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Finding Foods That Shrink Belly Fat

August 19th, 2011

Losing weight is a constant struggle for men and women. Individuals seem to understand this struggle and continuously search for the best ways to shed pounds and reduce belly fat. In addition to exercise, there are specific foods that shrink belly fat.

Foods that shrink belly fat work by regulating insulin levels as well as blood sugar. This is important due to the role that insulin plays in the storage of calories within the body. When the natural hormone becomes too high, it tells the body to store calories as deposits of fat. Drops in blood sugar also lead to cravings and binge eating. Therefore, foods that regulate these processes can help eliminate belly fat.

Insulin regulating foods include cultured dairy products that are low in fat. Yogurt is one of the most popular and most convenient of these products. Foods that have the healthy ingredient of mono-saturated fat are also vital in the prevention of blood sugar fluctuations. Avocados are among the best choices in this category. Whole grains are another food choice that works wonders for losing weight. These items tend to fill you up sooner than other choices as well as keeping fat from lingering around your middle section.

Foods that burn belly fat also aid in overall weight loss. Diary products help build muscle which promotes the use of more calories. When more calories are burned, you begin to lose weight. Green tea, whether in drink or capsule form, is also a powerful fat burner.

Losing weight properly must be the result of exercise and proper diet. However, knowing the foods that naturally help aid the process is important in making weight loss a success. Belly fat can be one of the most bothersome and stubborn aspects of a persons physical appearance. But, with proper eating and exercise, this too can be eliminated.

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Appetite Suppressant Foods to Help Lose Weight

June 3rd, 2011

Losing weight is never an easy task. Your body will be adjusting to so many things that can get pretty exhausting. One of the biggest challenges that you need to face in any weight loss program is dealing with the feeling of hunger. Yes, shedding off some extra pounds will make you feel hungry from time to time. And this is where appetite suppressant foods come into the picture. They help get rid of the hunger pangs and food cravings that you get when committed to any weight loss program. However, they are not magic pills that can turn off the feeling like a light switch. So you must be patient and give them time to take into effect.

According to health experts, there are several things that you can do to deal with the inevitable feeling of hunger. First of all, you can indulge in foods with protein and carbohydrates. You may also get some natural sunlight on your skin and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water in a day. Foods that are rich in fiber like apple and berries are also efficient in curbing your appetite. Snacking on healthy food like yogurt, a bowl of natural pickles and vegetable salad is also advisable when you want to cut down on your weight. In addition, they help you deal with your hunger in a healthy way.

A useful trick that may help you is to learn how to control your emotions. When you start to feel hungry, don’t panic. Take a deep breath and relax. Feeling hungry is not an emergency, it’s just your body’s way of telling you that it needs more calories. Make it a habit to drink at least one glass of water 30 minutes before meal time. This will help you cut down on your caloric intake. Also, make sure to chew your food very carefully. This will make it easier for your system to digest the food. In that way, you can avoid overeating and lose weight in a very healthy way.

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A Lean Protein Diet Plan

May 10th, 2011

A diet high in protein works better that a fat free diet.  A protein diet plan controls hunger longer so you eat less and burn more fat.  Protein keeps you full longer and helps reduce sugar cravings. That is why diets such as the Atkins and the Dukan diet are so effective. 

 Protein is a major component of all of the body’s cells and is needed at every stage of life.  Researchers aren’t sure why protein is so effective at reducing hunger, but think it’s because a protein diet reduces hunger stimulating hormones.  A diet high in quality protein is also rich in leucine which  influences metabolic weightloss, improves muscles tone and helps protect muscle loss.  And that’s not all, a high protein diet also helps reduce blood fat and enhances insulin and leptin function.  What does this mean for dieters?  It means that by consuming high quality protein and keeping your carbohydrates low, you will be protecting and building your muscles while your body burns fat for fuel.  This equates to more fat loss!

A great source of high quality protein for a protein diet plan is a whey protein powder. Other sources of lean protein are poultry, fish, eggs,  lean grass fed beef, pork, milk, yougurt, cheese, nuts,  almond and peanut butters, dried beans, quinoa and lentils.

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Helpful and Essential Fat Burning Foods

January 31st, 2011

If you are looking for ways to lose weight, the first thing that you should consider are the foods that you eat. Aside from that, when talking about weight loss and fat burning, opt for the natural ways as much as possible instead of going for fat burners or diet pills. One of the natural ways to lose belly fats is to consume fat burning foods. These foods include the following:

  • Vegetables: various types of vegetables are considered as negative calorie foods. This is because they contain low amount of calories but with high amount of essential nutrients. Cabbage is one of those vegetables that can serve as a diuretic and is helpful in breaking down the stored fats in the stomach. Other vegetables that are helpful in burning fats include broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, lettuce, peppers, onions, spinach, radish, zucchini, and turnip.
  • Fruits: the vitamin C contained in most fruits is helpful when it comes to fat burning. Take note that vitamin C is very helpful when it comes to breaking down unwanted fats in the body and charges the body with carnitine amino acid which can boost the metabolism and the fat burning process. Fruits that are rich in vitamin C include blueberries, apples, grapefruit, cantaloupe, grapes, lemon, honeydew, muskmelons, mangoes, papaya, orange, pineapple, and prunes.
  • Green Tea: this is considered as a natural weight loss agent and is being used to maintain the body’s strength and health for centuries now. EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate, which is a compound contained in green tea, is an excellent antioxidant, and is very helpful in burning fats.
  • Protein Foods: you should know that your body needs lots of energy in order to process proteins. If your body has sufficient amount of protein, your body can burn more fats faster. Proteins are helpful when it comes to building body mass and developing lean muscles as well. Foods that are rich in protein include chicken breasts, fish, nuts, turkey, cheese and milk.
  • Fiber Foods: foods that contain lots of fiber can help satiate the body’s hunger to avoid hunger pangs and overeating. Fiber can curb the body’s insulin levels as well and control the levels of blood sugar and body weight. Whole grain foods contain high amount of fiber and is helpful in boosting the body’s metabolic rate. Foods that can help you learn how to lose weight as it contains high amount of fiber include oatmeal, whole grain bread, pasta, and cereals.

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Healthy Foods for Diabetics

January 21st, 2011

Eating a healthy diet and doing regular exercise are great and essential means to control diabetes.  In fact, there are certain healthy foods that can help keep diabetes under control without using a single medication.  The following are the healthy foods for diabetics:

Vegetables

Diabetic patients tend to eat too much.  Eating vegetables is a good way to fill your stomach with fiber without getting unwanted calories and bad cholesterol.  Vegetables are not only a delectable addition to your menu but they are also essential elements of a healthy diet and the best healthy foods for diabetics.

Fish

White meat is usually safe for diabetics and fish is considered to be the healthiest meat not only for a diabetic, but for anyone.  Fish  is delicious and easy to prepare.  It is one of the best sources of protein.  Fish is rich in good fats which help to increase the right kind of cholesterol in people with diabetes.

Legumes

Legumes are great for high fiber diet.  If you are feeling always hungry and never able to satisfy your hunger because you are diabetic, try incorporating beans in your meal.  Because legumes slow down your digestive system, they allow carbohydrates to be absorbed slowly in the body.

Fruits

Fruits are natural and delicious food, and the best part is that if you have diabetes, you do not have to leave them out.  Of course, since fruits have natural sugars, eating too many a day is not advisable.  The best nutrients and vitamins are found in the peel or outer layers of the fruits so it is best to have them fresh than juiced.

Garlic

Garlic added to your meal not only gives flavor to the food but it can also help lower blood sugar level.  Garlic can normalize blood sugar because it releases the flow of natural insulin.

Of course, each person is different, and that is why you should consult your physician about your diet to make sure it is best for you.  Bon appetit!

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Low Calorie Food That Satisfies

December 20th, 2010

Low calorie food can be tasty, if prepared the right way or eaten in combination with small amounts of other types. They do not have to taste bad and can be satisfying. There are many ways to prepare them and they can take the place of very unhealthy snacks.

Eggs are not as bad as many people believe. They are high in cholesterol, but very low in fat. Though it was once thought that high cholesterol foods caused high levels of blood cholesterol, this is no longer the case. It is actually foods high in fat, such as bacon, refried beans and those that tend to be very greasy, that lead to high cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, having a boiled egg or two with a salad at lunch will provide plenty of protein to keep your energy level more constant. Mayonnaise is usually a bad idea, not because of the egg, but due to the oils used in preparing it.

Some of the best fat burning foods are fat-free dairy products, like milk, cheese and yogurt. It is important for women to get plenty of calcium. Not only will these products do that, but will help them shed some pounds as well. Skipping meat a couple times a week will also help shed a few pounds. Instead of having chili with beef, simply add more kidney beans, which provide energy and protein, with fewer calories. For those who want to know how to lose weight in two weeks, replacing marbled meats with a high protein vegetable two to three times per week is a great way to do this.

Selecting lean meats is always a good way to reduce caloric intake. Choose chicken and turkey. There are plenty of dished to be made with them and they provide plenty of protein. Other suggestions include trying some New vegetables like those used in Asian cooking and even adding some soy beans to dishes, instead of nuts. Overall, products that are high in protein and fiber are the best for burning calories.

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One of the Easiest Raw Mexican Recipes

April 28th, 2010

Eating healthy is very important to me. I am a strong proponent of the inclusion of incorporating tons of fresh, organic, raw ingredients into my daily regime. Raw foods are packed with nutrients because they are alive. When foods are cooked, many of these vitamins and enzymes are killed. In raw recipe preparation, foods are never warmed higher than 115 degrees. These low temperatures ensure that the enzyme and vitamin content is retained.
What is also a fact is that some fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, actually increase their benefit from being lightly cooked. Lycopene, a valuable nutrient found in tomatoes, is released when they are cooked. Some other vegetables, for example, broccoli, are more digestible when they are steamed lightly. The florets can be difficult to digest when they are raw.
For optimal health, it is vital that we consume somewhere around 50% of our diet in the form raw vegetables and fruits. Typically, I will consume 75% or more raw foods every day.
I have included one of my favorite easy Mexican recipes in this article. It is created using only raw ingredients. It is a nutritious and vegan (free of animal products of any kind) recipe.


Raw Mexican “Rice”
serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons minced sun dried tomatoes (soaked for about 8 hrs)
3 tablespoons of the water from the soaked sun dried tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup parsnip rice*
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

* Prepare the parsnip rice by processing 3/4 cup of parsnips and 2 tablespoons of pine nuts in a food processor until they reach a rice-like consistency.

Method:
Dehydrate the red onion, red bell pepper and garlic for 4 hours on a teflex sheet.
Combine the parsnip rice, dehydrated vegetables, tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and the water from the soaked sundried tomatoes. Mix until well combined. Add more salt if needed. Refrigerate for between 3-6 hours in order to let the flavors meld and develop.

Raw recipes can sometimes be complicated and time consuming to prepare. This Mexican recipe is both delicious and simple. The only pre-preparation needed is soaking the sun-dried tomatoes prior to making the recipe. This can be done either overnight the evening prior, or the morning of the day you plan to prepare the recipe for dinner.

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Healthy Smoothie Recipes Ideas

March 24th, 2010
raspberry peach smoothie

Image by elana's pantry via Flickr

Smoothies are an excellent way to ensure that we are meeting the nutritional needs of our bodies. The combination’s are endless and the result is a smooth, delicious treat that happens to be extremely nutritious.

You can pack smoothies with whatever you like. I prefer to prepare healthy smoothie recipes, making my smoothies as nutrient rich and low fat as possible. This means I leave out things like ice cream, yogurt and milk. But, if you are looking to make a treat, a smoothie that includes ice cream or yogurt will fit the bill.

To blend my smoothies, I typically will use coconut water. It is rich in electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus) and is nature’s Gatorade. It has a slightly sweet taste so it enhances the flavor of your favorite smoothie combination, without adding the bad fat and calories. It is loaded with potassium, more than you will find in a banana, has zero fat and is low in acid.

I drink a smoothie at least 4 times each week. I like to pack them with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, banana, mango, kiwi and some type of green. Typically, I will use a handful of baby spinach. Often, I will add a scoop of green powder to pack in more nutrients.

The days that I drink my smoothie, I don’t need to eat breakfast. It is actually the same as eating 5-6 servings of fruits/vegetables each day. When I drink a smoothie, I am ensuring that I am certain to meet the recommended daily allowance of 5 fruits and vegetables. The amazing thing is that I am getting this nutrition in my first meal of the day!

Other great smoothie recipes include fruits such as pear, apple and even pomegranate. The sky really is the limit. The more you vary your smoothie ingredients, the more you are covering your bases as far as fitting in all of the nutrients that your body needs for good health.

Viva La Smoothie! They are delicious, nutritious and when coupled with the proper diet and exercise, will keep you fit and fabulous!

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Lose Weight fast with the top 7 healthy foods!

March 17th, 2010

If you want to be lean and healthy, you have to make it easier for yourself by including food that will help you to achieve your goals. Such food will help you to lose fat faster and they will also make you build lean muscle mass. We will look at 6 of those foods in this article. Let’s start!

1. Legumes and pulses

Legumes and pulses are low in fat and high in muscle building nutrients: fiber, iron and protein. Eating more legumes will keep you full and will also ensure that you burn fat and build muscle.

2. Oats

Eating oats for breakfast will keep you full until lunch time. This is because oats are very high in soluble fiber – a nutrient to keep you fuller than non-soluble fibers.

3. Fat free dairy products

Fat free dairy products contain much less fat than full cream dairy products and the high calcium contents will also help you to lose weight.

4. Whole-grain products

Whole grain carbs are a much better choice than white carbs. This is because white carbs causes a spike in your energy levels leaving you hungry and tired. Wholegrain carbs on the other hand keeps you full for longer.

5. Lean meat and fish

Lean meat is higher in lean protein and lower in fat than other meat types (like red meat). So eating more of those will help you to stay leaner than the rest

6. Fruits and veggies

Snacking on veggies and fruit will keep you full and it is a great alternative to unhealthy (and fattening) sweets and junk food.

7. High protein bars

Protein bars (those that are low in fat), are a great fat burning and muscle building snack. If you include a few nutrition protein bars in your daily diet, you will say good bye to cravings and hello to lean muscle mass.

If you keep the smart food tips in mind, you will be on your way to be leaner and healthier. Just remember that you also have to exercise regularly and eat healthy for it to come to full effect. But if you do, you will be feeling and looking lighter and healthier. Pilates is a great exercise to try out. If you want to take it up, have a look at a home pilates machine. They tones the whole body and they also help to build a strong and lean middle.

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10 Delicious diet friendly snacks

January 18th, 2010

When you are on a diet, you need to have some smart and diet friendly snacks at hand to keep the hunger at bay between meals. The only problem is finding the right snack – a snack that is both diet friendly and delicious. The good news is that I don’t have one – but ten such snacks. They are not only low fat and low calorie, but they also taste delicious. So pack a few of them with your lunchbox, and you will keep your hunger at bay while watching your waistline.

  • A small tub of fat free yogurt – The calcium in yogurt helps to aid weight loss and the protein helps to keep one full and it is also fuel for muscles. Aim to have at least one small tub of fat free yogurt per day
  • A handful of dried fruit – Dried fruit not only taste delicious, be they are high in fiber – fiber are known to keep one fuller for longer. Pack a small bag full of dried fruit and keep it in your handbag. You’ll never know when the hunger pangs will attack.
  • Whole wheat crackers with fat free cottage cheese and tomato – This is one of my favorite snacks. It is very delicious and healthy. Buy some crackers and cottage cheese and keep it in your office fridge.
  • A handful of almonds – Almonds are also said to aid weight loss. Aim to have about 5-10 almonds each day.
  • Any type of fruit – Fruit is a great diet snack. And with the wide variety of fruit that are available, you are bound to find a few to snack on between meals.
  • Vegetable sticks – chop some vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumber and tomatoes and pack them in with lunch to snack on. They are low calorie and very filling
  • Fat free fruit smoothies- Smoothies are great to fill one up. Make one with frozen fruit, fat free yogurt and some oat bran.
  • Low calorie breakfast bars- If you can find a low calorie breakfast bar, buy a few and keep in your office drawer.
  • Cup of vegetable soup- A cup o vegetable soup (either home made or instant store bought) is also a great diet friendly snack to have between or before meals.
  • Diet hot chocolate – Diet hot chocolate is both low calorie and low fat, making it a great between or after meals snack.

By now, you hopefully have enough snacks to keep you full and to keep cravings at bay. And the best thing about this snacks are that they are low calorie and low fat and they won’t cause you to gain weight. If you keep them at hand, you will be one your way to diet success.

Just remember that if you want to speed up your weight loss you must exercise regularly. This will have to include cardio and weight training exercise. For cardio eliptical machines are some of the best ones to try out and for weight training, have a look at fitness adjustable dumbbells

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A Low Fat Take on Beef Stew

November 25th, 2009

Beef stew is one of the oldest recipes in the world.  Ever since people have figured out how to make a pot and put it over a fire they have been throwing in whatever else they could find to make food.  Beef stew can be very nutritious and healthy dependent on what you put in the stew.  Making stew is a slow and patient process that rewards you for investing the time in letting it cook for hours.
Stew is usually dependant what you put in it and where you live.  The reason it is called beef stew is because the main protein of the stew is beef, sounds simple I know.  The other ingredients are anything you feel like adding.  Below is a wonderful slow cooker beef stew recipe that will taste great while being only a couple hundred calories per serving.  Different styles of stew are made in different regions of the world.
Traditional American stew is made with tougher cuts of meat like spare rib or a shoulder cut of meat.  The reason tougher meat is used is so that the juices can soak in longer and create a more succulent and tenderized meat at the end.  In Texas, you will find some tomato based stews, though they are usually called beef chili and make use of beefsteak as the protein.  In Kentucky, they created an easy beef stew that was called Burgoo.  Burgoo was born out of necessity, cooking up pretty much anything they can find, but now it usually uses ground beef as the primary protein.
When making your beef stew recipe, the most important ingredient is patience.  The tougher meat cuts require the slow heat over hours so that the meat remains succulent and juicy.  The texture and flavor will only be enhanced the longer you let the stew cook, especially if you pick a slow cooker beef stew recipe.  Some people like to think of stews as a peasant food and that it will always have a boring and simple taste, but a well made stew can rival the flavors of any regal meal.
A beef stew crock pot recipe, like the one below, are healthy and filling meal that will warm the heart and soul on a cold evening.  Take your time though when preparing it, try making it in the morning or afternoon and letting it simmer for until dinner time.  A lot of patience is needed and don’t be in a rush to get the stew done.  Beef stew is a tradition that will always have the warm welcome of home and bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

  • 1 lb. top round steak, cut in 2 inch cubes trim well
  • 1 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 sm. onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. marjoram
  • 1/2 c. dry red wine
  • 1/2 c. low sodium V8 juice

Brown beef cubes until well brown, sauté onions until soft, put all the ingredients together, bring it to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and let it cook.

Bon Apetite!

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Pumpkin Soup For Weight Loss!

November 22nd, 2009
Common "Giant" Pumpkin variety
Image via Wikipedia

Halloween is not the only time of the year when you should purchase a pumpkin. In fact, most people purchase a pumpkin, scoop out the insides and turn it into a scary face just for the Halloween season. Unfortunately, they then throw away the best part of the pumpkin which is the insides. Traditional pumpkin soup is indeed very tasty, but it also packs a healthy punch. If you are trying to lose weight, the pumpkin is one of the vegetables that you should be eating. Any pumpkin soup recipe should be and can be eaten all year round because of the natural vitamins and fiber that pumpkins contain. Some of the vitamins contained in pumpkins are vitamin A, vitamins E, and vitamins C. They also have an abundant supply of potassium, beta-carotene, carotenoid pigments, and lutein. Below is a recipe for pumpkin soup which you can cook all year round.

Ingredients for a simple pumpkin soup:

• About 4 pounds of pumpkin which is peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 large chopped onion
• 2 pints of vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 cup of whole cream
• 1  tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to your taste
• this recipe should serves 6

First, take a large pot and heat some olive oil in it. Fry the onions until they are just soft. Now you can add your chicken or vegetable stock and the pumpkins. Bring back to the boil and reduce the heat until the liquid is only simmering. Simmer this for 30 minutes. If you’re pumpkins are cooked, you can use a stick blender to liquidize the whole mixture. If you don’t have a stick blender, you can use a liquidizer by adding the soup in small amounts. Once this is done you can season with salt-and-pepper according to how you like it and add the whole cream stirring well. You can add the cream at the table for an added flourish, the white of the cream goes well with the orange of the pumpkin.

You can make a spicy pumpkin soup and by adding crushed garlic, a teaspoon of coriander, a teaspoon of chili powder or paprika (as much or as little as you can take), some ground cumin, and some sugar to taste. The only difference to the recipe above is that you add these ingredients when you are frying your onions, and add the sugar as you add your vegetable stock.

Remember to roast the pumpkin seeds too!  They are full of protein and a handful is a great appetite supressant.

Bon Apetite!

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Healthy Potato Soup

November 22nd, 2009
Finnish potatos.
Image via Wikipedia

Potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables that you can use. They can be cooked whole, baked, roasted, mashed, as potato chips, French fries, potato gratin, and of course potato soup. There are many different potatoes soup recipes, and they are as versatile as the tuber itself. Potatoes can be added to a soup or a stew in order to give it some bulk and substance, or like the recipe below it can consist of mainly potatoes. If you are on a calorie controlled diet you should be trying to eat as many vegetables as possible.

The potato is very low in sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fat. It also is a great source of vitamins B6, vitamins C, manganese, and potassium. The average large potato has about 270 cal, this calorie calculation is with the skin on. Most potatoe soup is made after peeling the potatoes first. Below is a simple potato soup recipe which is nutritious and very filling, both essentials in any weight-loss program.  I recommend leaving the skins on for a more rustic flavor.  The skins will add essential minerals your body needs from the earth.

Ingredients for creamy potato soup:

• Six medium-sized potatoes
• two medium-sized onions
• 3 pints of stock (the stock can be vegetable or a meat-based, and you can add milk to make it more creamy
• one tablespoon of butter
• Parsley
• Pepper and salt to taste
• This recipe serves six people

The basis of any good soup is the ingredients, and most importantly the stock from which the soup is made. The best stock for this cream of potato soup is known as white stock. White stock is made by boiling ham, bacon, or chicken in water, adding some root vegetables and herbs that are in season will also add flavor. The resulting liquid is the ideal stock.

First of all, dice your potatoes once they have been peeled and chop up your onions. Melt your butter in a covered saucepan and add your onions and potatoes. Cook over a very gentle heat until they have become soft and have not taken on any color. Next, you must add your stock. This is the time to season to taste. Once the potato soup has been thoroughly cooked there are several different ways to serve it. You can strain the soup through a sieve in order to serve it without any lumps. You can put the soup through a blender and serve it as a thick creamy soup, or you can serve it as it comes out of the pot, the latter is the best way. Garnish with your chopped parsley and eat with some good Irish brown soda bread.

Bon Apetite!

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Muffin Recipes

November 21st, 2009
Cranberry Walnut Bran Muffins
Image by Queen Roly via Flickr

I know everybody thinks of the muffin as being something which does not really go with weight loss or dieting. The muffin is generally seen as a high-fat treat that is eaten as a comfort food or as a desert. But, there are plenty of muffin recipes that you can make for yourself that bring the calorie count down low enough to be considered as part of a calorie controlled diet. You can also reduce the amount of saturated fat that you put into your own muffins. A muffin recipe can be made with a wide variety of ingredients. For instance you can add blueberries to make a blueberry muffin recipe, or you can add chocolate chips to make a chocolate muffin recipe, the choice is yours. This is the beauty of the muffin; you add either what you want to add at the time or what you have available in your kitchen. Below is a healthy recipe for muffins using wheat bran. Wheat bran is low in cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat. It is a great source of iron, protein, riboflavin, and potassium, as well as being rich in nutrients and vitamins.


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The ingredients for your bran muffin recipe are:

1/2 cups of wheat bran
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
one egg
1 cup of buttermilk
half teaspoon of vanilla extract
2/3 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
one cup of all purpose flour
half a teaspoon of salt
half a teaspoon of raisins

First, make sure that your oven is preheated to 190°C. Paper your greased muffin tray with muffin liners. Now you can get on to the mixing. Mix together your buttermilk and wheat bran. You have to let this stand for about 10 minutes. Now, mix together the sugar, egg, oil, and vanilla. At this stage you can add this to your buttermilk and wheat bran mix. Put the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour through a sieve and add this to your wheat bran mixture. Blend the whole lot well until it is nice and creamy. Now you can mix in your raisins, and place small dollops into each muffin case. These should go into the oven for between 15 and 20 minutes. You will know if they had done by pushing a thin knitting needle into the middle of the muffin, if the needle comes out dry then your muffins are done. Don’t eat them all at once.

Bon Apetite!


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Grilled Chicken with Lentils

November 21st, 2009

Chicken breast is probably the most popular part of the whole chicken. The chicken breast is for you if you like white meat with no bones. One cautionary note here is not to overcook the chicken breasts because it has a tendency to go dry. Grilled chicken, especially if you are using chicken breast, is one of the healthiest low-fat cuts of meat available. Chicken is low in saturated fat, and is high in vitamins A and calcium. There are many grilled chicken recipes with salad available, below is a healthy grilled chicken salad with pancetta, red onions, lentils and radicchio.

This grilled chicken recipe offers fabulous flavors, ingredients, and makes a great dish for your evening meal or supper. First you need to rinse 100 g of puy lentils, place them in to a saucepan of cold water covering to twice the depth of the lentils. Next, take a stick of celery cut into three, tie the three pieces together and add to the water with two cloves of garlic. Boil and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Remove the celery and garlic, then strain. To this add the juice of one whole lemon, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Set the dish aside and keep warm.

Now heat a pan over a medium heat, brushing lightly with olive oil. Cook one medium red onion, which has been sliced into onion rings, until soft. Transfer these into a small dish and toss with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Take a quarter head of radicchio and cut into thin wedges, fry these gently until softened and lightly browned. Place these into the bowl with the onion.

Now we are going to cook the grilled chicken. Take your chicken breast pieces and season them with little thyme, pepper, and salt. Place them under a medium grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on either side. Remove from the grill and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Now it’s time to plate the food up. Take a couple of handfuls of mint leaves and watercress, throw them into a bowl and mix again with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Once you have plated up the ingredients, add a couple of slices of pancetta underneath each grilled chicken breast. For that touch of class, drizzle a deep ring of balsamic vinegar around the edge of the plate along with a small trickle of olive oil.

Bon Apetite!

 

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Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

November 21st, 2009
Finnish potatos.
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The health benefits of garlic are well known; indeed garlic has often been given the label wonder drug. It’s been used extensively for medicinal purposes by herbalists and naturalists. Some of the reputed benefits of eating garlic include lowering of dangerous cholesterol levels, the treatment of acne, an aide to weight loss, and as a general insect repellent. Potatoes are one of the most versatile foodstuffs that are available and have a similar long history. How better to consume these two wonderful foods than to combine them together as garlic mashed potatoes. This article is going to give you a garlic mashed potatoes recipe and some simple tips on making the best mashed potatoes. Although mashed potatoes are considered a comfort food if there is plenty of butter and cream added, you can also use this recipe as part of a calorie controlled diet by altering the ingredients slightly.

First of all, the ingredients for your garlic mashed potato recipe:
• about three pounds of good potatoes for mashing
• two tablespoons of butter
• three or four garlic cloves to taste (more if you need)
• have a teaspoon of salt
• one tablespoon of milk
• four tablespoons of thick cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Getting the right potatoes for your mashed potatoes is one of the tricks to the heavenly creamy mashed potato taste. It is said that starchy potatoes such as russets are good potatoes for mashing. But, they tend to disintegrate when they are cooked in water for too long. Yukon golds are medium starch potatoes that make a fantastic mashed potato, so if you can purchase them … use them!

Now we can get back to the easy garlic mashed potatoes. First, you need to peel your mashed potatoes and chop them into manageable pieces. Place them in a saucepan which is full of boiling water and add the half teaspoon salt with your garlic cloves. Once the water has boiled, reduce the heat until the water is just simmering, keep covered and cook for between 15 and 20 minutes. You will know when you’re potatoes are done because you will be able to pass a fork through them easily. The trick to making the best garlic mashed potatoes is to warm the milk, cream, and butter before you add them to your hot potatoes. Use the potato masher until the potatoes are well mashed, use a wooden spoon and gradually add your milky mixture until you have achieved the consistency that you require, don’t mash too much or your garlic mashed potatoes will become very gluey. Add salt-and-pepper to taste.

Bon Appetite!

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Easy French Onion Soup

November 21st, 2009

French Onion Soup (use your own cup)
Image by rick via Flickr

Another one of those great recipes that is fantastic to eat during the summer months or the winter months is French onion soup. There are plenty of French onion soup recipes that you can find either through the cookbooks that are available in your local library, through Amazon, or there are plenty of recipes on numerous sites spread out through the Internet. Onions are low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, as well as being high in dietary fiber, vitamins B6, vitamins C, manganese, and folate. Onion soup is a classic French dish which can be made as a vegetarian French onion soup, or as a meal with added beef or ham. French onion soup can be eaten as a main meal, as an appetizer or as a quick lunch. I’m going to show you a recipe for easy French onion soup in which you will slow cook the onions in order to make a fantastic foundation for this traditional French recipe.

First of all, the list of ingredients:
• 10 chopped onions
• 50 g of plain flour
• one tablespoon of tomato purée
• six tablespoons of butter
• a small amount of white wine
• 1 L of chicken stock
• four slices of toasted French bread
• 100 g of grated Gruyere cheese
• six tablespoons of butter

The first thing that you have to do with this recipe is to soften up the onions very slowly. This is achieved by melting the butter in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. You need to stir the onions for about 30 minutes until they are very soft. Next, you need to add the flour, the wine, the chicken stock, and the tomato purée. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Then season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and salt. Now, this easy French onion soup recipe requires you to toast the French bread slices, and scatter the grated Gruyere cheese over the top. Place underneath a hot grill and cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden in color. You can serve this soup in one of the special French onion soup bowls that you can find in most good supermarkets. Place a small slice of cheese topped French bread into each bowl.

French onion soup is a great way of starting out a meal if you have guests coming over. The cheese top version above is a traditional French style although you can top it with a variety of different sweet or savory toppings for the perfect light snack.

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How to Make Carrot Cake

November 21st, 2009

 

Carrots are packed with nutrients; they are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, trace minerals, whilst the excellent sources of many different vitamins. Carrot cake is one of the most versatile cakes that you can make. At a total preparation and cooking time of about an hour, it’s fairly easy to make, but it does take a bit of preparation. There are so many different recipes for carrot cake. Your granny is bound to have a couple of old-time carrot cake recipes; the local baker is going to have a couple of secret ingredients that he adds to give his version the perfect bite. But the best carrot cake recipe is just a simple low-fat version as laid out below.

Ingredients for easy carrot cake recipe:

• Two couples of grated carrots
• 1 cup of whole meal flour
• three-quarter cup of brown sugar
• three medium eggs
• 1 1/4 cup of plain white flour
• 1/2 cup
• vegetable oil
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 cup of each raisins and walnuts
• 2 teaspoons of each cinnamon and baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of each baking soda and vanilla extract
• quarter teaspoon nutmeg
• one and one half cup of icing sugar and 5 ounces cream cheese for the filling

Now you have the ingredients for your healthy carrot cake, you have to mix it all together. Take your all-purpose flour and whole meal flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, raisins, walnuts, and nutmeg and combine them all together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the apple sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, carrots, and the three medium eggs. Once this is done, you can gently stir this second mixture into the flour mixture.

Take a 9 inch baking pan and oil it well. Add the ingredients and smooth out. Your oven should be preheated at one 175°C. Bake at this temperature for about 60 minutes. While this is happening you can start to prepare your topping. Take your cream cheese and mix the icing sugar to taste. Add this to the top of your carrot cake once it has been removed from the oven and has been allowed to cool down sufficiently.

This carrot cake is a sort of naughty addition to any diet. It is not as calorie packed as a chocolate fudge cake for instance. But, you still have to use some control when you are consuming it. In other words, don’t eat the whole lot. One slice every so often as a treat will keep your spirits up while you are on your diet.

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Hearty Beef Stew

November 21st, 2009

Now that we’re heading into the winter months, this is an ideal time to be thinking about beef stew. Depending on the cut of meat chosen the fat content is variable, and beef is high in protein and has no real carbohydrate value. If you cook any good stewing beef this makes a fantastic comfort food. The flavors of both the beef and the beef sauce will become much more intense if you leave this easy beef stew to cook on a very low heat for several hours. Some of the best accompaniments for this dish include potatoes, swede, turnips, carrots, or some dark iron rich cabbage.

There are numerous different ways to cook a homemade beef stew. For instance, if you have a slow cooker, you can make slow cooker beef stew, you can make your beef stew on top of the stove in a large pot which is simmering away for a couple of hours to give the most tender morsels of beef imaginable. There are also plenty of beef stew recipes which involve different cuts of meat, or stew recipes from different parts of the world, search the Internet for many of these. The Beef stew recipe I’m going to concentrate on in this article will be cooked in the oven and uses free range organic low-fat beef.

The first thing you need to do is to preheat your oven at 180°. Take an ovenproof dish, pour in a splash of olive oil and heat on a medium heat. Next, fry two red onions, three carrots, three sticks of celery, and four cloves of garlic which have been peeled and roughly chopped. At this stage you can also add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, two bay leaves, a small handful of dried porcini mushrooms, and a stick of cinnamon. Fry this lot until it is all slightly softened, about five minutes will do.

Meanwhile, take your pieces of beef and roll them in a little bit of seasoned flour. Put the floured beef into a pan and stir everything together. Next add two tins of plum tomatoes, two thirds of a bottle of decent red wine, and some salt and pepper. Now, place the whole lot into a preheated oven for three hours, covering with a double thickness of aluminum foil. You can tell when the beef stew is ready as the beef will break very easily to the touch. Remove the cinnamon stick and Rosemary sprigs. You can follow this recipe for your Crockpot beef stew, adjusting the cooking times according to your machine. This beef stew is excellent served with a good French red wine.

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Baked Potato Ideas

November 21st, 2009

The baked potato is one of the all-time versatile foods that can be either eaten as a snack on its own, or as an accompaniment to a main meal. They are a fantastic food for people who are trying to eat a low-fat diet, especially if the fillings are kept as low-calorie as possible. Baked potatoes are also known as jacket potatoes when they have been filled with ham, cheese, chicken, sauce, butter, etc. They can be cooked in several different ways including in a conventional oven, underneath a hot grill, or in a microwave. For some tastes, the most delicious way of cooking a baked potato is wrapped in aluminum foil and baked inside a fire. Some restaurants that specialize in baking potatoes have specially designed ovens which will cook, and keep warm, large amounts of baked potatoes.

There are a few things that you should do prior to baking your potatoes to make them as scrumptious as possible. For a start, the baked potato needs to be cleaned with a small scrubbing brush, with any blemishes, eyes, or small growths being removed. Some people baste their baked potatoes in butter or olive oil. The next thing you need to do is to ensure that the steam which is going to collect inside the potato does not burst out of the baked potato in one big explosion, you do this by pricking the surface with a fork or knife.

Many people find that their baked potatoes tend to be very dry if they are not soaked in butter or mayonnaise or some other high-fat product. There are many different toppings for your microwave baked potato which will be a far better option if you are trying to lose a few pounds and make them not so dry. One baked potato recipe includes making your own salsa, using diced tomatoes, and diced onion, based at garlic cloves, a bit of cilantro, and some salt and pepper to taste. Another option is to use Greek yoghurt.

Many people actually scooped the content out of the baked potato and mash the date with different ingredients such as Greek yoghurt, ordinary yoghurt, salsa, cottage cheese, a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, or red pepper. This makes a fantastic snack or addition to any main meal. The amount of calories in one large baked potato (in its naked state) is around 270. This is great for your weight loss.

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