San Francisco's Finest Sushi Restaurants

16tspencer
If you are looking for sushi and you really, really love sushi, then here is a list for you. These are some of the top rated restaurants from people who have eaten there and know their sushi. Of course, not everyone will agree on everything, but for sure these restaurants were rated by lovers of the Sushi Bar.

San Francisco is famous for many things such as the Golden Gate Bride, the cable cars and it's sushi. San Franciso is famous for being the most beautiful city in America to visit and its open door policy for all lifestyles and its sushi. San Francisco is famous for being the city that survived after the great earthquake and for its love of sushi.

1. Ino Sushi:

Ino Sushi got a four out of five stars and it seems the favorite there is the Monk Liver. Comments were that you must try the Monk Liver. This is a very small place, not holding more than 15 persons and reservations a must. Even if there are empty tables, you will not be served without a reservation. The best place is to start, is at the bar and say, "Omakase Please." The bartender will make you a delightful dinner that you will never forget.

Some favorites from the Ino Sushi are:Bluefin tuna, Toro (Kobe fish), Pike, Engawa, Saba, Uni, Unagi,


Ankimo and Ikura.

You want to know how good it is? (comment of a sushi lover)

"We rarely know what he charged us for or what the price of each item was. All we know is that we are finished with our meal and the bill has arrived - and whatever the cost, our mouths and stomachs are screaming that it was worth it."

Pacific Heights, Japantown

22 Peace Plaza
Ste 510
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 922-3121

2. Ace Wasabi's Rock and Roll Sushi:

A nice restaurant at a affordable price with a bar and a comfortable area in the back for family dining. The Marina locals hang out here and a very busy center. The front area is meant for the social life with the pub and the bar.

Some of the specialties are: The Three Amigos with tuna, yellow tail, eel and veggies, Ace Wasabi crab, and eel and macaedamia nuts. The price range is from $4-10.

3339 Steiner St, San Francisco, CA 94123. Cross Streets: Between US-101 and Chestnut St. 415-567-4903

3. Maki:

The Maki is a five star restaurant , which is both intimate and diminutive. It has an exquisite array of Japanese cuisine. The Maki offers wappa meshi, kalseki dinners and sushi of all kinds.

The Maki has casual and intimate dining. There is also outdoor dining. The average course price is $20.
1825 Post St, Japan Center San Francisco, Ca 94115 415-921-5215

4. Sushi Grove:

The Sushi Grove is a modern restaurant that has a cafe-like atmosphere. Crowds of people flock to this trendy restaurant with its reasonable priced meals. They have creative sushi and they specialize in premium and freshness. They run specials every night, but the favorites here are toro and octopus.

The restaurant aims to suit all with full dining and starter meals and of course plenty of sakes. There are romantic areas in the restaurant and casual dining also. The average cost of a meal is $18.
1916 Hyde St., San Francisco, CA 94109 415-440-1905

No matter which restaurant you try, the end result should be extreme satisfaction, pleasure and fulfillment of a hope and a dream. Sushi is not for everyone, but for true lovers of Sushi, these restaurants are the icing of the cake.

Photo courtesy of Photobucket 16tspencer

Five Very Delicious Smoothie Recipes

There is nothing better than to have a big smoothie at anytime of the day. Using milk, makes it creamy and delicious and almost like ice cream. It is a very simple way to give you and your family instant pleasures. As we think of something both healthy, nutritional and delicious, there is only one thing that comes to mind and that is a big milk smoothie.

There are many doctors which tell you not to drink milk and that is up to you. But if you limit your consumption to 1-2 glasses per day and try to always use fresh or even better raw milk. An alternative is always yogurt. Like in all things, moderation is the key. All smoothies, you can add and subtract and enjoy many flavors from adding an extra apple to including and indulging in some frozen yogurt with the milk.

The following are some that are tried and true recipes:

Creamy Banana Dream

  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
  • 4 frozen bananas
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 6 ice cubes
Place all the above in a blender and blend for 45 seconds and enjoy. You can easily double this recipe and share or just keep it all for yourself.


Banana and Strawberry Delight
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 pint of strawberries with the green tops left on
  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 1 Tablespoon of honey or sugar
  • 4 ice cubes
Blend the whole lot together and enjoy. I just love when strawberries are in season. What I do is freeze them when in season and then I can enjoy them all the year long. Do not wash strawberries until you are ready to use them as they will ruin quickly.

Cherry Spritz Delight
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
  • 1 cup of pitted cherries
  • 4 ice cubes
Blend the lot and enjoy. Cherries can be pitted and froze for later use. A bit of work, but oh worth the time you spend preparing those luscious cherries.

Pomegranate Smoothie
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
  • 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice
  • 5 ice cubes
Blend the lot and enjoy. An easy way to juice the pomegranates, is to remove the seeds and place all the seeds in the blender and blend on high speed and then strain the juice.

Pineapple Delight

Peel an entire pineapple and juice the core and the pineapple.

Place the pineapple in a blender with the following:
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1/2 cup of papaya
  • 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
Blend everything together and enjoy.

Yogurt and Homemade Granola Parfait Recipe

If you are looking for a healthy, nutritional and delicious snack, then I have the one for you. It is packed full of flavor, vitamins and then topped with some ground flax seeds. This recipe is for one parfait but can be easily double or tripled.

The flax seeds must be ground fresh, as they do go rancid after ten minutes so do not make those a head of time. You can also change the fruits around to suit your needs. I love also grapes, cherries and banana combinations. The topping of flax seeds, is so you get extra nutrition. Some love to make a strawberry syrup to put the fruits in but it is not necessary.

It could not be easier than that and your 5 year old could do this.

Take one parfait glass and add the following in layers:
  • A scoop of low fat yogurt
  • 1 spoon of mixed fruits such as (bananas, strawberries and mango)
  • Then top with some homemade granola ( recipe at the bottom)
  • Sprinkle some freshly ground flax seed on the granola
 Do this same procedure for three layers. On the last spoon of flax seeds, top with a whole strawberry.

Recipe for Granola:
  • Take 4 cups of granola
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil (not extra virgin )
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed
  • 1 cup of chopped almonds
  • 1 cup of walnuts
 Mix well, add in some water as necessary to moisten. Put in a greased pan and bake in a medium oven for 45 minutes. Stir 2-3 times during the cooking. Let cook and then store in an air tight container.

I hope you enjoy these two incredible recipes and that you will find them, as easy to make as I do.

Recipe: Chicken Fried Rice (Oriental Style)

maat_q
When you are hungry and want a quick meal fast, chicken or shrimp stir-fry is one of the best. With a few ingredients, some chicken that has been cooked and some delicious basmatti rice, the dish is complete. For those on a diet, you can cut out the oils and add some non-stick spray and cook the veggies in chicken stock. A good trick from Weight Watchers diets.

Going to a Japanese restaurant will make anyone want to learn how to stir fry Chicken and rice. It is so much fun watching the cook, throw the meat up in the air and then chopping it very fast. He pulls his knife from behind his back and cuts,cuts and cuts and then looks at you and smiles with a smirk, and says, "Now, how would you like my job? We all burst out laughing and say nothing, but shake our heads nervously. One such night, I asked for his recipe and here is what he said.

Cut the chicken into small fillets. And place them on a plate ready to saute. Heat the pan to high and add some oil. Drop in the fillets and salt and pepper them. Stir them in the hot oil till they are browned. Add a bit of butter and then the soy sauce. Cook until 3/4 of the way done. Let them cool and then cut into thin strips.
First boil the basmatti rice in water with a dash or salt. When the rise is 3/4 of the way done, remove it from the heat and drain.

In a very hot pan or wok add in some butter and olive oil. The mix will allow the butter to cook to a high temperature without burning. Add in the fresh mixed vegetables.


Ingredients:
  • - Peas
  • - Green onions, chopped fine
  • - Carrots, chopped very small
  • - Potatoes cubed very fine
  • - 1 green pepper, chopped small
Stir fry the vegetables, moving them quickly as not to burn. After the vegetables are nice and soft, add in the chicken pieces, stirring again.

Now is the time to add the basmatti rice to the mixture. Evenly coat the mixture with all the vegetables, continue to cook for 5 minutes. At this point add in some soy sauce to taste. Some people like a lot of soy sauce and others don't. Add some salt and pepper to season the whole dish with. At this point add in some fresh bean sprouts. Place them in the end as not to cook them too much and leave them more with a crunch. As the dish is nearing completion, make a hole in the center of the dish and add one tablespoon of butter, then cook one egg to a light scramble. Mix the egg throughout the dish and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Now the dish is ready to serve. Place the stir fry on a large platter and cut a cucumber in diagonal slices. Place the cucumber all around the dish. Sprinkle the dish with some chopped coriander and a final spraying of soy sauce.. This is the absolute best chicken stir fry in the country. You will not be able to beat this recipe for sure and your guests will be asking for more.

Photo courtesy of Photobucket maat_q

How to Make Homemade Healthy Desserts

We are a nation that loves desserts and it is time to make a few changes so everyone can live healthier. If a person wants to live longer, then they must make some simple changes. Healthy desserts are easy to make and with a few substitutions you too can be better off. You will be smaller, have more energy and have a chance to live longer.

Sometimes the best health food diet is to eat smaller portions. A diet with much processed fats and sweeteners, is a diet that is of no value. Anytime a product says sugar free, it is loaded with artificial sweeteners. Sometimes merely reading labels can help.

There are a list of things to avoid:

- Sugar

Sugar can be addictive and should be avoided. Instead of using sugar, use raw honey, agave nectar, date syrup, molasses or stevia sweetener. Raw honey being the favorite choice, but any honey is better than sugar.

- White Flour and Enriched Flour

White Flour and Enriched Flour are both processed flours and should be avoided. Switch to brown flour or non-gluten type flours, such as chickpea flour, rice flour, bean flour or the substituting of white tapioca flour. What tapioca flour is a thickening agent and can be substituted for corn flour. You simply use twice the amount of white tapioca as you do corn. For recipes, you can use 2/3 cup of rice flour and 1/3 cup of white tapioca flour.

- Saturated Fats

Saturated fats clog your veins and eventually cause you harm. You should cook with virgin olive oil and coconut oil.

- Excess salt

The typical diet is full of salt. Limit your intake of salt to one teaspoon a day.

- Milk Products

Instead of using milk, switch to almond, rice or oat milks. The better alternative is raw yogurt, it has acidopholus for good stomach action.

- Sugar Substitutes

The only decent sugar substitute is stevia and there are many studies stating that most sugar substitutes cause an increase in hunger. So for the easiest and safest sugar substitute try stevia.

http://www.mvholisticretreat.com/article.html/sweet- poison

Now how do you use this new information to make healthy desserts? Here are a few suggestions.

- Frozen Yogurt with cherries or any fruit

1. Strain the yogurt and remove the whey. Place the yogurt in a blender with one cup of frozen cherries that have been pitted, along with 1 tablespoon of honey and 5 drops of lemon juice. Blend on high and pour into a shallow glass dish and freeze. Stirring every half hour.

- Chocolate Ice Cream
  • 2 tablespoons of chocolate flavored whipping cream
  • 1 cup of nut milk or substitute for whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
 Place all the above in a blender and blend for 4 minutes. Pour into a shallow dish and freeze stirring every 30 minutes. You can substitute real chocolate and plain whipping cream.

- Yogurt and granola

Place 1/4 cup of yogurt in a glass top with some homemade granola and some fruit such as banana and strawberries. Add another scoop of yogurt and then some granola and fruit. Continue this practice for three layers. Top the parfait with some freshly ground flax seeds.

- Lara Bars:

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1430667#i

Now you not only have the proper tools and guidance but also some "killer recipes." Good luck on your diet and your new lifestyle.

How to Make Yogurt Milkshakes With Homemade Yogurt

Making a really delicious yogurt milkshake is not difficult with the right ingredients. I have two really great recipes for you here. They are both really simple and both extremely healthy. They are the easiest yogurt milkshakes in the world to make and one of the healthiest also. When preparing to make a yogurt milkshake you have many choices. Some use frozen yogurt, which is extremely delicious, but it also has sugar in the yogurt. Many will use no fat or low fat yogurt and that is healthy, but I use regular raw goat's yogurt. It is the healthiest yogurt on the planet.

How to Make Homemade Yogurt

Making yogurt is easy to do also.  With a few tools you can make yogurt up in your kitchen.  Bring 7 cups of milk to a temperature of 180 degrees F.  Remove from the heat and let it cool to 115 degrees F.  Add a bit of the cooled yogurt to one cup of regular yogurt that is room temperature.  Mix the two together and return to the pot of milk.  Quickly mix and make sure there are no lumps.
Place in a sealed jar or a locked cap jar is best.  Cover with a heavy towel or light blanket and put in the closet for 12 hours.  After 12 hours place the sealed yogurt in the refrigerator to cool.  Now the yogurt is ready to use in your milkshake.

One of my very favorite is the Orange Julius. It is simple to make and extremely healthy. The Orange Julius is a copy cat recipe of the famous Orange Julius drink shop. This is my take on how to make the best Orange Julius that is extremely healthy.

Orange Julius Milkshake
  •  1 cup of goat yogurt or whatever you have available*
  •  1 cup of milk*
  •  1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice*
  •  2 frozen bananas*
  •  2 teaspoons of vanilla*
  •  1 tablespoon of honey*
 Put all of these ingredients in a blender and blend for 45 seconds. Enjoy now. A pure piece of heaven. Then add in a big handful of ice and blend again. It will make two glasses of the Orange Julius.

Mango and Banana Milkshake
  •  1 whole mango peeled*
  •  2 frozen bananas*
  •  1 Tablespoon of honey*
  •  1 cup of yogurt*
  •  1/2 cup of milk*
  •  4 ice cubes*
 After you have peeled both the bananas and the mango, put them in the blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high for 45 seconds. This yogurt milkshake is very delicious.

Both yogurt milkshakes will satisfy you completely and there will be days when you have company over and you can serve them also. They will thank you from the bottom of their hearts, or should I say stomachs.

How to Make Easy Snow Ice Cream

I was raised in the state of Kentucky and there in the winter is snows sometimes six feet deep.  It is very cold and it is very fun.  Snow ice cream is a tradition there.  My mom taught me early on how to make snow ice cream as it is a very simple family tradition.

Kentucky is not like most of the states. It is a very laid back state with simple country folks.  We enjoy catfish and fries and we love the snow.  My dad bought me a red sled when I was very small.  To me it was this huge sled, but later on in years as I looked at it again I could see that it was not huge at all.

So the beginning of the snow fall would come and mom would run to get the fresh snow before it had hardened and before yes my dog Muffy went to the bathroom all over it also.  Dad would take me and sisters for a ride on my bright red sled while mom was busy preparing our winter snack.  This is what she did:

How to make snow ice cream the simple method:

1.  When it first snows before it sets or freezes up, go get a huge bowl.  In this bowl place six to eight cups of fresh snow.
2.  Add in 1 cup of regular sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
3.  Mix this well so the sugar starts to melt.  Add in enough milk to make the ice cream the right consistency.

Divide the ice cream in bowls and serve. I guess there are some exotic ways to make snow ice cream, but this is the way my mom made it and she of course was very smart and knew the best way.  I wonder if Kentucky ice cream taste better than Canada snow ice cream?

Besides snow ice cream we love to have a big cup of fresh cocoa.  This cocoa is much better with marshmallows and a 1/4 teaspoon of instant coffee.  Actually this is a good headache remedy also.  I mean the cocoa and the coffee not the ice cream.  I am older now and miss Kentucky so much.

My dad has passed away and so is my sister and my poor sled died too.  What never died was those wonderful memories of snow ice cream with my family.  As we sat around the fire drinking hot chocolate and eating snow ice cream we oh so laughed.  Why guys isn't it time to make a big bowl tonight?