Shaine Mata Blog

Jicama My latest misadventure involves jicama , a perishable food item that resembles a turnip. I can't make out whether it's a bean or a vine from the Wiki entry. It's definitely a root. But, other sources online categorize jicama as a sort of morning glory or nightshade. I had a business idea, which required me to purchase five pounds of jicama. So, how much jicama does five pounds make? About three large jicamas will yield five pounds. Actually, I went over by half a pound. But, it's not like you can resize them to suit you. So, now I have five pounds of jicama at home to eat. I cut one up and sprinkled Trechas and lime on it to eat. I had a few pieces and put the rest in the refrigerator to cool. A while later, I started coughing with a familiar sensation that comes from a food allergy. After a little research, sure enough. Jicama is among the foods that triggers a latex allergy. I had never experienced this reaction with jicama. However, I typically ea...

Difficult to find food without refined carbs when on the go. Everything is breaded or uses sugar, bread, pasta, etc to increase the serving size. The non carb portions are meager.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by shainelee via Flickr"] [/caption] The simplest plans can be the most difficult to follow. They are so simple that it is easy to go off track because you could not simply get lost. Thus, it is likely you'll go off track often. I have a simple plan; which may be too simple. In its purest form, my plan is: Diet Exercise These are a bit broad. Let's look at each one. Diet I have two goals when it comes to eating. The first goal is to eat foods that are low on the glycemic index . The second goal is to reduce the overall number of calories consumed. With low glycemic index foods , the diet is simple. This cuts out most carbohydrates. I still eat wheat and multigrain products. However, for the most part, my diet will consist of fruits and vegetables with a serving of protein. Lean meats are in order. In terms of calories, I don't exactly count calories; b...

Image via Wikipedia My friend Lebby Salinas introduced me to USANA about a year ago. She would tell me how the shakes helped her transition to a low-glycemic diet, whatever that was. I've ever only know her at her current weight, which is rather thin. It wasn't until I saw her "Before" pictures that I started to pay attention. I've been progressively gaining weight over the years. It has been slow; but, unrelenting. So, I decided to give it a try. I've been losing weight since Thanksgiving, slowly. While some of the credit is directly due to USANA's Nutrimeal, some is also due to eating better. I think what has helped tremendously was that Lebby taught me about the Glycemic Index and how different foods rate. So, I've been able to mix and match my daily nutrition with combinations of shakes and food. At this point, she and I don't have to order the Nutrimeal shakes; but, it's good to have them at hand for when we are pressed f...

If you've followed my Twitter stream lately, you probably are aware that I have been hinting about my health concerns. For now, my only issue is cholesterol; however, if left unchecked, this can lead to other problems downstream, like heart disease. This has made me reconsider and take steps to change my lifestyle. I love technology and the Internet; but the truth is, doing this stuff all day is not healthy. Unchecked geeking has a detrimental effect on the body because of its sedentary nature, not to mention the skinny arms and legs from lack of muscles. Clearly, I have to make a conscious and deliberate change in my life in all aspects like diet, exercise, sleep, and even spiritually. Of course, it helps to have friends and family who also want to improve their lives join me in this quest. For this reason, I have joined USANA Health Sciences as an Associate. Yes, this means that in addition to talking about social media and fixing computers, I also sell nutritional produc...

I have not ordered Domino's Pizza in some time; I am surprised by their new quality and easy ordering. In the past, their value proposition was that they would get you a hot pizza in 30 minutes or less. There was no claim on how good it would taste. So, if you wanted good pizza, you'd order Pizza Hut, even if it took a little longer. Of course, Papa John's is pretty good too. But, now that Domino's has changed how they make pizza and added an online ordering system, I am a fan again. I got an opportunity to taste the new Domino's earlier in March. That is how I learned about the ability to order online. I probably knew this somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, if I were interested in ordering Domino's. The convenience of ordering online was not sufficient for me to get past my desire for decent pizza. So, when I actually tasted the new product, I was impressed. I typically leave pizza bones behind; some of you call them crusts. With the new Domino'...

I don't own a wok or have a 400 degree flame. But, I make fried rice for my family at home. Here is how I do it. First, steam the rice. The easiest method is to buy a $20 rice cooker from Wal-Mart. Rice cookers come with a measuring cup. Typically, four cups of uncooked rice is enough to fill a pot. You should be sure to rinse the rice at least a couple times to remove the starch. I don't know if it makes a difference; but I use hot water. You'll need to chop up some kind meat for flavor. You can mix meats if you like. In this case, I'm using beef and sausage. You can also use any combination including shrimp or chicken. Whatever flavor you like. I'm seasoning the meat with some diced onions and minced garlic . Fry it all together until browned. While the rice is cooking and the meat is browning, chop up some green onions . You'll need those later. Set the browned meat aside while the rice is still cooking. I can't tell you the reason why egg is ...