The Top 10 Malaysian Foodie's Guide to Google Chrome

Ever since Google Chrome was introduced, I was one of the early adopter. I got frustrated using Mozilla Firefox after one update as a lot of websites just doesn't work with that update. I had to fall back to Internet Explorer for a short while until I installed Google Chrome. I was so happy with it as it was then proved to be one of the fastest browser around. It got even cooler as times go by with the addition of applications that could work with it.

Recently, I was informed of the following nifty tips & tricks by Google Malaysia and I would love to share them with you guys as I find them really really useful. I'm reproducing it here with the hope that they will benefit you as much as they did for me. Have fun with them (click on the diagram to enlarge) ;-)


Don’t know what to eat? Fed up of going to the same old places and choosing the same old fare week after week? Is the local Nasi Kandar seller already best friends with you because you go there so often?

Before you become a case worthy of the documentary “Super Size Me,” why not check out these Google Chrome tips that will expand your culinary horizon and help you get the food you want, faster.

From helping you cook your own food to giving you directions to your favorite restaurant, Google Chrome offers extensions and web apps to satisfy your hunger and also help the health conscious keep in tip-top shape.

1. Use local search to search local food.

Nearing lunch and suddenly craving ‘nasi kandar’? Simply type “nasi kandar” or ‘nasi kandar in pj’ into the Chrome omnibox and find out which local restaurants are serving this yummy lunch-time favorite near you. Hover your cursor over the search results, and a box-out appears with image of the website and details of address and contact numbers.

2. Directions are only a click away.

Need directions to where you and your friends will meet up for dinner? Simply highlight the address, whether it’s in your email or on a website, right-click, and select ‘Search google.com for ___’, and Chrome will display search results, including a map for the address.

3. Search for healthy recipes online. 

Eating healthy should not be hard or expensive. A Chrome web app, Good Food, offers recipes that list the nutritional information and the step-by-step methods to cooking each dish. Plus, you can view each recipe even when you’re offline, so you can easily access the recipe from the grocery store.

4. Easily store recipes in Google Docs. 

Found a great recipe online that you want to try during the weekend? Instead of printing the recipe or copying the details using a pen and paper, import your favorite recipes into Google Docs using the gRecipes Chrome extension and access it from your home PC without having to remember any URLs.

(gRecipes allows you to import your favorite recipes into Google Docs, making it easy to share and change your favorite dishes. You simply browse the recipes you love and the when gRecipes finds something it can import, the purple cow will appear next to the web address. With a quick click the recipe is automatically added as a Google Document.)

Install gRecipes. Whenever there's a recipe appears at support sites, a purple cow will appear next to the web address.

Click on the purple cow and once the recipe is saved into your Google Docs, there is a notification indicating the recipe is saved. Easy peasy!

Currently these sites are supported:

Epicurious

Food.com

Food & Wine 

Martha Stewart

AllRecipes.com

Gourmet Magazine

BBC Good Food

Food Network

CHOW

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

And many more... 

5. Upgrade your cooking skills. 

Next time you’re cooking for your friends, prepare ahead by learning cooking techniques and kitchen skills through the CHOW Video app. Browse through various instructional videos such as how to properly serve and cut cheese, how to dice food, or even how to pour beverages properly.

6. Track and rate recipes you make. 

Foodies can rest easy by tracking or rating meals using the Whatweate extension, which allows you to store the recipe title and rating URL in Google Calendar. With the extension, you will be reminded of the great meals you cooked so you can see what you can serve the next time your friends come over. This can also be useful to foodies on a diet so they can track what they have eaten throughout the day.

7. Share your passion for food online. 

The myeatbox app allows you to chronicle the meals you’ve cooked or eaten, document your diet, or share your kitchen skills with your fellow foodies online.

8. Learn more about the additives in what you eat. 

Taking your healthy diet up a notch? Get more information about the additives in your food by installing the Additives Info extension.

9. Know if you’re refueling properly. 

Water is an essential part of our diet and a vital factor in a healthy lifestyle. Are you consuming the right amount of water in a day? The Everyday water app can help you track how many bottles of water you have drunk each day so you can stay hydrated.

10. Succeed at losing weight. 

Having a hard time losing all the calories and carbohydrates you’ve packed after days of eating out? Set a goal and track your food intake and exercise time using the Lose It! Application. The app claims that 85% of its most active users have lost more than 12lbs.

By the way, today is Google's 13th Birthday... may Google be blessed with all things wonderful and keep all the goodies rolling out. Happy 13th Birthday Google!!!