spots for baking banana bread. Now, there is more reason to use them.

The fully ripen banana produces a substance called TNF which has the ability to combat abnormal cells. As the banana ripens, it develops dark spots or patches on the skin. The more dark patches it has, the higher will be it’s immunity  enhancement quality. Hence, the Japanese love bananas for a good reason. According to a Japanese scientific research, banana contains TNF which has anti-cancer properties. The degree of anti-cancer effect corresponds to the degree of ripeness of the fruit, i.e. the riper the banana, the better the anti-cancer quality. (more…)