Foods for a Fast Recovery

Well, flu season is here - hopefully you’ve gotten your shot and are well prepared! But even if you get the infamous influenza, residents should still be wary of the all-to-common cold.

When you’re sick with a cold, we’re sure you know the usual must-do’s: drink lots of water, stay warm, and get plenty of rest. But there are lots of myths floating around about what you should eat or drink when you’re sick - and what foods will help you recover faster.

Producitivity blog Lifehacker.com had a great blog post last week outlining some of the best foods to eat if you’re trying to get over illness. Here are some of them:

Citrus Fruits

It's a myth that vitamin C can cure the common cold, and there isn't actually much scientific evidence behind the theory that it'll reduce the length or severity of colds, either [5]. However, while citrus fruits might not be a cure-all, the soft white layer of skin found on oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and limes does contain flavonoids, which can help boost the immune system and are great for speeding recovery.

Popsicles

Staying properly hydrated while sick with a chest cold can keep mucus thin and help lessen congestion. While it's generally better to eat fruit rather than drink it,popsicles are great as a different way to hydrate and are especially easy on the throat. Bonus points if they're 100 percent fruit juice, or made from whole fruit!

Spicy Foods

Spicy foods can make our noses run and our eyes water, but they're alsoeffective natural decongestants. Eating chili peppers, wasabi, or horseradish can help relieve the symptoms of congestion.

Click here for the full article on foods to help you get better!

New Place, Same Great Slice

Here in Albuquerque, we’re known for many foods - green chile, green chile cheeseburgers, tamales, and other Mexican-American faire. But as you might imagine, it can be difficult to find a superior slice if you’re wandering around town.

In the Daily Lobo last week, reviewer Steve “Mo” Frye tried out Da Vinci’s Gourmet Pizza, which currently is located in a converted gas statino at the corner of Indian School and Girard. Da Vinci is known for their “Premium Masterpiece” that includes roasted garlic, olives, fresh tomatoes, and parsley.

Originally opened in 2005 at the Mountain Run shopping center, the place has apparently been doing really well in its new location near UNM.

“Almost my whole crew came with me to this store,” said the owner, John Mickey, Jr. “It was great to be able to open the new place with an experienced crew.”

Da Vinci is also known for their Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger pizza, their Michelangelo, and more. Here are some more options off their menu, courtesy of the Daily Lobo:

In addition to pizza, Da Vinci’s offers a nice selection of salads, from a simple tossed salad to gourmet salads with premium ingredient mixes.

The calzone we tried was a great specimen of the dish. The crust was browned and shiny and nearly bursting with delicious ingredients. Calzones are available with or without meat and are served with a side of savory pizza sauce.

Unlike most pizzerias, Da Vinci’s is open for breakfast and offers a selection of coffee and espresso drinks as well as some innovative dishes: breakfast calzones and pizzas, available after 6 a.m. every day.

The breakfast calzone is much like a breakfast burrito, comprised of eggs, potatoes, cheddar cheese and a choice of red or green chile. It is also available in a low-fat egg white version with spinach instead of meat.

Breakfast pizzas come with Canadian bacon, eggs, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and choice of meat and chile.

Gluten-free versions of all pizzas are available in the 12-inch size. While Da Vinci’s has separate paddles, ovens and cutters for the gluten-free pies, the restaurant is not a gluten-free environment.

All of the menu items, including the tasty-sounding desserts, are available for delivery in the University area.

Da Vinci’s Gourmet Pizza

2904 Indian School Rd. NE

Sun. through Thurs. 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.,

Fri. and Sat. 6 a.m. to midnight.

Visit the website at dvgp.com

or call (505) 275-2722.

A Brewery with Some Bite

People love beer. People also love sustainability. And one Albuquerque Brewery is serving up a tasty combination of the two.

Kaktus Brewery, recently featured in the ABQ Journal, is pretty unique in that sense, serving up tasty craft beers and of course, conducting their business in a pretty “green” way. The brewery is described as a community moreso than a brewery. They even have house chickens to complement their wide variety of unique craft beers.

According to ABQ Journal, when you visit Kaktus Brewery, you get some personal attention you probably won’t find anywhere else:

Before guests even reach the tap area, they immediately enter the self-guided tour. They can go behind the scenes at their leisure to see how Kaktus operates and learn more about the ingredients it uses in its craft beers.

...

Other interesting things to see at Kaktus are its 50-panel solar array with a 6-kilowatt system, its use of recycled water and its house chickens. All contribute to the brewery’s mission to model sustainable living and working practices.

...

Kaktus also feeds its 15 chickens with food that patrons do not finish. The leftover food also is used for compost, Koller said.

Kaktus Brewing Company

WHERE: 471 South Hill Road in Bernalillo

HOURS AND INFO: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Visit kaktusbrewery.com

Click here to read the full feature on Kaktus Brewing, over at ABQ Journal.

Stocking up On Savings

Even if you’re a seasoned, independent adult, buying everyday necessities can sometimes be a downright drag. But there’s nothing worse than that moment when you find out that you need some paper towels, pet food, or cleaning products--and there’s none in your apartment.

If you have a busy life and also care about getting a good value on your household items, remember that you can have both of those things! All it takes is a little bit of planning. In fact, it can be cheaper and more convenient to stock up on some items, when you need them least.

Lifehacker.com published a helpful blog post last week featuring some items that you should always stock up on when you see there’s a sale. Here are some of them:

Cleaning Supplies

Potential Savings: $10 on laundry detergent, $6 on dishwasher detergent

If cleaning supplies aren't on your list of necessities, you either live in a dorm room or in a cave (and are apparently stealing WiFi from a nearby Starbucks). Still, even the average person probably doesn't think about purchasing these household supplies until they run out. However, you'll save an average of $10 on laundry detergent and $6 on dishwasher detergent if you buy in bulk ahead of time.

Paper Goods

Potential Savings: $9 on toilet paper, $27 on paper towels

Fact: There is never good time to run out of toilet paper. It's all that separates us from the animals! Paper towels, conversely, may seem to be a less urgent purchase, but a minor kitchen spill can quickly turn into a Messapocalypse if you're out of Bounty or Brawny. The only defense against a dearth of paper goods is proactive bulk-buying. In the last three months, we've seen an average savings of $9 on toilet paper multi-packs. Buying your paper towels in bulk is even better; you'll save $27 on average.

Nonperishable Foods

Potential Savings: $12 on coffee pods, $10 on beef jerky

When you're running low on funds, it helps to have a pantry stocked with sundry canned and boxed provisions. Nonperishable foods like breakfast cereals, coffee, ramen noodles, canned goods, and other such noms are all things that can be bought in bulk via Amazon's Subscribe & Save program, which yields big savings. In fact, we've seen an average savings of $12 on Keurigs coffee pods and the like in recent months, and an average $10 off beef jerky snacks.

Pet Care Items

Potential Savings: $15 on pet food, $7 on treats

As a responsible pet owner, you know that Sir Fluffykins and Sgt. Barksalot have very basic needs, the ignoring of which will result in mad and/or sick pets. To save your furniture from claw marks and your slumber from hourly wake-up calls, your best bet is to stock up on pet supplies with coupons and rebates from stores like PetSmart and Petco; that way you can save an average of $15 on pet food and $7 on treats, which both Fido and our bank accounts have been happy about for the last three months.

Click here for the full Lifehacker article.