Happy Thanksgiving 2016

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Let's always remember that there is always something to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving 2015!

What are you thankful for? I am thankful for many people in my life who makes it colourful and complete. I am also thankful for the many obstacles that came my way because it made me strong. For the people who hurt me, for the people who supported me, for everyone who has been a part of my life's journey... I thank you all.

(Photo not mine)

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Let's be grateful for everything.

PearlMountain Thanksgiving Sale!

I am an ardent fan of PearlMountain's many Mac apps that I use for my blog posts and other creative projects.

To thank all the customers' generous and continuous support, PearlMountain is launching a big special offer for CollageIt Pro for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day. From now to Nov.30, every interested people can enjoy the big discount offer here: http://www.pearlmountainsoft.com/promotion/specialoffer.html

CollageIt Pro is an automatic and easy to use collage maker to create eye-catching collages in no time on both Windows & Mac. It is normally priced at $29.90, now only $9.90 during this Thanksgiving Sale, saving $20. Besides the highlighted features of ease of use, unlimited layouts, diverse templates and multiple output options in the former version, there are many more features in its newly updated Mac version. Just take this chance to try it out. 

Don't miss out on this great promo from PearlMountain!

Thankful For The Many Blessings

Photo credit: kleiner-kalender.de

I have so much to be thankful for. I may not have a fat bank account nor material wealth to boast but I am thankful of many, many things that we always take for granted.

I am thankful for my family and friends who love me for who I am.
I am thankful for the small little dog who keeps us all company and shows her unconditional love.
I am thankful for my job because it provides for our livelihood.
I am thankful for each waking moment to face a new day with new hope.
I am thankful for the sun that rises and the stars and the moon at night that shines .
I am thankful for the cool breeze that blows its comfort on my face.
I am thankful for the plants everywhere for providing clean air.
I am thankful for the animals around for they equalize the eco-system.
I am thankful for the opportunities that come my way because God knows what to provide.
And I am really thankful for the gift of life that God has given and I will continue to be thankful for so many things because I have been blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Count your blessings and be very, very grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

From our home to yours, Happy Thanksgiving and always be thankful for every blessing in your life.

Photo credit: yahoo.com/images/inspiredeverymoment.wordpress.com

Thanksgiving Leftovers

We did not celebrate Thanksgiving here in Dubai because it is not a recognized occasion. I didn't even manage to get a turkey to cook for the special day because my husband went to San Diego to meet his cousins. So, there is really no point in cooking for Thanksgiving. However, most people in other parts of the world celebrated the wonderful occasion with gusto and feast! And I am sure that the usual Thanksgiving leftovers are still in the ref waiting to be recycled, if I may say.

The usual suspect in Thanksgiving leftovers are the chunky and lean turkey meat. But don't throw them just yet nor feed them to hungry Fido because you can still use the lean meat to make gourmet sandwiches.

I got these recipes from the internet and would like to share them to you to make your leftovers into a tasty makeover! Bon appetit! Will you send some for me please? :)

Turkey Sandwich with Sweet Potato Hummus

Homemade sweet-potato spread is lower in fat than anything you'll buy in a package, plus it's full of beta-carotene, which has been linked to reduced cancer risk. And for bread with the most nutrients and hunger-quelling fiber, look for rye or pumpernickel with whole rye flour as the first ingredient.
Sandwich
4 slices rye bread (or pumpernickel)
1/4 cup sweet-potato hummus (recipe at right)
1 1/2 cups sliced cooked turkey (dark meat, without skin)
1/2 cup broccoli sprouts or other sprouts
Toast bread and spread two pieces with 2 tablespoons of hummus each. Add the turkey and sprouts. Top with remaining pieces of bread; slice in half.
Sweet-Potato Hummus
1 lb sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (or use 1 cup leftover mashed sweet potatoes)
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Steam or boil sweet potato until very tender. Add sweet potato and remaining ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and process until creamy.
Makes two servings. Per serving: 430 cal, 12g fat (3g sat), 41g carbs, 530mg sodium, 7g fiber, 38g protein
10 Easy, Speedy Breakfasts

Turkey, Brie, And Cranberry Panini

A crusty ciabatta roll with oozing cheese, peppery arugula, and sweet-tart chutney (a great use for extra cranberries) is the very definition of comfort food. And you can stir spoonfuls of the extra chutney into yogurt, cottage cheese, or oatmeal for a sweet, antioxidant-laced breakfast or snack.
Panini
2 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half lengthwise
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup cranberry chutney (recipe at right)
2 oz Brie, sliced
1 1/2 cups sliced cooked turkey (white meat, without skin)
1 cup arugula
Heat a panini press or grill pan over medium heat. Brush ciabatta crust with olive oil. Spread chutney on each of the 4 roll halves, dividing it evenly among them. Layer Brie, turkey, and arugula between top and bottom halves of rolls.
Place sandwiches in the press and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. If using a grill pan, place a heavy object such as a cast-iron skillet on top of the sandwiches, with a layer of foil in between. Flip sandwiches, replace skillet, and cook 4 minutes more.
Cranberry Chutney
4 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup port or red wine
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup orange ju
ice 1 Tbsp orange zest
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup dried blueberries
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture resembles chunky jam. Remove from heat and stir in remaining vinegar.
Makes two servings. Per serving: 470 cal, 17g fat (6g sat), 36g carbs, 470mg sodium, 3g fiber, 41g protein
Favorite Comfort Foods, Slimmed Down

French Dip Turkey Sandwich with Mushroom Au Jus

This slimmed-down version of the traditional French dip (which usually involves soaking up fatty beef drippings with a bleached roll) is made with satisfying whole grains and gets its flavor from caramelized onions and a light, herbed broth.

Sandwich
1 Tbsp butter
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp horseradish
2 whole-wheat Kaiser rolls, sliced in half
1 1/2 cups sliced cooked turkey (white and dark meat mixed, without skin)
1 cup baby spinach

Mushroom Au Jus
2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

In a medium saucepan, bring broth, wine, mushrooms, garlic, and thyme to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spread horseradish on the insides of each roll. Pile turkey, caramelized onions, and spinach on bottom halves of rolls and top with remaining halves. Slice sandwiches on the diagonal and serve with mushroom broth for dipping.

Makes two servings. Per serving: 480 cal, 13 g fat (6 g sat), 46 g carbs, 450 mg sodium, 7 g fiber, 37 g protein

(All recipes are from shine.yahoo.com)

Thankful This Thanksgiving

Photo credit: www.squidoo.com/thanksgiving-cornucopia

There are so many things to be thankful for inspite of the tremendous challenges we are all facing in this bleak economic times. There are still great things which we can call as God's blessings that we should not take for granted.

As for me, I am grateful for the roof over my head, the food on my table, the clothing to make me warm, the love and support of my family and friends, the love and loyalty of my dearest pooch, the job that provides for the financial needs, and the challenges which make me a stronger and better person.

I am very thankful for the gift of life. Every waking day I have is a testament that God still believes in humanity and that we are still His sons and daughters making a big and hopefully, a positive change to the world we live in.

I am very grateful for all of these and I will continue to be thankful for all the littlest blessings because that means I am still alive to appreciate all of them.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and be thankful.

Give Thanks

I may have shortcomings and misgivings but I am sincerely thankful for the blessings, great or small. I thank the Lord for the bountiful blessings He gives me every single day. I am also thankful for the family who embraces me with love, for the friends who make my life so much fun and for the foes who make me strong and wise.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

And to all that we do (and have), give thanks to the Lord.

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Thanksgiving and Black Friday Deals

We just had our vacation in New York. If we had delayed it for another week, we could have experienced the Thanksgiving parade, Black Friday sale and even the Cyber Monday deals other shops and online stores offer to savvy consumers.

My husband cousin briefed us on what happens during Black Friday. People actually line up outside the malls as early as midnight to get ahead. She said, the sale is really awesome and one can actually save a lot by buying their gifts on further discounted prices.

So, my curiosity got the better of me and researched about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I am enticed by the cut backs on gadgets and electronics. I told my husband to schedule our next vacation to the great USA around Thanksgiving time so we can experience the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

Thankful Each Day

Sometimes, I tend to overlook the simple joys life has to offer. I often focus on the pain but never realize that these pains actually make me stronger. It's the obstacles I face which make me a better person. For that, I am very thankful for every blessing and even trials which come my way. I know HE lets me go through life's rough patches to prepare me for the better things in life. The best is yet to come...

I am thankful for my family who loves and support me no matter what. I am truly grateful for the wonderful friends (be it online or blogging pals) who make my life so much meaningful and colorful. I am thankful for the good health, the roof on our heads, the food on our tables and the wee money in our pockets.

I am thankful for everything. I am thankful for this life.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thankful for...

Thanksgiving is not just a celebration of getting together to enjoy the bounty of a good harvest or eating a big turkey for dinner. It is something where we offer our thanks to the Lord for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. There are so many things we should be thankful for despite the current situation surrounding us at the moment. Let us be glad that we have family and friends to share our love with, a job to pay for our bills, children to bring joy in our lives, a roof on our heads, clothing to keep us warm, food on our tables, and a life to live. These are few of the many things I am very grateful for and I pray that I may be able to share these blessings in any form, great or small.

Lord, I thank you for everything.