Life Insurance Is Easy to Buy

Even though most people do understand the need for life insurance, many still hesitate. Life insurance policies are long term contracts, and consumers are reluctant to enter into them because they are not sure which type of coverage would be the best for them.

You can barely drive down the street, turn on the TV, or browse the internet without seeing ads for different life insurance companies. But most of these advertisements seem to promote one specific type of coverage from one insurer. Consumers know that they can buy different types of coverage, but they have justifiable concerns that answering one of these ads will not provide them with a real answer to their most basic questions. People want to be able to figure out which type of life insurance is best for their own unique situation.

So what is the best type of life insurance? First, look at the basic types of policies you can buy:

• Whole Life – Sometimes this is called traditional or straight life. These are permanent policies, which mean that they will cover an insured person for as long as the policy is kept in force. Keeping a policy in force usually means that the premiums are paid. Whole life policies can also build up a cash value, and that cash value can earn returns. So some people consider whole life a combination of savings and insurance.
• Term Life – Temporary, or term, polices are probably the most popular plans on the market. They only offer temporary insurance coverage, and not an opportunity to build cash value. They also only assume a temporary risk, even though the term may be for a few decades. But for these reasons, premiums will be lower than for permanent policies for the same amount of coverage.
• Universal Life – People are are very interested in combining their insurance with a tax deferred wealth building account, look at universal life. Like whole life, universal life, is permanent coverage. The insurance part, and the savings part, of the contract are split out to be more transparent to the policy owner. The cash value in the account can grow at a set interest rate, or by being tied to a common market index. In addition, monthly payments, and even the coverage amount, are flexible and can be changed over the life of the policy as a covered person’s needs and budget changes.

Again, which type of coverage is best? That really depends upon your own unique needs and expectations.

• Whole life provides a simple, permanent plan with a fixed premium. Many smaller face value whole life policies are marketed to older people, like senior citizens, as an affordable way to plan for final expenses like funerals.
• An individual may be able to afford a larger term life policy because premiums are cheaper. They may only need that large amount of coverage while their kids are young and home mortgage is large.
• Universal life insurance can provide a flexible way to have coverage and retirement savings in one account.

If you have understood the differences and types of life insurance, go ahead and collect y

Untold Benefits of Personal Accident Insurance

Most people get life insurance instead of applying for a personal accidental insurance policy. This is a crucial mistake that costs a lot later in case they are not able to continue paying the heavy premium that life insurance demands. The key benefits of Personal Accident Insurance Policy over Life Insurance are as follows:

• It is economical and affordable
• It requires no medical test or documentation
• You can protect all the members of your family at a very low cost.

People who already have life insurance can also take an Accident Insurance as a supplementary cover in case, they have a very active lifestyle and want additional protection against dismemberment and death. The same holds good for their family members.

This personal accident insurance policy is also ideal for people who are not eligible for life insurance cover due to some recent illness, they can still get protection against dismemberment or death due to accidental causes.

Royal Sundaram provides very affordable Personal Accident Insurance. Have a look at it here to check if it fits your needs.

Your Child Has A Greater Chance At A Brighter Future With a Perfect Smile

A caring parent will ensure they add their children to the family dental care plan; this is probably more important when they are young because they need to learn why it is necessary to have good teeth. This is an area where many parents fall down as they have their children added to their health plans but often overlook their need for dental care. Some children will try to avoid dental appointments; this is often because they have been introduced to it when they are older so it best to do this while they are young.

Most dental plans that are taken out for families will have a pediatric arrangement; if you have a plan that does not include children then you should find another that does. This type of plan includes the treatments and benefits that you and your children will require for the health of their teeth. If for some reason your provider has only sent a brief synopsis of cover then you should request a full version of the plan provisions and exemptions. This type of plan should not be confused with those dental care plans designed for adults as they are very different; these treatments and services have been geared especially towards children.

This type of dentist specializes in child care and their teeth; in addition to this each practice is focused 100 percent on children. Dental practices that specialize in pediatric dental care are well versed in all the latest toys and games that children enjoy; children are taught to enjoy visiting the dentist and consider it quite normal. They are not just children friendly but are equipped to provide a service especially relevant to children.

No parent wants their children to have problems with their teeth so it is important to have them checked at an age when they are susceptible to damage; this helps too avoid tooth and gum damage in the future. As a parent it will be nice to know you will not have to worry about any special teeth care arrangements for children one you have made arranged the dental care plan program from them. As a parent you can do no more but hope this good habit will continue when they grow older.

Family dental plans are able to offer many benefits for a family and should be the only cover required. If you decide to use the Internet for your search you may also find that there is a large difference in price. Most plans will cover the same aspects of dental care so why pay more. Pediatric dental care plans and treatment is easily accessible to you no matter where you live; there is no reason why you shouldn’t start one now if you haven’t already.

Affordable Health Care Is Within Your Reach

Finding affordable health care in America is getting harder. Some employers for hardworking employees have had to cut back on some of the health care for everyone because of the rising costs and working with a budget. How do I know this, well because I am one of those people affected and despite a very good job, before 2006, the health care package at work was first rate. It was quite sudden although my employer said he had been looking into changing our health car company because our current one was just too costly.

To make the system fair to everyone, the health care provider would need to change. I suppose some people are better off and perhaps I should not sound ungrateful. The new insurance company may be cheaper for the company but it is not for me because to have my husband and daughter in the plan costs double what it did with the previous provider. This means, that for my company to provide a health plan to all of the employees, it is no longer affordable for us.

I liked the previous company and so far I am not as impressed with the new one although the health care plan does not seem that bad. As far as I and some of my co-workers are concerned, the only real person to benefit form this new *affordable* health care arrangement is my company. You see, four years ago, I gave birth to a little girl and of course my old insurance paid for the whole of my hospital stay. This new plan, under similar circumstances however, would personally cost me in excess of 5,000 dollars.

You also have to bear in mind that this additional expense is just the hospital bill and doesn’t include the additional work fees I must now pay. Affordable health care options are becoming more widely available because there is a desperate need for them. Single mothers, families working for companies that don’t offer coverage, low-income households – they are all able to get low cost or even free health care. In principle, these plans are a good thing but there are always those that misuse it making the situation difficult for genuine cases.

Dental Insurance Striking Information You Gotta Know

Having an accident or protracting an illness can be a problem, so disability insurance has been designed to ensure you still receive an income; you might not be able to prevent the reason you are incapable of work but you can prevent the debt that can occur when you are not providing an income. This can take some of the emotional strain away the financial difficulties it is certain to create during your incapacitation. In fact there is a higher probability of a worker requiring disability protection before they retire than there is of them dying.

The fact of the matter is that disability coverage appears to be less important to the public when they have a family; whereas life insurance takes priority even though they have less chance of dying than being incapacitated. Despite statistics showing that a middle aged worker has a greater chance of needing a 3 month break from work because of an accident as opposed to dying before they reach 65, is almost impossible. Disability insurance by its very nature can be costly so obtaining the best possible rates available is imperative for someone on a budget.

Some of the factors required to assess the premium include the age and health of the applicant but the largest part to calculate is how much income they will need whilst they are incapacitated. One method of lowering the policy premium is arranging for the plan to ‘kick in’ only after the incapacity has lasted for a set period of time. the provider would be less at risk if was only a short term incapacity. A reduced period of cover option would also reduce the premium; although you need to bear in mind that once your period of benefit ceases you would have to support yourself.

Insurance company policies will differ but the majority will only pay a percentage of your lost income so it is a good idea to choose the best one for you and in this instance, the cheapest may not necessarily be the best. There are two policy options available; the first is short term disability insurance which only covers the claimant for a few months of incapacity. The second plan covers extended periods and is called total disability cover; this allows a reduced payment to be made after the claimant shows he cannot carry out the work he was previously employed for.

Irrespective of the type of policy you have, payments for disability are made regularly, every week or month until the end of the incapacitation or the policy, whichever come first. Other key points to consider when looking into health policies are if there are restrictions on:

• If there are any medical restrictions
• Is the benefit taxable?
• Time frames before benefits are terminated
• Your current occupation

Remember that every disability insurance policy is different and they will not all provide exactly the same benefits, including how much they will pay as a percentage of your income. With some providers giving 70 percent of the original salary, you will have to watch out for those who will only provide you with a very low 40 percent which could cause financial hardship. This figure will probably be the determining factor of whether you sign with a particular insurer or not but it must be done before any agreement is signed.

California Health Insurance: Why a health insurance coverage is important

Much has been said about the importance of good health. If you were paying attention to your health, you probably have insurance to cover illness in California. If you do not, there's no better time than now to get health insurance quotes in California. It is in fact nothing more important than the preservation of health, protect against disease and its consequences. What conclusions do we talk? Among many other things can lead to disease or damage your health in the loss of your income if you are not able to work. This may also mean a heavy financial burden that medical costs are very expensive. A serious illness, you will not only cripple normal life, you're used to, but also a danger for you and your family against security – financial or otherwise. Insurance California Health Insurance will help you to avoid most of these problems. It can also help you to live, life is healthier because it pays for the various preventive measures, including vaccinations and regular health screenings, among others. Recent statistics show that more and more residents of California health insurance, have neglected, especially in the last few years. This is largely due to the financial crisis, its international growth, we all seem to experience. Although one can imagine without health insurance in California, how much influence can live a health problem, you and your family make it to the top of the current crisis. If you will be a look at health insurance quotes in California, there are some things to pay for that attention. There are several points in a health insurance company. Some of them include inpatient services, outpatient surgery, medical tests, office visits, prescription drugs, physical therapy and rehabilitation, care and mental health. These items are generally included in your offer health insurance in California. You have to remember that your insurance to protect its purpose is to serve your family against the financial burden in case of serious medical conditions should be. There are a few effective ways to quotes for affordable health insurance in California. For example, you can ask your health insurance from California provide a guarantee to sign that you think you do not need to see how it can lower your premiums. You can also use a franchise that may be outside your line of pocket before coverage is offered, the importance of insurance coverage through California into play should not be ignored or underestimated, because the economy is difficult, more in those days. In fact, higher medical costs, the same exact reason for you health insurance quotes in California should receive. Even the routine operations, you can make thousands of dollars. Governor Schwarzenegger signed today a universal health policy for California, but an affordable health insurance you can, if you know where to find the right place. Get access to low rates of health insurance in California and begin to live healthier and safer.

Life Insurance For Disabled People

Can you find life insurance for disabled people? In fact, many caregivers and disabled people assume that people who are disabled, or who suffer from a chronic health issue, cannot qualify for life insurance, and so they do not even bother to apply. However, life insurers look at the risk of a person passing away,and do not always dismiss those individuals because of a health condition.

Managing Health Conditions and Shopping Insurers

For instance, I wrote some large life insurance policies for diabetics. I got different answers from insurance underwriters, depending upon the situation and the insurance company. So I learned to look for an insurer who is willing to consider applicants on a case by case basis.

If the diabetes was well controlled, and the individual did not have other risk factors, I got policies issued without any problems. Sometimes these people, who had long term chronic health considerations, even had policies issued at a standard rate with no increased rating for risk.

So if a diabetic individual followed his or her doctor’s orders, worked to maintain weight and fitness level, and did not indulge in poor health habits like smoking and drinking alcohol, I would certainly advise them to apply for almost any sort of life insurance policy.

Chronic Health Conditions or Disability and Poor Health Habits Mean More Declines

Insurers, like doctors, will certainly disapprove of any poor health habits that are combined with a condition like diabetes or high blood pressure. So a smoker or very overweight person who also has a chronic health condition would not be accepted for a large face value insurance policy. Sometimes, diabetics and people with other health conditions, do everything right, and they still have trouble keeping their condition under control. These people would also not be good candidates for large life insurance policy. That said, the majority of people who deal with a disability, but can demonstrate they still function very well in their daily lives by going to their jobs or other obligations, should not assume that life insurance companies will reject them.

Some people who suffer physical injuries because of an accident also assume that they cannot qualify for life insurance. Even though they may not be able to perform their regular job because of pain, or the loss of use of some functions, may still not have a life threatening disability that would eliminate their chances of qualifying for affordable life insurance.

Consider Guaranteed Issue Life as a Last Resort

Now people who have very serious disabilities or illnesses may have to consider a simplified or guaranteed issue life insurance policy. These are generally smaller, whole life insurance policies which were designed as life insurance for older people, though some accept people of any age.

Simplified issue life insurance will only have a few requirements, like making sure the applicant is not in a nursing home and does not suffer from a terminal disease. If the applicant can pass this “test”, then an immediate death benefit policy will be issued.

Guaranteed issue life insurance policies work a little differently. They do not ask any health questions but, instead, use an elimination period in order to pay out the full face value of the policy. An example might be a guaranteed issue life insurance policy with a three year elimination period. During the first 12 months of this example, the policy will pay the beneficiaries back all premiums paid plus 5 percent interest if the insured person passes away. During the second and third years, the policy may pay back 10 percent to the beneficiaries. And then after the elimination period ends, the policy will pay out the full face value. So a guaranteed policy is a good option if a person cannot qualify for another type of insurance.

Anyway, ill or disabled people should submit their information to a qualified life insurance agent before they apply to save time and trouble. Internet life insurance quote forms can take the applicant to an agent who wants to handle their business!

National Health in Portugal: Specialty Care

Portuguese National Health Service Remains Strong

by Mike Tolochko

Based on the post Dictatorship Constitution, the Portuguese National Health Service was established in 1979. Over 90% of the population uses its system of public hospitals and salaried physicians. This needs to be said, because recently, the directives of the European Union, followed too closely by the governing Socialist Party, has allowed some of the funding for the NHS to deteriorate. This opened the door to the insurance monopolies.

This has resulted in the selling of private insurance policies to some people. On the other hand recent attempts to regionalize the NHS were soundly defeated. The struggle continues.

Abortion Rights

Under the NHS, and since a couple of years ago, there are full abortion rights up to 10 to 14 weeks. This being a Catholic country, these rights are all the more significant. It took mass pressure to uphold the rights of women in this regard. In Spain, there are full abortion rights for over 20 years…there the law allows abortions up to 12 weeks.

Personal Medical Records on Data Base

There is a national database of individual medical records so that everyone in the system can have their records pulled up when traveling to any part of the country. This is still a dream on the U.S.

When traveling out of the county and when health services are needed, the cost of the services are fully reimbursed upon return.

Specialized Care? ORGAN TRANSPLANTS

Since 1979, again the new Constitution, organ transplants are a common medical procedure. Under the law, in accidents and similar occurrences, all organs are made available. Only, if people specifically reject this possibility will the organs not be removed. That is the kind of default system that works.

Cost? NO COST AT ALL AT THE TIME OF THE SURGERY AND ALSO THE FOLLOW UP MEDICINES THAT STOP ORGAN REJECTION BY THE BODY.

There is a National Registry of Organs.

As the U.S. goes through its latest struggle to beat off the insurance carriers, medical device, supplies and equipment companies; drug companies and the banks; here in Portugal the people enjoy full health care rights.

Maybe the U.S. needs a constitutional Amendment for the right to health care like what was needed for other crisis and important economic and social issues?

Insurance and Risk

The health insurance refom debatemakes it worth revisiting some basic questions about insurance. Insurance is about pooling risk and hedging risk. The individual hedges risk with insurance, by asking someone else to absorb the risk for a fee. The insurer pools risks of this kind. So, for example, I pay $x/year rather than face the small but nonzero of losing my house to fire and having to pay to fix it. The reason individuals get insurance is not so much to rationally hedge risk as to transfer intolerable risks to those who can bear them. That is worth repeating. The reason I pay fire insurance is that I can't afford to fix my house. If it burns down, I am homeless. So I am not weighing the value of insurance payments vs. the cost of fixing the house, I am weighing the insurance versus destitution. See the profit potential there, do you? Because of a lack of capital, the risk *to me* of the house burning down is far greater than the risk *to the insurance company*. It need merely pay $200K to rebuild it (or whatever). I and my family would be homeless.

Health insurance is a tougher bargain. The threat of dying from a car accident without being able to afford treatment is too much to bear. You would obviously pay big profits to insurance companies to avoid that. To avoid the worst effects - people dying on hospital steps untreated because they can't pay - the federal EMTALA law requires that emergency rooms treat patients even without payment. The EMTALA law was the worst thing we ever did in one sense, and the best in another. It was merciful in that it saved a lot of lives, but it also (1) created the most expensive and least-effective health-care delivery system for the uninsured you could imagine by treating all serious ailments at the worst possible time and in the most expensive way and (2) removed the very misery that would have prompted health care reform at an earlier date. I have heard Republicans say just in the past few weeks that "everyone gets treatment today." What they mean is that people who end up in emergency rooms are not turned away. The fact that nobody will change this doesn't seem to enter into their minds.

The other reason to have insurance is to protect others against harms you may cause them that you cannot afford to fix. This is liability insurance. If, as a result of a banana peel I negligently leave on my front stoop, the mail carrier becomes a paraplegic, I cannot afford to compensate her for her injuries. So I have insurance. Health insurance would take care of many costs, but it would not, for example, replace the lost income to her family. Disability insurance would help to easy my burden in that situation, or should. If I don't have the insurance, I will suffer and lose what little money i have, but the mail carrier won't get enough compensation forthe injury. This is why American lawyers then sue others (the maker of the concrete stoop, the banana manufacturer) with "deep pockets" and, oddly, why juries let them collect. Someone's gotta pay, right?

Obviously we start asking the question: who should be buying which insurance? New Zealand has experimented with a generalized social insurance where all such risks are paid for out of a single national pool through taxation. For all the "moral hazard" arguments that can be thrown at it, is it really such a bad idea? You would need far fewer lawyers. That's a start...

The 10 Nutrition Rules of Weight Loss

Nutritionist Nancy Clark shares ten tips every runner should know if they want to lose some weight.

1. To lose 10 pounds of body fat a year, you need to eat 100 calories less per day. Cutting too many calories from your daily intake will sap your energy level and increase your hunger, making you more susceptible to splurging on high-calorie foods.

2. Don't skip breakfast. Eat within two hours of waking.

3. In fact, eat more breakfast than you think you should. Trade in some of your dinner calories for more calories at breakfast.

4. Don't allow yourself to get hungry. Eat at least every four hours, and split a meal in half to make sure you properly fuel up pre- and postrun. For example, eat part of your breakfast before your morning run (a banana) and the rest of your breakfast afterward (a bagel with peanut butter).

5. Eat at least three kinds of food each meal from these four categories: breads, cereals, and grains; fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy and soy; and lean meats, fish, and nuts. Breads, cereals, and grains should be the foundation of each meal, with protein as an accompaniment.

6. Shoot for a gradual loss of body fat. You're more likely to put the weight back on (and more) if you drop weight too quickly.

7. Liquid calories add up fast and can lead to weight gain. Minimize the amount of sodas, juices, store-bought smoothies, sports drinks, coffee drinks, and alcohol you consume.

8. Eat closer to the earth, enjoying fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Minimize the amount of processed foods you eat; they tend to offer less fiber and are less satiating.

9. If you can't resist fast food, ask for nutritional information before you make your choices (or check in advance via restaurant Web sites). Avoid any menu items with the words "fried," "crispy," and "special sauce," which are guaranteed to be high calorie.

10. Remember that the calories in the energy bars, sports drinks, and gels you consume during a run add up, even though you're running. Consume them only as needed.

Health Tips – Super Fruits

This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E & fibre. It’s Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

Apple : An apple a day keeps the doctor away?
Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attach & stroke.

Strawberry : Protective Fruit
Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals.

Orange : Sweetest medicine
Taking 2 –4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.

Watermelon : Coolest Thirst Quencher
Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene – the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C & Potassium.

Guava & Papaya : Top awards for Vitamin C
They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fibre which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes.

Are You Getting Enough Calcium on the Raw Vegan Diet?

Many people still believe dairy to be one of the best sources of calcium available. While it is true that dairy products are somewhat calcium-rich, one should keep in mind that they are also rich in animal protein. Because animal protein has an acidifying effect on our organism, calcium has to be leached out of our bones to restore the optimal pH balance.

photo by gokoroko

Even according to the National Dairy Council, “Individuals who consume a low-protein diet, such as some vegetarians, may require less calcium than omnivores or individuals who consume a higher protein diet.”

As a result, dairy products may provide our bodies with calcium, but they also take some away in the process. While the effect is small, there are healthier and more efficient ways of getting enough calcium; many plant foods are alkalizing and filled with many nutrients besides being calcium-rich, low in saturated fat, and devoid of cholesterol.

A similar calcium-leaching process may also happen during pregnancy. The developing fetus needs calcium for proper development, and if the mother’s diet does not contain enough to meet its needs, it will end up being taken from her bones. Unlike other nutrients such as iron however, the calcium requirement does not increase during pregnancy. It is now estimated to be about 1,000 mg per day, but many studies have found this amount to be greatly exaggerated, especially for men. A diet rich in calcium-rich plant foods, coupled with weight bearing exercises, is likely to provide enough calcium easily.

Besides, ingesting enough calcium is only half the battle. There are many nutrients that help with its absorption, and are just as critical in a healthy person’s diet. Such nutrients include vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

photo by sateda

Still, someone looking for animal-free sources of protein may be a little lost at first, but within a short amount of time, finding high calcium sources will become as easy as recognizing other foods for being high in vitamin C, iron, or other nutrients. Some of the most calcium-rich plant foods include:

− Sesame seeds (27%/ounce)
− Chia seeds (18%/ounce)
− Almonds (7% per ounce)
− Leafy Greens (kale: 10%/cup, collards: 5%/cup)
− Seaweed (kelp: 21%/cup; dulse: 6%/cup)

Tahini and Fruit Spread
My dad used to make me tahini and jam spreads all the time growing up. For a raw jam, blend fresh fruits with agave nectar until sweet and of a consistency similar to cooked jam.

Ingredients:
− 2 T tahini (sesame seed butter)
− 2 T raw jam

Directions:
Stir the tahini and jam together until they are somewhat mixed but you can still see streaks of each ingredients. Eat on raw crackers, sprouted bread, or with a spoon!

photo by Cyanocorax

Chia pudding
Chia puddings can be made in a variety of way. Here are a few combination that have been proved to be popular by many:

Sesame chia pudding:
The combination of chia and sesame seeds makes this pudding extremely calcium-rich. This recipe is adapted from the one (http://www.tonyakay.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1875) Tonya Kay was served while giving a talk on raw foods in Dallas. Chia pudding has since become one of her staple foods, and this particular version fulfills nearly 50% of our calcium requirement.

Ingredients:
− ¼ cup sesame seeds, ground
− 1 cup water
− 2-4 T honey, more or less to taste
− 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
− 1 teaspoon cinnamon
− 3 T Chia Seeds

Directions:
Combine ground sesame seeds, water, sweetener, vanilla and cinnamon in a blender and blend well. Pour the contents of the blender into a strainer over a bowl. Add the chia seeds and stir. Put the mix in the fridge and take it out to stir every 10 minutes or so until the chia seeds have finished releasing their yummy gooey goodness. It shouldn’t take longer than 1/2 an hour to be fully ready to eat.

Generic Chia Pudding:
This pudding is a base that can be altered any way you want. Try adding cacao, goji berries, lucuma, spices, etc.

Ingredients:
− 4 T chia seeds
− 4 T ground coconut
− 1-2 cups water or nut milk, depending on how thick you like your pudding
− Sweetener to taste, about 2 T, or soaked dates

Directions:
Blend the coconut, liquid and sweetener in a blender. Stir in the chia seeds by hand, and stir the mix twice every 10 minutes. Keep in the fridge.

photo by JWilsher

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Sea Weed
This salad can be kept at room temperature for a while without a problem. I often make it if I have to eat outside the house and know I won’t have access to healthy food. This salad contains about 25% of our calcium requirement, and is also exceptionally high in iron (50% of the RDA), phosphorus (20%) and potassium (30%).

Ingredients:
− ½ cup finely chopped kale
− 3 large lettuce leaves, shredded
− 1/2 a ripe avocado, cubed
− 1 small tomato, diced
− 3 small portobello mushrooms, sliced
− 1/3 cup dulse
− 2 T finely chopped kelp
− 1 T hemp seeds

Directions:
Mix everything together, and keep at room temperature for about an hour to let the seaweeds soften a little. You can mix in the dressing right away (before waiting), or just before eating. Mixing it later will ensure the lettuce stays crisp. You can add in anything else you like, such as carrot sticks, cubed cucumber, etc for added nutrients and variety.

House Introduces ‘Comprehensive’ Health Care Reform Bill

On Tuesday, July 14th, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the American’s Affordable Health Choices Act (AAHCA). This bill lays out the House’s blueprints for comprehensive health care reform legislation. Three Committees with jurisdiction over health policy – Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means - claimed that the bill would reduce out-of-control costs, encourage competition among insurance plans to improve choices for patients, and expand access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

The bill has a major impact on our LGBT loved ones and while it is not perfect, we are happy to note that it does include some of the items we have been lobbying for over the past few months. Below please find a few highlights from the bill as it relates to our LGBT loved ones:

• Semi-Inclusive Definition of Family. Throughout most of the bill’s text, it refers to “family” and “family coverage” in a way that does not exclude same-sex couples and their children – a very positive step. Due to the Defense of Marriage Act’s restrictions, it frames certain programs, taxes, and benefits around the term “spouse,” which has a limited definition of being a husband or wife in a different-sex marriage.
  

• Data Collection and Health Disparities. The bill creates a new Assistant Secretary for Health Information at the Department of Health and Human Services and charges them with ensuring the proper collection of critical health data – including, for the first time, data on sexual orientation and gender identity. This collection of data is a major step for our government in taking a vested interest in the health and wellbeing of LGBT individuals. The bill falls short, however, of including LGBT people in provisions focusing on populations with significant health disparities.
  

• Discrimination Protections. The bill includes important protections for LGBT people from discrimination by insurance companies or health care providers based on personal characteristics that are unrelated to the provision of quality health care. Presently, federal law does not offer protections against discrimination by insurance companies or health care providers on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Without such protections, LGBT people face serious disparities in receiving adequate care, healthcare services and access to insurance benefits.

PFLAG National continues to work in coalition with our community partners to advocate congress members and key committees to include the important provisions laid out by Representative Tammy Baldwin’s (WI-2) Ending LGBT Healthcare Disparities Act – H.R. 3001 – which was a bill introduced earlier this summer to address the health disparities experienced by LGBT Americans, to eliminate the barriers they face in accessing quality health care, and to ensure that good health and well-being is accessible to all. If you have any questions regarding our involvement with this work, please be sure to contact us.

Cheap High Risk Health Insurance

A lot of people are having a lot of trouble when it comes to paying for their health insurance every month. Prices keep getting higher and higher with seemingly no end in sight.

Fortunately, there are several steps the average person can take that will help to keep the cost lower - and then there is one big gamble that is available to everyone, one cheap high risk concept that just may be the last hope for many families. But before we get to that let’s look at a few things you might be able to do to lower the cost of yours.

Don’t smoke and don’t use chew. It’s hard to convince people that you are serious about lowering the cost with a cigarette between your lips. Smokers simply are not going to get the cheapest rates.

Unfortunately, much the same applies to people who are overweight - and losing weight is even more difficult than quitting smoking for most people. The higher your Body Mass Index (your BMI) the more you are going to pay for health insurance. Again, that’s simply a fact of life. Losing even a few pounds can have a profound affect on your premiums, however. If you manage to drop one rung on the insurance company’s BMI scale then you could save some serious cash month after month. Every pound counts, so do your best!

Eating healthier and getting a little exercise will also lower the cost of your health. Cut out fast foods as much as possible and eat a few vegetables and fruits every day. Walk around the block a few times each week. Join a group that walks the mall every morning. Ride a bike. In other words, get up off that couch and DO something two or three times each week. You’ll feel better, you’ll look better - and you’ll save money.

If you can afford to increase your co-payment to 50% then you’ll pay a lot less for premiums every month. If you don’t see a doctor on a regular basis then give this some serious consideration. Upping your deductible will lower your monthly premium. Just don’t go overboard and agree to pay a larger deductible than you can actually afford to pay.

If all of this still leaves you short of funds there’s one last thing you can do - you can open a Health Savings Account (HSA). This is a tax free savings account that can only be used to pay for health-related items. Part of your HSA account will be a low-cost super-high deductible health insurance.

This super high-deductible health insurance, with a deductible of over $2,000, will not pay for any of your medical treatment in a normal year. The purpose of these policies is to protect your home and other assets if you should have a catastrophic accident or suffer a major illness that results in medical bills in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars virtually overnight.

Whether you decide to look into an HSA account or whether you simply want to find a more traditional high risk health policy your next step should be to get online and find several websites that permit quick and easy price comparisons of health insurance from a variety of different companies.

Unfortunately most price comparisons websites only compare prices at a small handful of companies so if you really want to feel confident that you’ve found the very best price you possible could then you will need to make your comparisons on a minimum of 3 different sites.

In this way you can be assured of seeing prices from all or almost all of the companies operating in your state. The only thing left for you to do is to review all of the prices you’ve found and then pick the best one. You have now found the very best price you possibly can insurance in your state.

Understanding Your Car Insurance Policy

To many people, car insurance is very confusing. This confusion can lead to having too much car insurance or not enough car insurance. While you don't have to become a car insurance expert, you should take some time to go over your car insurance policy to familiarize yourself with your car insurance coverage.

New Homes Can Affect Your Car Insurance Coverage

Also, if you have purchased property or a home since you first purchased your car insurance policy, you may want to consider upping your Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability coverage levels. If you own a home and make more than $75,000 a year, most insurance experts recommend that you have at least $100,000/$300,000 of Bodily Injury coverage and $100,000 total of Property Damage Liability coverage.

Remember to keep yourself adequately covered; while having the bare minimums required by your state may keep you in compliance with state laws, they may not be enough to protect your assets if you have a major incident. Insurance experts recommend that you review your insurance policy often and thoroughly.

Understand Your Car Insurance Coverage

While everyone that drives in this country has to have some form of car insurance by law, many do not understand the basics of their policies. While we don't all have to be car insurance experts, it is important to at least comprehend the major bricks that build our car insurance policies. There are five parts of a typical car insurance contract (the titles of these sections may differ slightly from insurer to insurer, but they all address the same points):

Car Insurance Policy Declarations

This part of your policy is unique to you; it contains the personal facts for drivers in your household such as name and address, make and model of your vehicle(s), vehicle identification number(s), policy number and policy duration. It also contains the basic type of coverage you purchased and your policy limits and deductibles. Tip: Make sure your information is accurate; your claim may be denied if you provide inaccurate information to your insurer.

Car Insurance Policy Coverage Parts/Insuring Agreement

This section outlines the coverage options and coverage limits that you purchased, such as liability, medical, collision and comprehensive. This section basically outlines what your insurance company promises to provide in return for your payment, based on the coverages and coverage limits you selected.

Car Insurance Policy Exclusions

Exclusions simply detail what is not covered by highlighting your policy's limitations. Combined with the section above, this ensures that you know exactly what will be covered when you make a claim. It also shows you some possible deficiencies that you might want to correct down the line.

Car Insurance Policy Conditions

This is where the legal responsibilities of both the insured and the insurer are listed, including premium payment obligations, steps to filing a claim, and procedures for resolving disagreements.

Car Insurance Policy Definitions

This section defines terms and outlines the rights of the policyholder and the insurance company. This section is often referred to as the "fine print."

Car Insurance Policy Collision Coverage

This covers loss to your own auto caused by its collision with another vehicle or object. If you cause an accident, collision coverage will pay to repair your vehicle, and is normally the most expensive part of a car insurance policy. You must choose a deductible, which is the amount you, the insured, must pay before the insurance company pays the remainder of each covered loss. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium costs.

However, keep in mind that this is the amount you must pay (generally to the repair shop) if your vehicle is damaged, so deciding on your deductible, which directly affects your premium, can be a bit of a balancing act.

Car Insurance Policy Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage covers damage to your vehicle caused by an event other than a collision or overturn. Examples include fire, theft, vandalism, and falling objects. This also comes with a deductible you select, which is how much you will pay before the insurance company pays the remainder.

Car Insurance Policy Liability

The official definition of liability is: "That portion of the insurance contract which pays and renders service on behalf of an insured for a covered loss arising out of the insured's responsibility to others imposed by law or assumed by contract." In simpler terms, if you are at fault in an accident, liability insurance will pay to cover injuries and property damage costs caused to others in the accident (including your legal defense costs, if applicable).

Bodily injury coverage pays for things like medical costs and lost salary to others, while property damage pays for repairs to other people's property you damaged in the accident (other than your own car). Liability coverage (which is the state mandated part of your policy) is the basic building block of any auto policy, and minimum liability limits vary from state to state.

Knowing Your Life Insurance Companies

When you are looking to purchase life insurance, it is not as easy as buying a car insurance. You need to know the different types of insuring yourself and of the reliability of the life insurance companies. There are literally thousands of life insurance companies so it is not fair to name some or few that we can say reliable. Reliability of the insurer is always a must when deciding where to buy insurance.

Some of these companies offer the most outstanding and reliable products because of their affordability and quality. But do not be fooled by the affordability of their product, just make sure you can rely on them for the long haul. What is the use of getting cheap and affordable way of being insured if they are no longer there when you need them?

But before you decide on which insurer you going to have, the first thing you should do is to decide on what type of life insurance you are going to take out. Ask yourself what you want. Do you want a term life, a whole life or a universal life insurance? A term life is for temporary coverage and for specified period of time only. A whole life will cover you for life and plus it has an investment component attached to it. Once you have decided on what type you getting yourself insured, then start looking for the life insurance companies who offer them.

The next thing you should do is make a list of the companies you are interested in. Then try and solicit any advice as the reliability of each of those that you choose. Ask your friends and family members if anybody knew anything about any of those on your lists. This one way of finding if the insurers have good business practices and true to their commitments. See if anyone has any good or bad experiences with any of those on your lists.

It will be a very good idea to contact your federal or state insurance department if these companies are licensed to sell life insurance in your state. The most reliable companies are those that are authorized and licensed to sell them in your state. You do this primarily to ensure that if something wrong happens, your state’s insurance department can help you. Being licensed in your state is very important for you to know in order to avoid any problems later.

Another thing you have to look for is the ratings given to these companies. There are independent research companies who rates these insurers and some can be reach online. If you cannot find them online, you contact them these research companies directly.

Knowing what type of life insurance, they are licensed to do business in your state, with high financial rating and with good business practices mean reliable life insurance companies. Just make sure you have done your home work. This way you have the sense of security and peace of mind.

Travel Insurance - Things You Need to Know About

Travel insurance is a type of insurance that gives coverage to those who travel to foreign countries on holidays or some business travel. This kind of policy protects you from losses while you are travelling. If you lose luggage or some personal possessions and money is stolen or lost, travel insurance will cover these and give you complete peace of mind while travelling.

Many people choose this kind of insurance, but not all of them know really what it is and how to benefit from it. If you know everything about it and what is included in, you will be able to make the most of your protection.

Main categories of the risks that are covered by travel insurance are:

Trip cancellation or delay - Cancellation of a trip is covered by your chosen insurance company if a trip is cancelled for illness, death, bad weather conditions or other specific unforeseen circumstances. When trip is delayed company reimburses you for additional accommodations or travel expenses.

Loss, delay or theft of baggage or some personal possessions and money - This will cover you for any items and possessions lost, delayed or theft while travelling. This kind of insurance is very comfortable to use when your destination place is too far and there is no any charter flight. Lots of luggage is lost in international airports and the flight operator reimburses luggage lost by its weight, not value. In this case travel insurance is perfect.

Medical expenses or medical evacuation and repatriation - It covers medical expenses incurred while travelling. Medical evacuation is just what it says; if you need to be transported to an appropriate medical facility or to return home, emergency evacuation arranges this. Repatriation benefits cover the cost of returning a deceased traveller’s body back to the place of residence.

Accidental death or injury - Accidental death or injury provides cash payment for accidental death or injury while travelling.

Travel insurance benefits vary, each of the insurance companies offer different policies with different benefits and rules that should be followed if you want the company to cover your expenses. Those mentioned above are most common ones.

In conclusion, it can be said that travel insurance is really essential product across the globe. Your private health insurance will only cover your expenses in your own state or country, but not abroad. You will loose nothing with buying this kind of policy, but without the protection of your travel insurance, you will be very much out of pocket, as there can occur many financial losses. As a rule medical service is very expensive abroad and by purchasing insurance policy for very small amount of money, you can fully get relaxed.

So, if you are planning your trip out, get more information about travel insurance policy, find most reliable insurance company, find out what is provided by this company and just enjoy your travel with peace of mind.

Do not forget to set off on your trip with your travel insurance policy in your pocket.

Home Insurance - Who Needs What

You can purchase a home insurance deal in three ways: for the physical structure of the home, the contents of the home, or both the building and the contents of the home. Building insurance will cover damage to your property and the fixtures and fittings of the home. Contents insurance will cover all the worldly contents of your home. If you go for building and contents then both the home and the contents will be insured.

This division in home insurance is very important. It is mainly for the benefit of the purchasers. Some people are homeowners only. They do not live in their homes but give it away on rent. For this category of people, purchasing an insurance deal that covers both the building and the contents does not make any sense. They need it only for the building. So, there is home insurance deal that covers the building only.

Then there are people who are simple tenants. They do not own the building in which they live. So, it does not make any sense to them to buy a home insurance deal that includes both the home and its contents. They need to insure only the valuable contents of their home. For this category of people, there are insurance deals that cover only the contents of the home. They can keep the valuable contents of the home protected with it.

The third category is the people who own the home and live in it as well. What they need is a home insurance deal that covers the building as well as the contents. Any kind of damage to the building will be a big loss to them. Similarly, they will be at the receiving end if the contents of the home are lost or damaged. So, for them it is necessary to purchase the deal that covers both the home and its contents.

Health Insurance - How To Get The Right Plan For Less

Some people play with or neglect their health until they lose it. That shouldn’t be the case with you. At the same time, health insurance, though necessary, is expensive. Is there a way to lower costs? Yes, there are ways. There are things you can do to lower your health insurance rates. Let’s take a look at them.

There are exclusions in your chosen health insurance policy. Do you know them? Read through to really make sure you understand what you’ll get and what you won’t. Don’t wait until you have to make claims to find out that you did not have coverage that you should have bought.

There are many free articles that will help you understand health insurance better. But make sure you ask the agent assigned to you anything you don’t understand before buying a health insurance policy.

Now that you know what’s best for you, make sure you’re buying your policy from an insurance company that will serve you well on the long run. You have to consider some things before selecting an insurance company. For exanple, can you justify the premium you’ll pay for the health insurance policy when compare it with offers from other insurers?

Health insurance quotes sites will help you get the best price/value for your preferred policy (Just make sure you already know the best health insurance plan for you).

Your doctor is in a good position to know insurance companies that will handle your claims well. If you deal with health insurance providers the way doctors do you’ll understand why they really know those you should avoid.

If you want unbiased advice, visit your state’s department of insurance. They’ll give you valuable information on licensed insurance companies in your state.

You can visit sites by experienced insurance professionals. Reading through their articles, reports and news items will further help you make a choice that won’t hurt you on the long run.

Quotes sites run by insurance brokers are the best places to get your health insurance quotes. They are better for comparing health insurance quotes because they give more unbiased views on matters, affiliate themselves only with reputable companies and also return a good number of quotes for each request.

Their credibility will be affected negatively if someone gets connected to a poorly rated insurer through them. These brokers make their money notwithstanding which company you choose. Therefore, they go for insurance companies that will give their users better value.

A Guide to Car Insurance

While thinking about car insurance is just about as exciting as watching paint dry, it is a necessity. Most of us will have to pay for motor insurance and, is a legal requirement if you are driving a vehicle on the roads. Yet many of us still do not know enough about the product and what the cover entails.

When shopping around, or indeed buying car insurance for the first time, it makes sense to know what kind of policy would best suit your circumstances. This particular issue centres around what you are driving and for what reason.

There are three different levels of car insurance cover. The basic product is standard Third Party insurance. This covers a few eventualities that may occur when you are out on the road. Situations that you can insure against with this product include injuries to other people. If you damage other people’s property with your vehicle, the insurance will cover a portion of their costs. However, any damage to your vehicle will not be covered.

Because of this, Third Party car insurance may be useful for motorists whose vehicles that are a little on the older side, where the cost of replacing them if damage occurs isn’t too much. But if you have a newer car, other policies may be more fitting.

You could consider taking out Third Party, Fire and Theft insurance. Just like the it says on the tin, this covers everything that Third Party insurance does, but also covers you in the event of a fire or theft of the vehicle.

Again, this could be a choice for those motorists whose cars do not cost a lot. It is not the most expensive product, so might be suited to younger drivers who find the cost of a more sophisticated insurance product prohibitive.

If you want the most comprehensive car insurance - ie one that covers just about everything - then you should consider a Fully Comprehensive policy. This is not the cheapest of options, but if you have a reasonably expensive vehicle, then this will give it the ultimate protection.

Not all Fully Comprehensive insurance is the same, as policy terms and features can vary. But most providers offer a product that covers everything that Third Party and Third Party Fire and Theft cover, plus a little more. Any accidental damage to your car can be part paid for by the policy, for example. You will also receive some personal accident benefit. Any medical expenses that arise from an accident will often be covered too, which is a great plus point for the product. The product is most attractive for a lot of motorists due to the fact that it can also cover loss of or damage to any personal effects in the vehicle. So if there is any damage to anything in your vehicle for whatever reason, then in most cases you will get some financial compensation.

There are a vast number of car insurance providers out there. The average motorist can be forgiven for thinking that organising insurance for their vehicle is beyond them, simply due to the mass of information available. One thing you can do is arrange for a specialist broker to shop around for the best deal for you; this will reduce the legwork you have to do to find a good policy.

Insurance - Why Choose Term Life Insurance Policy

Building a family cannot be an easy process, being single is different but when you start a family your share of responsibilities increase. Since quite few years you would have acquired wealth and have your share of investments and assets; all this requires loads of hard work, time and energy. Take a minute and ponder what would be the situation of your family once they removed you out of the picture? All the wealth that you have would not suffice a family of four after say ten years. With the increase in inflation, all your savings would come to a standstill.

If the unfortunate accident of your loved one will leave you in a state of misery then you have to plan accordingly to ensure a safer future for your family. The market is flooded with many policies that one can benefit from, however the best part about term insurance is that it is for a shorter period of time. This policy will suffice your needs and protect your family from debts once you were gone.

A simple instance is any priced commodity say home or car costs you money, and instead of paying it from your earnings many take a loan instead. If your spouse were to die in an accident, then the dependent i.e. you can pay off the bill by the due date. These installments need to be paid over a couple of years no matter what the situation of your home. Life is all about leaving memories that your family will cherish you by, so leaving them a legacy of debts will only cause stress to your loved ones.

We are accustomed to a way of living, and to change the lifestyle due to the lack of finances and proper planning can be shattering emotionally to smaller kids. , if you have children or if your spouse does not work, term life insurance can protect your family ’s finances by providing money for college and living expenses if you die before your children are standing on their feet.

The duration of the term is entirely person dependent; you can opt for a shorter term if you have no responsibilities from your kid’s side. Renew each policy term annually, life is so unpredictable we cannot say what could happen to us in the next moment. Hence if you have any major life changing events then you can choose a longer term accordingly as per the need of the hour.

the first one

I am going through a photo slump lately, the kind where I hate the places I usually use and hate the new places I try, so all of my photos are turning out just O.K., and I’m afraid to even submit them to Foodgawker or Tastespotting because a little more rejection is just not what I need right now; nonetheless, there’s nothing wrong with my eating, as you can probably guess, so let’s focus on that.

I’ve joined a CSA. This is a fairly big deal. You probably already know what one is, but I didn’t—not until June, when one of my favorite bloggers mentioned a shipment from hers, and I said something about being jealous, and she said, Doesn’t Chicago have Community Supported Agriculture? And I said, Well, I guess we do.

Here’s how it works: you pay a flat upfront fee (mine was a reduced $180 because of a rough growing season in Chicago), like you’re buying a share in the farm, and, in exchange, the farmers give you regular shipments of fresh produce.

Actually I think it was fate that I learned this in June, because Broad Branch Farm (located in central Illinois, four miles east of a town named Wyoming) was only the second farm I contacted, and, would you believe it, they still had openings for the vegetable half shares, delivered every other weekend for a total of eight shipments, beginning in July.

I got my first shipment Saturday, and, people, I am so excited. In the box (again, pay no attention to the overexposed photography) were peppers, garlic, Swiss chard, lettuce, turnips, parsley and, oh my gosh, was all I kept thinking to myself while I pulled packages like presents out of the cardboard: how am I going to eat all this?

So I started with soup.

Having had such success with vegetable-based soups (celeriac, carrot, spinach) in the past, this was a natural choice for the turnips, but, I am sorry to say, a disappointing one. While the soup was edible, it lacked flavor, of any kind, enough so that I was shaking additions on top (more salt! some parsley!) in an attempt to help things. It was creamy, it was hot, but it was nothing much else. I’m half-tempted to add the leftovers to some mashed potatoes (do any of you have thoughts on that?).

On to the greens. There was a little brochure with my share that gave news about the farm and included a recipe for a quick breakfast—Swiss chard and eggs. What you do is this: saute the Swiss chard (stem and leaf, which I chopped up roughly), crack some eggs on top and cover until cooked through. I added a step in scrambling and pouring in a little milk, as well as seasoning the whole thing with salt and pepper, but, let me tell you, I loved it. I ate it for dinner Saturday and then again for breakfast Sunday. Swiss chard is similar to spinach and from the same family as the garden beet, so you could use those if they’re handy. It will be ready in 15 minutes, and you’ll feel totally satisfied when you’re done.

Then, the peppers. I found five or six of them in there, in different sizes, some fat and short, some skinny and long like jalapenos, but they were all sweet, and so I searched a little online and found something perfect: Potato fritters with sweet pepper relish.

In the Pink Sangria

We made this pink sangria for our friend Blondie’s Birthday Potluck in Prospect Park.* We drink a lot of sangria around here and find that for outdoor picnics, a pretty diluted sangira is preferable and more refreshing on a hot day out in the sun. That’s why this recipe calls for 2 liters of seltzer. If you’re serving this at night at a party, drop the seltzer down to just one liter or less (you know, depending on what kind of party you’re having, nudge, nudge.) The raspberries and pineapple with the rose wine give this one a nice bright, fruity taste and the bright pink color, punctuated with the yellow pineapple, just screams “Birthday Party!” And, of course, blondes and pink always have gone together splendidly!


Ingredients

• 1.5 liter bottle Rose wine (NY $6.99)
• 2 shots Crème de Cassis (NY $1.77)
• 2 pints strawberries (NY $2.49)
• 1/2 pint raspberries (NY $2.49)
• 1 pineapple (NY $4.99)
• 2 liters seltzer (Free (to other sangria post) or NY $1.04)

Directions


Pour wine and cassis into a large pitcher. Wash strawberries, remove leaves, quarter vertically and toss into pitcher. Wash raspberries and add to raspberries. Chop pineapple into approximately half inch chunks and add to wine/fruit mixture. Put into refrigerator and allow to chill for 3-6 hours. Immediately before serving, add seltzer. (Either pour into pitcher if yours is large enough, or top off individual glasses with the seltzer.) Be sure to scoop lots of fruit into each glass, digging down for the non-floating raspberries: picking out the boozy fruity flotsam** is half the fun!


* The economy being what it is, Blondie still hasn’t found employment, but she’s had some encouraging interviews. Keep your fingers crossed for her!

**Of course, since raspberries don't float, I guess we can't call them flotsam, can we? OK, then, jetsam it is!

Market Matters- Big Flavor Light Lunch Summer Squash

It's summer. It's hot. You may not feel like cooking. Especially in the heat of the day.

But people are still going to stop by aren't they? I have friends coming by this afternoon. We plan to beat the heat by laying low by the pool. I would not really call this sort of event entertaining because everybody will probably have his or her noses tucked inside a book. But I am still going to have to feed them aren't I?

You betcha.

So this morning I walked down to the Hollywood Farmers Market. I needed to do Market Matters post and I needed to put together a light lunch for my friends.

I picked up these sweet little summer squash. They are a bit bigger than a golf ball. But not quite as big as a tennis ball. Look how round and perfect they are. They are a great jumping off place for the light poolside lunch I have planned. Stuffed Summer Squash di Alici.

But just because my lunch needs to be light and easy to make ahead does not mean it can't be big on flavor.

So I am going to stuff these squash with the big bold flavors of the Amalfi coast. When I think Amalfi coast I think winding seaside highways snaking drunkenly through the hills and valleys hugging Italy's southwest seaside. But, I also think anchovies. So you can bet these stuffed squash will feature anchovies and Colaturo di Alici in a big way.

Colatura di Alici is like an Italian fish sauce. Similar to the concoction that transforms Thai cooking into fabled lore.

It is still made much as it was in Roman times. Sardines, anchovies or pesce azzuro are left in wooden vats to decompose.

The subsequent concentrated fish oil is filtered and bottled.

I will start by cutting off a little lid and hollowing out each of my summer squash. For 4 people use 6 or 8 squash, depending on size. The interior flesh I will sauté in olive oil with shallots, plenty of garlic, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (maybe more) and 8 to 10 anchovies.

If you can find salt-packed as opposed to oil-packed anchovies try and get them. They usually come in an intimidatingly large can. But they keep forever in the salt so there is no need to worry about them. Plus you never have to wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night terrified that there are no good anchovies in the house. The can is that big. It will last months (if not years)!

The salt-packed variety needs to be soaked to remove the salt and reconstitute them somewhat. I often do this in milk. But I am not sure why... I must have read it somewhere or maybe learned that tip on my travels (Croatia??). Because it's something I do with out giving it much thought.

Anyway the anchovies will cook down and practically disintegrate into the vegetables. To this mixture I add chopped parsley and freshly toasted coarse breadcrumbs. Take the time of starting with a few slices of good rustic bread (crusts and all), chop them up and pulse them a few times in a food processor before drizzling them in olive oil. Then spread them onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F, 6-7 minutes until toasty golden brown.

Once the breadcrumbs are mixed into the anchovy mixture add the 1-teaspoon or so of the Colatura di Alici. Taste and adjust for seasoning. It probably won't need salt, but you may want to add additional red or black pepper.

Next mix in about 1-cup ricotta and 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Scoop this mixture back into the hollowed out squash. Pack the mixture in tightly and mound the squash a good amount too. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly across the tops of all the stuffed squash, and put the top back on at a rakish angle (optional). Then bake them about 30 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven until browned and bubbly.

You may serve them hot as a side-dish or at room temperature on top of a bed of simply dressed salad greens.

I baked them hours before my friends got here, then set them aside at room temperature.

This way when someone finally peeks their head up from their book and says. Is anybody else hungry? Won't I look like some kind of genius when I run into the kitchen and come back with a big platter of tossed greens and 6 or 7 of these delicious stuffed squash perched on top. All this lunch needs is a good drizzle of olive oil and as much fresh squeezed lemon as you'd like.

And, while we are at it maybe some wine. Click here or on the wine notes box above to read about the pairing from my brother Grant!

"Oh Garçon!" Grant hates it when I call him Garçon...

Rotini with Corn and Tomatoes Cruda

This is a great recipe for the dog days of summer, when tomato and corn are at the ripest and the mere thought of having the stove on for more than a few minutes makes you want to whimper. As you can probably tell from the ingredient lists, this is one of those recipes that you’re only going to want to make when you can get burstingly fresh produce. I like this best with extremely young kernels that are pale and tiny. We prefer rotini or rotelle for this dish as the tiny corn kernels get caught in the grooves of the pasta. Serve hot or at room temperature.


Ingredients

• 2 ears of corn (NY $1.00)
• 3 tomatoes (NY $2.29)
• 1 bunch scallions (NY $0.59 for one bunch)
• 1 clove garlic (NY $0.24 for one head)
• ½ lb. rotini (NY $0.33)
• 4 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar (staple)
• Salt (staple)
• Pepper (staple)

Directions
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. Husk and silk the ears of corn. Wash under cold water to
remove any remaining silks and clean the cobs well, trimming if needed. When the water comes to a boil, add rotini and set a timer for five minutes. After 5 minutes, add the corn. After approx. 3 more minutes, both the corn and rotini should be done. Keep an eye on the corn though: if your ear is especially young and tender, use tongs to pull it out early if needed.


Meanwhile, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste if a large bowl. Mince garlic, add and stir. Chop and seed the tomatoes and thinly slice the white and pale green parts of the scallions.* Stir to combine.


Once rotini and corn are cooked, drain and add the pasta to tomato mixture in the bowl. Remove the corn from the cob by standing it upright on a cutting board, holding on to the cob with a towel as it will be hot, and slice off the kernels by running your knife vertically down the cob. Add the corn kernels to the pasta and tomato mixture, and toss well.



Nutritional Facts
Amount Per Serving

Calories 202.8	Protein 8.9 g	Magnesium 6.0 %
Total Fat 1.9 g	Vitamin A 13.7 %	Manganese 8.2 %
Saturated Fat 0.1 g	Vitamin B-12 0.0 %	Niacin 16.0 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g	Vitamin B-6 6.8 %	Pantothenic Acid 2.9 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g	Vitamin C 21.5 %	Phosphorus 5..8 %
Cholesterol 0.0 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Riboflavin 14.8 %
Sodium 416.7 mg	Vitamin E 1.3 %	Selenium 1.0 %
Potassium 314.3 mg	Calcium 3.3 %	Thiamin 29.3 %
Total Carbohydrate 40.1 g	Copper 4.2 %	Zinc 2.8 %
Dietary Fiber 5.0 g	Folate 36.3 %
Sugars 3.4 g	Iron 14.8 %

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

1 tsp baking powder
1 oz cocoa powder
2 oz butter
2½ oz flour
3 eggs
4 oz sugar

For icing

1 tin cherry
1 tin pineapple (optional)
1 packet cream
1 bar of bitter chocolate
4 tbsp icing sugar

Method

Melt butter and allow it to cool. Sieve flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Beat eggs and sugar till thick and creamy.

Fold half the flour in the mixture and the remaining flour with melted butter. Grease pan and pour the mixture in it. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180°c.

Beat cream with icing sugar until thick and fluffy. Cut the cake into half horizontally, pour cherry syrup on it and then spread the cream. Place a few cherries and pineapple pieces. Cover the cake and decorate with cream and grated chocolate.

Jack in Box - Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

Jack in the Box announced this week the launch of their Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwiches.

It's an expansion to their Mini Sirloin Burgers, which according to the company, has proven popular.


The new sandwiches come with homestyle chicken fillets topped with Frank’s RedHot sauce, ranch sauce and shredded lettuce on toasted mini buns.

The Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwiches are available now for the suggested price, excluding tax, of $3.89 for three sandwiches at all participating Jack in the Box restaurants.

Brown Sugar Sandwich Cookies Recipe

My intention was to bring a little baggie of these snappy, chocolate-stuffed sandwich cookies on the plane to Philadelphia last week. Unfortunately, I ran out of time (having clean clothes trumped having cookies this time around) and had to wait until after my trip to bake them off. That being said, they are an effective travel tool, perfect for establishing goodwill with the stranger(s) sitting next to you. The poppy-flecked, brown sugar dough has a mellow sweetness, and it is my feeling that the butter browns just enough in the oven to bring the flavors together full circle. The chocolate functions as binding bridge between two wafer-thin coins.

There are a couple tricks to making these cookies extra good. The first is simple - roll the dough out very, very thin. Not parchment thin, but certainly Saltine cracker thin. The resulting cookies will be crisp, elegant, and lovely to look at. You want just a bit of chocolate sandwiched between just a bit of cookie. Too much cookie and the ratio gets thrown off.

The second important thing to be (particularly) mindful of is the baking time. You want the cookies to bake until they are beautifully golden, particularly on the bottom edges where the cookies meet the baking sheet. Don't turn your back, cookies this thin will go from blond to burned in a heartbeat.

Oh, Bugger

However, there's a new "Deco Kit" running rampant through our nations bakeries that, quite frankly, must be stopped. In fact, it's not so much a kit as it is a creepy garnish. Let's see if you can spot it in this photo:

"Oh, look at the pretty ca!!!!"

Yes, those are in fact giant, disturbingly life-like, (yet mercifully plastic) ants - or as bakers are calling them, "the new sprinkles."

Which might explain why they're popping up everywhere.

See, two ants are good...

Three are better...

But four equals "display only". Good to see there are limits.

For some reason watermelon cakes suffer the most from these pesky "antics":

Because, really, how else could you make this cake less appetizing?

It's always good to have insects on the brain while eating a cake covered in black specks.

And yes, please, let's put Old Glory on there to remind everyone that only we Americans could produce the double-whammy Wreckage of both a (cupcake cake) AND the GAG (Giant Ant Garnishes). Wouldn't want some other country claiming this one, now, would we?

Christine T., Penny R., Sidney B., Dave K., Kathryn S., Erica H., & Kate B., you know why anteaters never get sick, right? No? Well, it's 'cuz they're so full of antibodies.