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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.

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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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.
Image via Wikipedia

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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The Best Filling Low Cal Soup

November 19th, 2009

This is a delicious filling low cal soup to make for these chilly days. It’s heart and simple and tastes great with a slice of warm crusty bread or Indian naan.

Lentils are so rich in fiber and have excellent nutritional value which make it one of the healthiest filling foods.  They have a high protein content and also contain folate, vitamin B1 and iron.  For a complete protein meal, add a side dish of rice or whole grain bread.

Spinach is also rich in iron, calcium and fiber, vitamins a and c and many minerals.

Tomatoes are rich in vitamin c and lycopene.  Together, this soup packs quite a nutritional punch!

Lentil Spinach Soup

5 cups warm water
1 cup brown or green lentils
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion – thinly sliced
5 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 large diced tomato or 1 small can
2 minced cayenne or serrano chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1 10 ounce bag of washed spinach chopped coarsely

1.  Bring 4 cups of water with the lentils to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Lower heat and simmer until lentils are tender.  About 20-25 minutes.

2.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the cumin seeds and sizzle until fragant- about 10-15 seconds.  Immediately add the garlic and onion and cook until golden.

3.  Stir in tomatoes, salt, chiles and the remaining cup of water; bring to a boil.  Pour the onion-tomato mixture in with the lentils.  Simmer covered stirring occasionally about 15 minutes.

4.  Stir in the fresh spinach just before serving.

1 cup equals 165 calories, 3 grams fat, 10 grams fiber

Bon Apetite!

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Crock Pot Chili for Easy Dinners!

November 15th, 2009
Bowl of chili with sour cream and cheese
Image via Wikipedia

When it comes to busy weeknights, help is always welcome in the kitchen.  A crock pot is like having a second set of hands in your kitchen.  Prepare it in the morning before work and it’s ready for you when you come home. 

Now that Fall is here, there is no better way to warm your insides than to prepare a crock pot chili recipe.  Now there are so many chili crock pot recipes you can use.  Some add alcohol, some use cocoa and others use black beans instead of kidney beans.

My favorite recipe is for easy crock pot chili and very healthy too!  Tomatoes are extremely rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and iron.  They are also high in lycopene-an antioxidant that neutralizes harmful free radicals.  Locopene has twice the antioxidants of beta carotene and helps prevent against prostate cancer.  Black beans are rich in dietary fiber which helps lower cholesterol.  Black beans are also high in antioxidants which protect us against cancer and aging.  Onions are rich in fiber, sulfur compounds, vitamin C and chromium.  Low-fat beef or turkey is a great way to get your protein and keep you full for a long time.  Bite for bite, this chili packs a powerful nutritional punch!

 

 Black Bean Crock Pot Chili

1 pound low fat ground beef or turkey

1 medium sweet onion

1 -32 ounce cans diced tomatoes

1-2 cans black beans (depends on how many you like)

1 packet chili powder or 2 tablespoons

*cayenne pepper to taste

First thing is to saute the ground beef until cooked.  Near the end throw in the onions to soften a little.

Put the gound beef and onions in the crock pot.  Add diced tomatoes and black beans.  Stir in chili powder.

Let cook all day on low.

 

Top with shredded cheddar cheese and/or sour cream.

Bon Apetite!


 

 

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A Chicken Soup Recipe to Warm Your Soul!

November 15th, 2009

Chicken soup

Image via Wikipedia


Chicken Soup is my favorite soup to cook.  When Fall arrives and the temperatures drop, I instantly start craving soups.  I want to share my chicken soup recipe that is always an all family favorite!  This recipe for chicken soup is fast, easy and the best way to use up all old vegetables that you would otherwise throw out.

The first thing to do is gather up all our old vegetables.  I always have celery, carrots and onions on hand.  I believe the basics of almost any soup is onions, carrots and celery.   Chop them up small and start sauteing them in 1-2 tablespoons of  coconut oil or olive oil and garlic.  The more garlic the better as far as I am concerned. 

When the onions start to look translucent, add about 8 cups of water.  I then add chicken boullion according to the package. 

Add your chicken.  If I have a leftover roast I will add every last bit of meat I can get off of it, or I will add a package of chopped chicken breast.  Costco is now selling bits of chicken breast vacuum packed at a great price.  I keep a package in my freezer at all times. 

Now I add the rest of my vegetables.  I love to use broccoli, zucchini, pea pods, potato (use the skins)-whatever I have and need to use.

This is also a good time to add whatever starch you want-noodles, wild rice, pasta.  I like to use extra wide egg noodles.  I also use a russet potato or two to give an earthy flavor.  Let it simmer for a while, but keep on eye on it.  You may need to use extra water or add some more bouillon.  This is where you can make the soup a chicken noodle soup recipe, a chicken and rice soup recipe, or even a chicken corn soup recipe!  You choose.  I find the best chicken soup recipe is always the one you make with love and your imagination!


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Christmas Food

November 12th, 2009
A bauble on a Christmas tree.
Image via Wikipedia

 

Christmas is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It is a time when we celebrate family and friends. It is a time for religious ceremony or it can be a time of indulgence. Christmas foods are most definitely one of the most indulgent foods that we consume during the whole year. There is the traditional Christmas food which involves a roast turkey or a goose, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, etc, or there is the more modern take on the Christmas fair.

Everybody has got their own versions of what makes a great Christmas. A lot of mothers have passed down Christmas recipes to the next generation, and although this is a tradition which is not as strong as it was, the Christmas dinner always remains one of the most traditional and most memorable times of the year. Christmas is a time when everyone gets together and gathers around the dinner table to share stories about the year and to remember stories from yesteryear. It is a time for old movies in front of the TV, the smell of a wild Christmas tree which has been brought in from the cold, of lights and tree top fairies.

The modern-day take on food for Christmas can take some bizarre twists. If you are used to eating a certain type of food throughout the year then you are hardly going to change for Christmas. For instance, those people who enjoy a raw diet, or a mainly raw diet, are not going to suddenly change and choose to stuff a big old bird into the oven for the Christmas dinner.

Shopping for Christmas that can sometimes be quite stressful and there are many people who fear the whole business, either getting too much, or not getting enough, or maybe forgetting that special diet of uncle Harry. Nowadays, you can take much of a hassle out of purchasing your Christmas party food by searching online. This not only gives you the opportunity to avoid the big mad rush of the last-minute shopper, it will also give you a far greater range of produce to choose from. The Christmas food will be delivered straight to your door for only a small fee. Another great idea for Christmas dinner is to cook a main dish and have everyone else bring a side dish.  Pot luck Christmas dinners take the pressure off anyone person to do all the work.  Either way, Christmas memories are made by the people and love you share.

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The Diversity of Asian Food

November 11th, 2009

Asian food is one of the most diverse types of cuisine that is available throughout the world. There are so many regional variations to Asian foods for you to choose from. It spans the whole variety of flavors from the mild to hot curry flavors, sweet and sour flavors, to some of the delicate flavors of the Philippines and Indonesia. The Asian food recipes that are cooked in many restaurants in the US, and indeed through the western world, are basically catering to western tastes and therefore may not taste exactly the same as they would in the indigenous countries.

Almost every major city in the western world has an Asian food store where you can buy the ingredients for your own home-cooked Asian food recipes. Although, nowadays you can find almost any ingredient you want with a quick search online. Online shopping is increasing year by year, and this is especially so when it comes to sought-after ingredients which are hard to find. Asian food supplies sometimes fall into this category, especially if you want to delve into realistic Asian cookery.

Japanese cuisine is some of the healthiest food in the world. To make authentic Japanese cuisine, you must source your ingredients very carefully. A lot of them are not going to be readily stocked in your local supermarket. But, if you are willing to go the extra mile to source your ingredients you will find that the end product will give you great satisfaction. Japanese foods tend to use a lot of rice or noodles as a base and they also are great believers in using fresh vegetables and raw fish. The Japanese have a culture of preparation which is very meticulous, the attention to detail in Japanese cooking makes it feel almost ritualistic, and it is as much about form as is any French cuisine.

Chinese cuisine is another form of food which we are all used to seeing in our towns and cities. Yet, it is again heavily modified towards the western palate. Also, there are many distinct regional variations throughout Chinese cookery, as there are throughout the Asian food market. Every region in China seems to use it own ingredients and its own cooking processes.   Like every other respectable cuisine in the world, the best Chinese cuisine only utilizes the ingredients which are available at the time and which are in season which makes it very healthy. This makes Chinese food, as well as Asian food in general, some of the most popular in the world.

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Healthy Apple Pie Recipes

November 10th, 2009
Apple Crumb Pie
Image by kpwerker via Flickr

Apple Pie can arguably be one of the best and healthiest desserts if you make it that way!  Apples are sooo good for you and cinnamon lowers blood sugar.  The combination makes for a healthy, low fat dessert that is super delicious!  The best apple pie recipe also happens to be an easy  apple pie recipe too!

 

Apple Crumb Pie

This  recipe for apple pie has a special crumb crust and topping that go great with the filling.  Almost any kind of apples will do, but tart work the best.  

Most apple pie recipes are laden in fat.  We use honey and less butter for the curst which reduces the fat.

It taste great a la mode with nonfat frozen yogurt.

Crust

2.5 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons honey

Filling

8-9 tart apples sliced thinly

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons vanilla

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425*.  Oil a 9 or 10 inch spring form  pan.

Crust:  Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Cut in  butter and honey with a food processor to form fine crumbs.  Pat two-thirds of the mixture on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Filling:  Place the cut apples in a large bowl.  Add sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Toss to coat the apples.  Spoon the filling into the crust and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the pie from the oven and top with the remaining crust crumbs.  Pat the crust down gently and sprinkle with more cinnamon.  Bake for another 20 minutes until golden.  Cool 45-60 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.

268 calories per serving, 5 grams fat, 5.6 g. dietary fiber

 

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Apple Crisp

Apples, cinnamon and raisins are surrounded by a delicious granola like crust.

Filling

8 tart sliced apples

juice of 1 lemon

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1  teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Crust

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup oat bran or bran

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup wholw wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat 13×9 baking pan with no stick spray. 

Filling:  Mix the apples, lemon juice, raisins, sugar, flour,cinnamon, nutmeg,vanilla,cloves and allspice.   Set aside.

Crust:  Mix the oats, bran, butter, flour, sugar, honey and cinnamon.  Pat half of the crust mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking pan.  Pour filling evenly over crust.  Pat remainng crust on top.  Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until golden.  Cool.

190 Calories per serving, 3.9 gram fat, 39.6g. carbohydrate, 2.7 g. fiber.

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Low Carb Pasta

September 20th, 2009

The hardest part of a high protein diet like the South Beach or the Atkins diets, is giving up pasta.  Being Italian, I love pasta!  So when I discovered Dreamfields low carb pasta, I was thrilled!  Its healthy,  it tastes great and has the al dente texture of real italian pasta.  7 ounces of this pasta is 170 calories, 30 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and 7 grams of carbs.  I admit is is a bit pricey, but if I only eat it once a week or so, I don’t mind the cost.  Besides being low carb, it also is free of the white sugar and white flour that raises your glycemic index. So even if your not on the South Beach Diet, it is a good choice, especially if you are a diabetic.  This low carb pasta is also rich in a natural prebiotic fiber that is typically found in raisins, asparagus, artichokes and garlic.  It  improves calcium aborption which improves your immune system and helps reduce cholesterol.

Dreamfields also has a great website where  you can buy low carb pasta and low carb pasta sauce online.  You can search their data base of low carb pasta recipes and plan your dinners.  It takes alot of the hassle and work out of planning recipes.

Supermarkets  have payed attention to this low carb craze and now stock up on great low carb replacements for beer, pasta and candy.  Always read the labels to be sure what your eating.  Some of these products can fix your sweet tooth or carb craving without sacrificing your waistline!

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Fat Burning Foods

September 2nd, 2009

Beyond counting calories, eating the correct foods can really help speed up weight loss.  Here is a list of foods that when eaten regularly will aid your body to burn fat faster.

Dairy

The calcium in dairy make it one of the best foods that burn fat, especially dangerous belly fat.  Studies have shown that if you eat yogurt 3 times daily, you could lose up to 60% more fat than those who don’t.  Low-fat yogurt, cheese or milk are all great choices when it comes to eating your dairy.  For those that are lactose intolerant, collard and turnip greens, broccoli, tofu and calcium fortified orange juice are also  excellent sources of calcium.

Eggs

Eggs have always gotten a bad rap, but they are one of the world’s most perfect food and one of the best fat burning foods.   Not only are eggs a great source of lean protein, but the yolk is shock full of most vitamins and minerals, except for vitamin C.  Because it is a  lean protein, eggs will fill you up and keep you full for a long time. Eggs are loaded with vitamin B12 that breaks down fat cells- so they are a natural fat burning food.

Grapefruit

Grapefruits have a 90% water content which helps to boost metabolism.  Grapefruit has fat burning enzymes and is also known to help lower insulin which is a hormone that stores fat.  Eating 1/2 a grapefruit, or a 2 ounce glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice before every meal can help you lose up to a pound a week. Grapefruit is also very alkalizing to the body which helps to neutralize toxins. Some believe fat is accumulated to protect the body from acidic toxins that can be harmful.  Grapefruit helps to neutralize these toxins and flush them out of the body. It also aids in hunger control.  Eaten before meals grapefruit will cut caloric consumption.  It is a great fat burning food.

Water

Water is the most essential food that our body needs.  Our bodies are over 95% water.  Many of us are walking around dehydrated and don’t even know it.  When you body doesn’t get enough water, it will hold on to fat and water.  Often times what you think of as hunger pains will be satisfied by drinking a glass of water.  Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.  It is after all, the ultimate lowest calorie foods you can eat!

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Healthy Smoothie Recipes

August 31st, 2009

Smoothies are a great way to get  nutrients into your body.  They are delicious too.  Even kids love them!   In fact, smoothies are a great way to sneak in extra protein, vitamins and minerals into your kids.   Here are some tried and true, tasty smoothie recipes to have fun  with .  Children love to help make them too!

Nutritional supplements can be added to any smoothie as needed.  Good ones are:

2 tbsp. whey protein powder.  Growing children needs lots of protein.  Many attention deficit disorders can be greatly helped with added protein.   Amino acids are necessary for healthy brain development.  Adults rarely get enough protein.  Protein helps curb hunger  longer and aids in weight-loss.

2 tbsp. brewer’s yeast. Brewer’s yeast is a natural  food source of Vitamin B complex.  It also is high in protein and loaded with other important minerals and vitamins. Cellular development is enhanced by the high nucleic acid count found in brewer’s yeast.  I wouldn’t add it in addition to protein powder.  Do one or the other.  Brewer’s yeast helps to reduce stress, lower cholesterol, and enhance metabolism and energy.

2 tsp. flax seeds. Flax seed is high in fiber and fun to chew on.  Flax seed  are rich in omega 3 fatty acids,  lignans and phytoestrogens which lower triglycerides and blood pressure.    Omega 3’s are great for you skin, brain, heart…just about everything.

flax oil. Some people don’t care for the taste of flax seed, so flax seed oil is a good option.  The oil contains less fiber than the seeds, but the benefits are still there.

lecithin. Add 2 tsp.  to your smoothie to help  promote weightloss.  Lecithin is an emulsifier.  Ithelps the liver breakdown and disperse fat in the body.  It’s also said to be beneficial for the reproductive system in both men and women and also good for the gallbladder.

aloe vera juice. Aloe vera is a very healing plant rich in calcium, iron, potassium, chromium, manganese, copper and zinc.  It’s great for the skin, the digestive track and the immune system. Pour 2 ounces into your smoothie for added benefits.

The basics of almost any smoothie is yogurt, ice, a fruit  and a liquid.  If you desire a more low-fat smoothie recipe, you can use low-fat or nonfat yogurt.  Then build from there, adding your favorite fruit and the nutritional supplements you desire. Here are some yummy recipes:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 frozen strawberries
1 teaspoon honey
2 tbsp vanilla whey protein powder

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe
1/2 cup chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 frozen banana
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoon chocolate whey protein powder (or vanilla)

Creamy Orange Smoothie Recipe
½ cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup orange juice
1 peeled and seeded orange
1 cup ice
2 tablespoons brewer’s yeast

Tips for Great Smoothies

-    Add ingredients to blender and pulse until desired thickness.  If too thick, add more liquid.

-    Crushed ice blends better than ice cubes.

-    Buy frozen fruit for any fruit smoothie recipes.     Then you don’t need to add ice and it blends better.

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Salmonella Poisoning

August 30th, 2009

Salmonella food poisoning is a type of bacteria often found in undercooked meat, poultry or raw eggs.  It is also found in pet turtles and is the cause of little turtles being banned from sale in many states.  It has also been known to spread from person to person.

Symptoms

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, sweats and chills and lack of appetite.  Salmonella poisoning symptoms can be severe and may also return if the bacteria is not treated.  The most danger lies in dehydration from losing fluids and salts.  Be sure to replenish your electrolytes with Pedialyte, Gatorade,  or sea salt water.  At most risk are infants, children and older adults over 60 years old.

Call your doctor if your symptoms last longer than a couple days.  Be sure to save a diarrhea sample so they can test it.  If you are diagnosed with salmonella poisoning, you will most likely be given an antibiotic and be advised to drink plenty of fluids.  Eat a bland diet consisting of rice, applesauce, bananas and toast.

If you have signs of dark urine, dry mouth, no tears in your eyes and fatigue, these are signs of dehydration.  Drink plenty of fluids.Call your doctor is you can’t keep anything down or if you have a high  temperature, jaundice or worsening diarrhea.

Prevention

The best care for salmonella poisoning is preventative.  Always use a separate cutting board for meats and poultry.  Wash sink, utensils and wash hands thoroughly after handling any meats and poultry.

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