All about FOOD

Right Food Technique to Build Lean Muscles Fast

2012-01-19T03:36:00.001-08:00

Food is one of the important aspects when you want to build leans muscles fast. You need to have the right food. Perhaps, some people do not know how important food is to build muscles quick. With this, you have to search the right food and the right diet program to build lean muscles fast. You might think, however, that you can eat anything as you build your muscles. The problem with this is you will not be able to achieve fast results in your muscle building. Thus, in this article you will know the right food techniques to build lean muscles fast.

Protein is very essential if you want to develop your muscles. This will help build your muscles fast and without this, you will never gain muscles in your body. High protein intake is advisable for those who are thinking of developing their muscles. You can get this from tuna, chicken, beef, and other meats. However, most body builders opt for tuna as the best way to get protein. The reason for this is that tuna contains low fat. Thus, you will minimize incurring fats in your body to make your muscle visible.

Food Techniques

Furthermore, one of the right food techniques to build lean muscles fast is to eat food with fat content. This is needed to develop muscle mass. However, you have to limit your fat intake. You might incur lots of fat in your body that will defeat your purpose to develop muscle mass. You have to remember that to make your muscles visible you have to minimize incurring fats. In order to set some limitations in your fat intake, it is advisable to have 20% of fats in your daily calorie intake. Another caution that you have to remember always is to select food with good fat qualities.

Another right food technique to help you build lean muscles is to consume serious carbs in your diet. Carbohydrates is known to be one of the indirect helps to build muscle mass in your body. This supplies you enough energy to do your muscle building workouts and the series of training that you will be undergoing.

Moreover, do not forget to always hydrate yourself. Water is one of the helps to build muscle mass in your workouts. This also helps you to develop your health. With this, it is advisable to minimize your alcohol intake as well as coffee and tea. In this way, you will never reduce your body's water content.

These are the right food technique to build lean muscles fast. Eat the right food and maintain a healthy diet to build muscles quick. Start building your muscles today!

Right Food Technique to Build Lean Muscles Fast

Food Safety Tips

2012-01-16T18:00:00.001-08:00

Three Main Rules for Food Safety:

o Keeping everything clean in the kitchen area

Food Techniques

o Keeping cold foods cold

o Keeping hot foods hot

Beware of hidden dangers:

o Spoiled Food

o Food Poisoning

Spoiled food is easy to spot since it usually looks and smells bad, but food poisoning is another story. Food poisoning is a bacteria that cannot be tasted, seen, or smelled. The following points will help keep a person safe:

o Always use paper towels when working with, or cleaning up after raw meat and even vegetables. Vegetables maybe shipped from other countries and some of their safety standards are not as strict as the United States.

o Keep pets out of the kitchen while cooking, especially if they are generally outdoor animals.

o Keep kitchen linen's washed regularly since bacteria tends to hang out in sponges, towels and cloths that are used over and over. Throw out dirty or mildewed dish sponges or clean in dishwasher.

Your clean kitchen:

o Clean with soap, that says "antibacterial".

o Wash hands with "antibacterial soap".

o Always wash hands, utensils or anything that raw meat or vegetables were around.

o Cover any skin cut or opening with bandage or gloves or protective plastic of some kind.

o Any cutting boards other than wood are the safest for cutting raw foods on because they are less porous than wooden boards.

o Do not mix raw meat with cooked meat because this could transfer bacteria. For example, do not take raw hamburger out to the grill to cook and put cooked ones back on the same plate.

Hot Foods

o Bacteria will thrive at room temperature or in lukewarm food, so do not allow hot foods to be at room temperature for more than two hours; to keep hot foods hot that means keep it above 140° or higher.

o Never partially cook or heat perishable foods because during cooking, the food may not reach a temperature high enough to destroy bacteria.

o It is necessary to roast meat or poultry at 325° or above.

o When reheating leftovers; stir often until steaming hot at 165°. If there are, any doubts about leftover foods throw it away because it is not worth getting sick over.

Cold Foods

o Since bacteria can thrive at room temperature then it can grow in foods that are suppose to be cold as well, so the same rule applies don't leave out for more than 2 hours at a time.

o Always take perishables foods home and refrigerate immediately.

o Foods chill faster when space is allowed between them when stocking refrigerator and freezer. In addition, divide into smaller amounts in shallow containers helps to chill faster.

o It is a good idea to buy a refrigerator thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is cooling at 35° to 40°. In addition, use a freezer thermometer to check that your freezer is staying at 0° or colder. If the power goes out do not open the doors. Food will be good for up to four hours and maybe a little longer depending on the circumstances.

o You should not thaw foods at room temperature, but if you do cook immediately at the correct temperatures. The same thing applies if you thaw foods in the microwave.

Check out these tips and more at http://www.cristiescookin.com.

Food Safety Tips

Halloween Food Tips Will Help You Create Great Theme Party Food Recipes

2012-01-14T08:36:00.001-08:00

There are a large number of Halloween food tips available to those that are interested in creating interesting, unique snacks on this festive holiday. You can create foods that are appropriate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers, beverages, snacks, and everything in between, before, and after. Here, I will provide some basic Halloween food tips that you can implement this year in order to bring new life to your festivities.

Keep in mind, these festivities are not for the faint, or easily weakened, these are spookynite spectacular recipes that are rather enjoyable and entertaining for those that are searching for spooky spectacular scares and thrills during Halloween. If you are one of these people, then these recipes will be just perfect for you!

Food Techniques

When it comes to Halloween food tips, appetizers rule the roost! Seeing that there are a large host of Halloween parties, gathering, and all sorts of other social gatherings, appetizers are an important element. The first recipe that we will discuss is one that I found some time back. It is called "Spiderwiches". First, you take at least 4 rolls that are pumpernickel based, and then about a half a cup of tuna salad.

Once you have gathered these two ingredients, get out some mustard in a squeeze bottle, and a whole bunch of those little pretzel sticks. You simply take the rolls and cut them in half. Now, spread a bit of the tuna salad on the bottom half and set is down with the cut side on the bottom. Then, take and put four pretzel sticks on either side of the roll as legs. Then, push down two sticks into one end of the roll to make some scary spider eyes! That's all there is to it!

There are many other odd and unusual Halloween food tips that you can put to work for you. There is another "spider" related product that is called "Spider web Munch" that you may be interested in. First, you will need some peanut butter morsels, Hershey's chocolate in a can or squeeze bottle, about one third cup of powdered sugar, and approximately two to three cups of toasted rice cereal. First, heat up the peanut butter chips and the chocolate.

It is important to stir this mixture constantly. Once you have done this, add the sugar and remove from the heat. Take this mix and add the cereal. Once it is all mixed, place it on a cookie sheet, and then take the chocolate from the can or the squeeze bottle and pour it over the mix so that it looks like a spider web! Isn't this a great Halloween food idea.

Halloween Food Tips Will Help You Create Great Theme Party Food Recipes

Tips and Tricks to Help You Eat Healthy That Do Not Involve Food

2012-01-11T23:00:00.001-08:00

One of the most common misconceptions about dieting is that it is all about the food you eat. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the trick to dieting is not really about the food at all, but in controlling your habits and moderating the motivations that cause you to make poor dieting choices in the first place.

For example, if you are accustomed to heaping your plate full of food for every meal, it really does not matter what is on the plate. The key here is to control the urge to overload your plate in the first place. Once you learn some of the tricks to help you eat healthy that do not directly involve food or recipes, the actual dieting part of the equation will be a piece of cake.

Food Techniques

Do Not Starve Yourself, Ever

The trick to losing weight and keeping it off is to make your body efficient, and your body needs good food to do that. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves. The problem comes when your body senses this and goes into shutdown mode, meaning it holds on to fat stores because it senses famine. Eat healthy and regularly to burn fat and lose weight.

Use Small Plates For Your Meals, Not Large Ones

One of the methods to helping you control your food portions is to use small plates instead of large ones. People often subconsciously fill their plates to capacity, so stay ahead of the game by using smaller plates and eating less.

Serve Meals On The Plate, Not Off Of A Platter

Another great way to control your portions is to not serve meals "family style," where everyone passes around platters of food for people to take what they want. Fill the plates for everyone away from the table to prevent overeating.

Eat In Front Of A Mirror

A good way to help control what and how you eat is to place a mirror in the dining room near where you eat, so that you can catch a glimpse of yourself while you dine. This will help you keep focused on eating slowly, methodically, and prompting you to eat the right kinds of food.

Eat Your Meals At Home, Where You Are In Complete Control

Especially when beginning a diet plan, try to avoid going out to eat. When dining out, you are not in control. When you eat at home, you know exactly what is in your food and how much you should to consume. By taking this control, you reinforce the psychological primacy of your efforts.

Tips and Tricks to Help You Eat Healthy That Do Not Involve Food

Dukan Recipes to Spice Up Your High Protein Diet

2012-01-09T13:18:00.001-08:00

The Dukan diet promises fast weight loss with petite hunger or food cravings. This high protein diet is strictly petite in fat and carbohydrate intake. The rules of the Dukan diet mean that the dieter is only allowed to eat protein rich food for any days in a row. Eating protein makes you feel full quicker and for longer than do fat or carbohydrates. Consequently, citizen on the Dukan diet will spent very petite time feeling hungry. The fast weight loss on the Dukan diet is impressive. Quick weight loss without hunger is a strong selling point for any diet and the Dukan diet capitalizes on these twin qualities. However some dieters, while satisfied with their fast weight loss and lack of hunger pangs, may be implicated about their food lacking flavor. Lack of flavor does not have to be a problem on the Dukan diet.

Dr. Dukan took flavor into list when he created the his diet

Food Recipe

In his bestselling book, The Dukan Diet, Pierre Dukan includes a lesson filled with recipes full of flavor for followers of his regime. Each recipe packs in the biggest flavor punch inherent whilst still following the rules of the diet. Let's take a look at three tips on how to make protein only meals deliciously tasty.

Dukan recipe tip #1 - vinegar

Vinegar is allowed during all phases of the diet. This condiment performs needful work in creating sauces to flavor protein rich food. Dips can be created using simply vinegar, low fat yogurt and some mustard. during the protein and vegetable phases of the Dukan diet, vinegar can be used to generate tasty salad dressings.

Dukan recipe tip #2 - mustard

A small spread of mustard is permitted whilst on the diet and, as whatever who has ever tasted mustard knows, adds real flavor to meats. I have found while shopping nearby for my diet that French mustard is the best mustard in terms of nutritional content. It is delicious too.

Dukan recipe tip #3 - herbs and spices

All herbs and spices are permitted during the diet. Some freshly chopped mint leaves can be added to yogurt to make a uncomplicated sauce. Coriander and black onion seeds add a touch of Indian difficulty to Dukan recipes. If you like things spicy, then why not sprinkle some dried chillies over your food?

The key to adding flavor to your recipes is to look for high flavor, low fat, condiments and then to use them liberally. Be open to new tastes and eating sensations and you will soon be cooking flavorsome food. Look at the wide varieties of herbs and spices ready in your local market. If there are some you haven't use before to flavor your meals, then try them, you could be about to survey a new beloved flavor. Don't forget sweet flavours such as vanilla pods and cinnamon. Spicy food doesn't have to be hot remember you can cool down the heat by adding yogurt as long as it is low fat. The leading thing is to experiment and have fun so that you enjoy your time on the diet.

Dukan Recipes to Spice Up Your High Protein Diet

The Best Spicy Mexican Food Recipes

2012-01-07T03:36:00.001-08:00

Mexican food is not all spicy - that is a coarse misconception about the cuisine. There are non-spicy Mexican soup recipes, Mexican salad recipes, Mexican dip recipes and fullness more. However, Mexicans do like to use chili in their recipes and sometimes it is fun to make spicy Mexican recipes.

You can spice up pretty much any Mexican food formula by adding some minced chili or chili powder. If you are manufacture guacamole or salsa, you can decide how hot you want it. Guacamole is commonly served alongside spicy food because it is cool, creamy and cools the mouth but fiery salsas can be absolutely flavorful and the fieriness of the chili contrasts brilliantly with the sweet, cool tomatoes.

Food Recipe

Authentic Mexican food recipes like Mexican stew and Mexican casserole can be made as spicy as you want. If you are feeding a family or mixed group, you might want to make your Mexican food mild and leave a bottle of hot sauce on the table. That way, habitancy can adjust the spiciness of their own meal.

Sweet and Spicy Food

The Mexicans also love to merge sweetness with spice and snacks like caramelized jalapenos or chili flavored chocolate are not unusual in Mexico. The sweetness and spiciness complement one another in a way you would only understand if you have tried it.

You can get a similar taste if you merge sweetness and spice in a savory Mexican food recipe. Corn is sweet, as are fresh tomatoes and these are also Mexican staples. Try adding chilies to a corn or tomato based dish and you will see how the flavors go together.

Mexican Style Spicy Bean Burgers

This is a very uncomplicated formula for Mexican bean burgers. Beans are one of the former Mexican staples and either you are looking for a vegetarian Mexican formula or just something a limited bit different, this healthy, wholesome, and tasty bean burger formula is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger.

This formula makes four to eight bean burgers, depending how big you make them. If you want to make appetizer recipes for a Superbowl party or similar event, you can make mini bean burgers or, if you want to satisfy a raging hunger, make them big and juicy and serve them with lots of toppings!

What you will need:
16 oz can red kidney beans 1/2 cup flour 1 carrot 1/2 green bell pepper 1/2 white onion 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon chili powder 1 cup breadcrumbs 1/8 cup chunky salsa
How to make them:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Drain and rinse the kidney beans. Peel, steam and mash the carrot. Chop the onion and bell pepper. merge all things to make balls and shape the balls into patties. Bake them for 20 minutes, and then serve on buns with salsa, lettuce, and tomato. Top each spicy bean burger with a slice of Mexican cheese if you like and serve right away.

The Best Spicy Mexican Food Recipes

Filipino Recipes - Pork Tocino - Pinoy Food

2012-01-04T18:00:00.001-08:00

Tocino is a very popular processed food originating from the province of Pampanga. It is a very delicious formula that you can put in order on any given day. The sweet and salty taste makes this formula a popular for kids. My son, for one, loves the pork tocino so much. Not only Filipinos find this dish delectable. Some foreigners have also come to love the taste after being introduced to it.

This cured meat stock is a native Filipino delicacy. It is comparable to the ham and bacon ready in western countries. The name tocino is a Spanish word and is used to delineate cured meat or bacon. If you are a business-minded type of person, you can make this formula and sell your fulfilled, stock so that you can earn extra money.

Food Recipe

Ingredients:

4 kilos of pork round or shoulder butt (pigue or kasim) 1 cup pineapple juice 3 cups sugar 1 cup water 2 teaspoons of curing salt 4 teaspoons of phosphate 2 tablets ascorbic acid (crushed) 1/2 cup anisado wine 1/4 cup crushed garlic 1/2 cup rock salt red food color (optional)

Cooking Procedure:

Across the grain, slice the pork into 1/4 inch thick cuts then place inside the refrigerator. Mix water and phosphate. Using a non-reactive bowl, mix the phosphate solution, curing salt, and rock salt. Stir well then coat the meat completely by tossing. Pour in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cure for 8-10 hours at room temperature or 1-2 days inside the refrigerator. Place inside polyethylene bags. For this preparation, you can have 10 packs with 1/2 kilo each. Keep freezing if necessary.

Filipino Recipes - Pork Tocino - Pinoy Food

The Recipes and Foods of Algeria

2012-01-02T08:36:00.001-08:00

Algeria is a North African country that lies on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The country is named after the city of Algiers which, itself, is named from the Arabic al-jaz'ir(literally 'the islands') and is named for the four islands that lie off the country's coast.

Along with Tunisia and Morocco it is part of the Maghreb region of North Africa and shares requisite culinary overlap with its two closest neighbours. As might be incredible from a Mediterranean country fish and seafood form a requisite part of the diet, though the country's Berber history is also evident in its customary lamb-based dishes.

Food Recipe

Historically, Algerian cuisine is a melange of the discrete influences on the country and it's potential to see Berber, Arab, Turkish, and French traditions within this country's diverse cuisine.

Below are two first-rate Algerian dishes:

Algerian Fish Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion
3 garlic cloves
300g whole tomatoes (tinned)
1 tsp paprika(pinch of saffron
salt and black pepper to taste
2 large potatoes, cubed
3 celery sticks, diced
2l chicken stock
900g firm white fish cut into steaks

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes and continue to simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add the spices, potatoes, and broth, bring to a boil, cut to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the fish and continue to cook until the fish flakes precisely with a fork. Allow the soup to cool a little, purée in a blender then return to the pan and simmer for a supplementary 10 minutes to heat thoroughly.

Serve in soup bowls garnished with chopped coriander.

Chicken and Olive Stew

Ingredients:

900g chicken breasts, skinned and cubed
1 tbsp ghee (or butter)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp saffron, crumbled
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
225g Greek Kalamata olives, pitted
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Add the oil to a pan and use to cook the chicken for about 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Now stir-in the garlic and spices and fry for a supplementary 10 minutes, stirring often to ensure that the chicken is coated in the spices.

Add 250ml water and bring to a boil. cut to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is wholly tender. Ultimately stir-in the olives and lemon juice and simmer for a supplementary 8 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and serve hot over couscous or rice.

I hope that report has given you a brief introduction to Algerian cuisine and that you are know keen to find out more about Algerian cookery.

The Recipes and Foods of Algeria

French Food Tips: Understanding The Traditional 6 Course Meal

2011-12-30T23:00:00.001-08:00

For a dinner party or special meal many people choose to go for French food, since many of the best recipes are inspired by, or come directly from France. French cuisine is known around the world as being one of the finest, and it's no surprise that it is one of the most popular choices when it comes to laying on a meal that's a little bit special.

But apart from serving up the obvious meals such as beef Bourgogne, what can you do to really transform a meal into a classic French one? One of the things that can be done is to serve French food in the same way the French do. If you've ever been to France for a meal you'll know that the one thing the French never do when they're eating is rush. In this country we tend to see each course as something to get through before we can chat a while before the next one, but in France they can make a meal last hours quite easily.

Food Techniques

In part this is because they serve several courses, all of which are a little smaller than some of the courses we serve here in the UK. By having several courses, all planned carefully to keep the tastes separate and enjoyable, the meal can be made to feel full of more variety. It's important not to rush French food, but to savour it, and to enjoy and share the experience with those around you.

Here's a quick break down of the traditional way in which French food should be served, breaking it down into six separate courses. Remember, when serving this many courses the servings will need to be a little smaller than if you were just serving a three course meal.

Course 1: Hors D'oeuvres

Don't call this the starter, for a start! If you're serving up French food then the first dish must be hors d'oeuvres, which roughly translated means 'out of the works'. The word 'works' here relates to the main course, and the purpose of these is to stimulate the appetite - not to fill a person up!

Course 2: The Fish Course

A light fish course with a few vegetables will come next, although it's important to remember not only to keep this small and light, but also to offer something afterwards to cleanse the palate. The ideal thing here is to serve a citrus sorbet, which prepares the taste buds for the main course.

Course 3: The Main Course

Traditionally the meat dish. The focus here is on the meat, with just a few vegetables and potatoes. Poultry or traditional meat such as lamb, beef or pork will be ideal. There are plenty of traditional French recipes to choose from, any of which will be ideal.

Course 4 The Salad Course

The purpose of this course is to cleanse the palate, as well as helping to aid digestion. Simply serve up a few greens, tossed with a vinaigrette. You can make this as simple as you like, or as elaborate as you wish.

Course 5: The Cheese Plate

For family meals this is usually the last course, with the dessert reserved for special occasions. Simply serve up a selection of cheeses, along with some fruit, and let people help themselves. The French are well known for their love of cheese, but make sure you provide a range, from light, mild cheddars to a rich stilton.

Course 6: The Dessert

For special occasions a rich, indulgent and beautifully decorated sweet treat is called for! Avoid the really rich, heavy treacle puddings and go for something a little lighter, but still very sweet. To finish with of course coffee is always ideal.

French Food Tips: Understanding The Traditional 6 Course Meal

Easy Dessert Recipes - 3 Simple Tips

2011-12-28T13:18:00.001-08:00

Always finding ourselves short of time in today's world, easy dessert recipes are more important than ever. Have you ever wanted to make a wonderful and delicious dessert to magnificently top off a gathering meal but found yourself short on time? Or maybe you are new to making desserts and need some help? I'm sure it happens to all of us now and then.

As a dessert lover myself, I always try to make sure that the dessert I make will at least result in some words of praise from my guests. One of the best things about having great dessert is not just that it gives you that wonderful feeling, but it also makes you happy when you see how much your guests or family members are enjoying it. But how do you do that if you are new and find dessert-making difficult, or if you're constantly busy and making dessert is too time-consuming?

Food Techniques

This article gives you some simple tips for making life simpler by choosing the right easy dessert recipes, and some advice for making almost any dessert recipe easier.

1. Recipe Size

Often we overlook the fact that the dessert recipes we make can be downsized to fit our needs. This can be as simple as taking a normal dessert recipe and dividing all the ingredient portions in half or in quarter, but not every recipe may be so appropriately scaled down. When searching for easy dessert recipes, be on the look out for the serving sizes listed for each recipe. Some recipes are specially designed for a small number of guests and these will save you a lot of hassle and worry.

Small dessert recipes are easier to make and they bake faster too. This is especially so if your kitchen isn't as big as you want it to be, or you don't have enough large bowls. Also, keep in mind that desserts are normally eaten after a large, full meal, and smaller easy dessert recipes will go well with the guests. If you have any guests who are trying to keep control of their weight, they will thank you for this too.

2. Ingredients Required

The best easy dessert recipes to choose are preferably those with convenient ingredients that you can easily find in your local store. If you are in a rush, then you might want to opt for an easy dessert recipe that can be made with the ingredients you already have on hand in your pantry or refrigerator. Recipes that require fewer ingredients will generally be easier to make. Try searching for recipes with three to five ingredients for maximum easiness in making.

3. Component Substitution

Many long-winding recipes can be made easier to some extent by simple component substitution. If certain components of a particular easy dessert recipe can be store-bought, it will save you a lot of time and effort. For example, when making a tiramisu, instead of having to make the ladyfingers and cheesecake filling from scratch according to the recipe, it would also be possible for you to buy pre-made packages of ladyfingers from the store, and ready-to-eat cheesecake filling too. Then just add coffee syrup or other flavoring according to your tastes, and assemble it for a quick tiramisu dessert.

Some people may frown upon this saying that those ready-made components do not make a dessert that tastes as good as the ones you make yourself. Well for me, I feel that this in itself is an art. It takes a certain amount of knowledge and experience to know which brand of ingredients is of the best quality and go well together. Of course easy dessert recipes that are made from scratch will often taste better, if done right, due to the effort and thought put into them. But the difference is not always that large, and there are times when we don't always get things done right. If you're just a beginner who is just starting out, then this is a good place to start too.

Try these three simple tips for making easy dessert recipes even easier, and they will save you a lot of effort. You will even find that you have more time to enjoy yourself in the kitchen.

Easy Dessert Recipes - 3 Simple Tips

Old-Fashion Batter recipe For Frying Vegetables and Meats

2011-12-26T03:54:00.001-08:00

In today's society, fried foods are supposed to be a no-no. But who can resist some good fried vegetables from time to time? Use a good oil, don't fry too often, fry vegetables or fish and enjoy it once in awhile. Try this batter for onion rings, zucchini, mushrooms, corn nuggets, fish, chicken, or your other favorites. Many of todays menus even feature fried pickles, so just use your imagination. I found this formula years ago in a newspaper advertisement for Argo cornstarch which explains the next paragraph.

This old newspaper advertisement says to "Let the natural flavor of your fried vegetables come through with the light touch of Argo and Kingsford's. And try these easy and delicious recipes. You'll agree that for light and crispy fried vegetables or chicken, it as a matter of fact is the batter that matters."

Food Recipe

Light Batter

3/4 cup Argo or Kingford's Corn Starch
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water
1 egg, slightly beaten

In bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients. Add water and egg; stir until smooth. Pour 1 qt (about) corn oil into large skillet to depth of 1/2", filling no more than 1/3 full. Heat over medium heat to 375 degrees. Dip 4 cups cutup vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, onion, and mushrooms, or 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes, a few at a time, into batter. (Stir batter occasionally.) carefully add vegetables or chicken to hot oil, a few pieces at a time. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Serves 4 to 6.

Herb Batter: effect basic recipe. Add 1 tsp dried basil leaves and 1 clove garlic, minced.

Spicy Batter: effect basic recipe. Add 1 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Beer Batter: effect basic recipe. Omit water. Add 1/3 cup cold beer.

Enjoy!

Old-Fashion Batter recipe For Frying Vegetables and Meats

7 Tips on What to Eat to Get Pregnant

2011-12-23T17:54:00.001-08:00

How is your diet? Is it a fertility diet? Eating is the single most important thing you can do to get that happy, healthy baby you've been dreaming of. Yes, eating!

Eating is something we take for granted. In our lifetimes we have generally had enough food to eat, readily available whenever we want. We can get it 24 hours a day from any corner McDonalds for goodness sake. We've never gone hungry - unless it was to fit into that perfect outfit for Saturday's date.

Food Techniques

But there's more to optimal eating that just keeping our bellies full. It about eating the right things - in the right amount - to keep our bodies healthy and well nourished. It's about eating "Fertility Food".

History has shown that poorly nourished bodies are less likely to conceive and/or carry a baby to term. So, what should you be eating if you want to get pregnant? I listed 7 broad categories below.

8 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables

Yes, you can get all the vitamins you need from a pill but that's just not the same as getting them naturally - from the foods you eat. The vitamins and minerals in the pill are not absorbed as well by the body as those found in food. And they may be absorbed differently one day to another.

The body was meant to eat whole food - right from the source. Eating eight servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day serves several purposes:

1. It keeps our blood sugar even. Spiking and falling blood sugars have been shown lead to miscarriages. That's why diabetics have more problems carrying a baby to term.

2. It maintains a steady supply of vitamins and minerals - rather than just a huge gulp of them when we take our pill. Now don't get me wrong here. You should take a prenatal vitamin - in addition to the fertility food you're eating - just not in place of it.

6-9 Servings of Whole Grains

In the western world we seldom eat whole grains unless we make a real effort to do so. Our grains are refined for one reason - and one reason only - to increase shelf-life. Our food suppliers have chosen to maximize profits at the expense of our health.

But on the fertility diet we make a conscious effort to eat only whole grains - brown rice, whole grain bread, couscous, barley, cracked wheat - you get the idea. These foods will make your body healthier and stronger - and more receptive to getting pregnant.

4 Servings of Low Fat Dairy

You could reasonably argue that a fully grown woman has no need for dairy products. After all, dairy products have a lot of fat in them. And you take a calcium supplement every day.

But this same argument cannot be made for a pregnant woman. Dairy products are our main source of calcium and Vitamin D. And you want to be getting these as close to the source as possible. Once your baby is born you can cut back on dairy products - but not before!

2-3 Servings of Low Fat Protein

Think fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes - not protein drinks! Protein drinks are anything but natural, and when you're trying to get pregnant the natural source is always best.

The one thing to note is that American women tend to get much more than the 60 grams of protein needed each day. So check your portion sizes carefully!

Switch All White Foods to Brown Whole Foods

Brown sugar, brown pasta, whole wheat flour, whole grain cereals and breads - these are the types of grain foods we need to be eating. These are the fertility foods that provide us with folic acid, iron and zinc. And these are the fertility foods that have a major impact on having a healthy baby.

8 Glasses of Pure Water

Not tap water - unless the Culligan Man has been to your house. The quality of tap water in most regions of the country is very poor - high in iron and mercury - two minerals we do not want to get from our fluid intake.

But water is essential each and every day. It keeps the body hydrated, protects the kidneys and flushes toxins out of our system.

And Last - But Not Least... Eat a Little Bit Often

I've mentioned this before, but keeping your blood sugar on an even keel is part of the fertility diet. Blood sugars that go up rapidly and then crash are not good for you or your baby. The brain and vital organs want - need - a steady supply of sugar at an even level all day long. Eating a little bit every 3 hours or so accomplishes this.

If you haven't been eating like this - and want to get pregnant - it's best that you establish a healthy eating plan and follow it for at least 6 months before getting pregnant. That will ensure your baby has the best start possible.

If the fertility diet is new to you and you want more information, visit my website below. Be sure to sign up for my mini-course 11 Infertility Secrets while you're there.

7 Tips on What to Eat to Get Pregnant

Italian Food Recipes - 3 Tips For Choosing the Best

2011-12-21T07:54:00.001-08:00

Italian food recipes have grown over the internet landscape the past 2 years with more added each day. You have a wide choice to choose from in today's marketplace of taste. The dishes can range from hearty and robust to light and flavorful with many in between the two extremes. So with all these choices, along with the new kid on the block,healthy Italian recipes, how do you pick the right ones?

I've noticed many mistakes people make when it comes to choosing a recipe. But I've noticed just a few that keep coming up among people, especially new cooks. But I've also watched older more experienced cooks fall into a trap or two the newbie's fall victim to.

Food Techniques

Perhaps it's the simplicity of the mistakes, they're what people can often describe as little, but when overlooked they can often cause a big flop with your Italian recipe.

I've listed 3 solid guidelines to follow that will help you choose the best recipes. There's a simple system to choosing the best dishes. If you take the time to follow these suggestions you'll get better at choosing the best. The more you stick to these tips the better and more consistent your results.

1. Ingredients Are Easily Obtainable. - At first this appears to be a no-brainer, but many cooks can easily make this mistake if they're not careful. In their excitement to start on the recipe, they can gloss over an ingredient the dish calls for and not realize it until it's too late.

2. Invest In The Right Cooking Tools - This is an area many cooks underestimate. They choose to cook an elaborate recipe that have more steps than normal - with the wrong cooking tools. Doing this not only waste time, it can ruin a recipe, making the final product disappointing.

3. Can You Speak Recipe? - Many cooks overlook the importance of understanding recipe terms. They try to wing it and leave themselves open to make little mistakes that cause bigger problems. You'll have a different result if you cube and the recipe said to mince, or you boiled and the recipe said to sauté. This can cause your result to go into the trash instead of your mouth.

As you pay attention and remember these simple tips you'll find your Italian recipes taking on a better look, feel and taste. There's a popular saying that "the little foxes can spoil the vine," meaning little mistakes can spoil a lot. Now know you see how you can avoid the little mistakes and make your Italian cooking a big hit.

Italian Food Recipes - 3 Tips For Choosing the Best

Healthy Eating Facts - Japanese Food and Healthy Eating Tips

2011-12-18T22:18:00.001-08:00

When pondering on rational thoughts about life and longevity, the Japanese are known to be among the top choices. The Japanese people has been recognized to be among those who have longer life spans; there are stipulations that it is not simply because of the theory of traditional ancient practices or secrets of elixirs which allow them to live longer than an average person.

The real secret is their passion for labor and their very healthy eating facts. To be able to truly understand what the Japanese does for them to be able to live a strong and healthy life with their chosen diet, one must first perish the thought of pure raw food when speaking of Japanese cuisine. Even the Japanese know how to cook their food, and boy do they do it great!

Food Techniques

The Japanese are known for a fact to consume large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. They strive on fish as well as on meat. So, what makes them different from the rest of the world? Simple, it is the proportions on which they take in their food. They are able to keep an ideal balance of their food groups without having to compromise taste and quality. Among the greatest healthy eating facts the Japanese have is the fact that they are able to combine the basic food groups and use spices to their advantage; they use a lot of ginger and pickle them as an added appetizer.

The other healthy fact that the Japanese benefit greatly from is the fact that they consume large amounts of fish thus is able to benefit most from the fish oils. The Japanese tend to stay away from bad fat or saturated fat which is also known as bad cholesterol and instead use more of the good fat or good cholesterol which is mostly found in fish.

Healthy Eating Facts - Japanese Food and Healthy Eating Tips

Your vigor Levels Will Soar - Vegetarian Food Recipes

2011-12-16T12:36:00.001-08:00

There are abundance of delicious, vegetarian food recipes ready for every meal of the day, together with snacks and desserts that have the indispensable component of being free from meat products. Starting with breakfast, you can begin your day with a wholesome and satisfying meal that will supply nutrition and energy. A vegetarian omelet is not only scrumptious, but it is also wholesome and easy to make. Begin by conferrence a range of colorful veggies to add to your omelet. The more range of colors you have, the more nutrients you will get, as colorful vegetables contain the most nutrients and anti-oxidants.

Try bell peppers (yellow, red, green), mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes, if you like. Chop the vegetables and add to two cracked eggs in a bowl. Cook over an open flame in safflower oil and pair with whole wheat toast.

Food Recipe

Vegetarian snacks are also easy to prepare. You can munch on nuts, lite cheese, fruit, yogurt, chips and salsa, granola bars, cut-up veggies and so much more. For lunch, you can prepare something fresh that requires no cooking at all. In whole wheat pita pockets, add hummus and veggies of your choice. Some appetizing choices contain alfalfa sprouts, shredded carrot, black olives, cucumber slices and any other vegetables you crave. Vegetarians who eat cheese can also think adding feta cheese to their pita.

A vegetarian supper can be just as easy as any other meal. You can use the leftover vegetables of the day by cutting them up in slices and frying in a pan of safflower oil or canola oil. In a pot, prepare brown rice or other whole grain of your choice. After the vegetables are sauteed, drain and cut tofu into cubes and crisp them in the pan. prepare a sauce made with lite soy sauce, chili flakes, rice vinegar, sesame oil and lime juice. Assemble the rice, veggies and tofu and pour the sauce over it. Make sweetmeat straightforward with baked pear sliced drizzled with agave nectar and chopped pecans.

Vegetarian food recipes promote wholesome digestion and supply energy. Meat-free meals virtually eliminate that "two-thirty" feeling where you just want to lay down and take a nap. By eliminating that tired feeling, you can do away with the coffee and caffeine beverages such as soda and Red Bull. With your vigor levels peaking while everybody else is feeling sluggish and in need of artificial stimulation, your productivity will soar.

Your vigor Levels Will Soar - Vegetarian Food Recipes

Candied Yams - The Reigning King of Soul Food Recipes Side Dishes

2011-12-14T03:00:00.001-08:00

Candied yams has come full circle, especially when it comes to favorite soul food formula side dishes. An always favorite side dish for the holidays, it now has vast in popularity year around. Many have gave this dish assorted names. For example, candy yams, candied yam, candied sweet potato recipe, yams candied or soul food candied yams to name a few.

Most people enjoy the festive climate candied yam recipes bring to a meal. So, as a follow more people are enjoying this tasty side dish during non-holiday months. But still the holidays is when this dish nothing else but shines and brings a festive climate to any table. Because of the availability of yams year nearby now, the popularity continues to grow at a steady pace. In addition, because of this vegetables health benefits, more health conscious consumers are discovering it.

Food Recipe

Yams are rich in dietary fiber, beta carotene, vitamin A B and C as well as involved carbohydrates to name a few. In addition, with the growth in diabetes cases, yam recipes supply an excellent alternative. First studies review it helps lower insulin resistance and stabilize sugar levels.

Other added benefits of yams is their high potassium and low sodium levels. As a follow they yield what nutritionist call a good potassium-sodium balance in the body. This health helps to fight osteoporosis and heart disease. Yam recipes ordinarily yield a lower glycemic index that other potato products. This means they will help supply a longer lasting form of energy, and help fight obesity and diabetes.

Yam have also been know to replenish fast twitch fibers, runners use them as a way of recovering after running. It's no coincidence that some of the best long distance runners on earth come from countries that yield high amounts of yams.

Yam recipes continue to be one of the top 5 ease foods, particularly during the holidays. Along with turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes and gravy, it is tops when it comes to side dishes, according to a recent University of California poll.

In fact, this southern dish has moderately past mash potatoes and gravy as a favorite soul food side dish. The buttery flavors, cinnamon back taste, brown sugar foundation and nutmeg makes for a primary holiday taste few side dishes can match. In increasing the orange color serves to add color, interest and eye request for retrial to any plate.

After finishing a meal that includes southern style yams, people are always rewarded with that satisfying feeling of ease and satisfaction. Candied yams stay with you longer than most side dishes. Many call this a stick to your ribs benefit. These are a few of the many top advantages of eating candied yams or candied sweet potatoes. But there's more for you to enjoy.

Candied Yams - The Reigning King of Soul Food Recipes Side Dishes

A Taste of Jamaican Food and Recipes

2011-12-11T17:18:00.001-08:00

The flavors of Jamaica are the stock of the island's history combined with a verdant, lush climate. The Spanish, British, African and East Indian have all had an influence over what is today a unique island cuisine made colorful by the many tropical fruits that thrive here.

The waters off Jamaica have always teemed with fish and seafood is the original protein source for islanders. Snapper, grouper, sea bass and other reef a deep sea fish are caught daily by the many fishermen whose boats line the beaches. Spiny lobster, shrimp and freshwater crustaceans are effortlessly ready and cooked ordinarily in a thick sauce. Chicken and goats are well great to the small grand island and are kept by many families but cattle are rare and beef is not the illustrious meat.

Food Recipe

Many of Jamaica's fruits, along with pineapple, mango, banana and avocado were brought to the region by slave traders and plantation owners experimenting with crops. What were once sugar cane fields are now being used to grow fruits and ackee for export and domestic use.

Few other cuisines mix such a range of spices and tastes - sweet, hot and savory - as Jamaican cooking. Jamaican food wouldn't be the same without the spices, seasonings and colors from: Allspice, the pimento berry.

Among many of the spices grown in Jamaica are nutmeg, ginger, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, which are integral clear flavors of Jamaican cooking. The pungent thyme grows rampantly on the island and is found in the majority of Jamaican foods.

Favourite Jamaican foods are those for coconut cake, rum punch & beef jerky recipies.

Real Jamaican food, when cooked with feeling, is a soul-satisfying experience.

A Taste of Jamaican Food and Recipes

20 Head Smacking Food Cooking Tips

2011-12-09T07:54:00.001-08:00

A lot of us are often given blurred visions of certain food preparation techniques that we forget many vital processes; thanks to commercialized quick-to-eat food products that make us want to pop them in the oven and voila! There are certain kitchen/cooking metrics that we Food Central do not encourage, but would like you to know so that you can be kitchen-smart.

Here are a few simple cooking tips that you might find handy when you do cooking. Preparing ingredients are sometimes tedious work - Just like washing vegetables, peeling prawns, washing shellfish, dressing the sirloin and so forth. If you know what's best for yourself in the kitchen, you might be able to run away from certain fuss by using these food techniques:

Food Techniques

Salt your water when you're hard-boiling eggs The trick to easy-peel hard boil eggs is actually adding in salt to lukewarm water, turn on the fire and start cooking the eggs. When your water is boiled, turn down your fire to simmer. Constantly check your eggs for cracks - Too hot of the water will crack your eggs (and if you want to save gas by putting in hot boiling water to boil your eggs, you might just crack a lot of them if you're boiling in a chunk); salt your water by adding in around 1 handful of salt to 5 liters of water. The salt will lengthen your boiling time but it'll make your life 100 times simpler. Keep your knife hot when you're slicing 'vulnerable' food items The trick to making the perfect slice for eggs or cheesecake (and some chocolate products) is to keep your knife hot, not warm. Stainless steel do not keep hot temperatures well, and looking at your thin chef knife, it won't keep it for long either. Clean your knife, dip it into hot boiling water for a while or put them over naked fire then make your incision - You'll notice that it makes a very clean cut. When you slice eggs, keep the yolk on top Hard-boiled eggs are best sliced (usually into half) from their yolk section first. Always look for the yolk, then make your incision there. Slicing too far away from the yolk makes it hard for you to aim well - Also makes your egg portions uneven. In certain cases where you can't see the yolk or it's already out in the open, just follow No. 2 and do it your way. Use egg whites to 'smoothen' your chicken If you're marinading chicken, you can also add egg white into your marinade and keep them inside. For example, one whole chicken (portioned into 8), and one large egg white. After cooking the chicken, you'll notice the skin is actually smoother. Italian sauces are best left for a day before consumption Many homemade Italian sauces are great - Even better if you 'age' them for a day. As liquid evaporates from your sauces (giving you a more focused and intense flavor) and/or incorporates with other ingredients using its naturals, these sauces will not lose its flavor for a day but gives you a bigger punch the next day. Best few examples are basic tomato sauces, pesto and stocks like Velouté (white stock - Can be vegetable, fish, shellfish or chicken) or (X - can be any vegetable) Concasse. For a better Parmesan, let it 'sweat' Many cheeses cannot be done this way, but for the special Midori brand Parmesan Cheese in a block, (found in Jusco & Cold Storage and sometimes Tesco) cheeses can be left to sweat and made better. Here's how you do it - Open the packaging but only remove the top part. Leave it outside on your dinner table (under 20+C room temperature) and make sure it has no contact with sunlight and rodents. Keep it that way for 2 days - Now taste it. It's different. Let your Chinese Celery and/or Coriander live longer Putting them in your fridge alone (with paper or plastic wrap) will kill them fast. Get a small 'deep' tupperware or even a Milo tin, add water in it, and let them sit inside (with roots below). This will lengthen their shelf life. Remove chicken skin with one incision and one pull If you need to remove the main chicken skin from your whole chicken, do this: Use a sharp knife and turn your chicken breast-side-down. Make a straight vertical incision along the 'backbone' of the chicken, then tear the chicken skin apart. This should remove most of its skin (except for the wings). Non-stick a pan with food ingredients or few techniques Heat/Temperature control is your best technique. If you need your pan to be non-stick (but it's not labeled or sold as non-stick), you can do a few things - Heat your pan thoroughly before cooking (dry), fry a full egg before cooking, cook a stick-able ingredient until the surface is cooked before touching it (with high enough heat), oil your pan and heat the oil (then remove it and place it in another container) before cooking and fry beansprouts or coconut husks before cooking. Remove the 'new' smell from your Pan or Wok You can try this few ingredients. Don't bother washing it too many times to rid the smell because some 'cheap' pans don't work. You can try heating the pan to the maximum then pouring hot oil into it and throw away, fry beansprouts or coconut husks, leave it heated under hot charcoal for 30 minutes, make a simple 'stew' and throw them away. All of these works, but if you're still getting the smell, then you know that pan won't last long. Getting 'rust' marks out of your pans and woks Chinese woks are famous for this, especially when they are old. You tend to leave your wok to hang (with some water intact) and you come back and find your wok has rust marks. You can use a few methods to combat this problem: After washing your pan/wok, use a kitchen towel and some oil then rub enough oil on it - This will enable water to not oxidize the metal surface of your pan/wok. Alternatively, you can also heat your pan/wok to the maximum, and then leave it to cook (do not let it come in contact with water. Wash before heating your pan/wok. Don't store shellfish into the fridge Storing shellfish into the fridge is the wrong way to go (applies for freshly live ones). What you can do is wash them under running water for a while to remove the dirt, place them in a container (without covering) then get a wet kitchen cloth and cover them. Make sure they're in room temperature and is not kept for more than 1 1/2 days. Do this for live clams and local mussels (Malaysia). Don't use mayonnaise straight from the tub/container Commercialized mayonnaise taste absolutely ridiculous if you're not challenging it with another strong-tasting ingredient. What you can do to 'tame' its flavor is to add in milk, salt & pepper, whisk them well to a thinner texture. If you're adventurous enough, take a small portion of mayonnaise and add in a few more ingredients. You can add garlic, tomato/chilly sauce, Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins), Maggi Seasoning Sauce, Jalapeño juice, Pickles, cream, sugar, brine, onions, carrots, cabbage or anything you can find in the fridge. Its tastes are subjective, so be careful. Test your knife with a tomato Want to know how sharp is your knife but do not know how to test it? Here are a few simple tricks for you to test them out: Slice a not-so-young-and-fresh (when pressed is quite soft) tomato, and you should be able to slice it without putting pressure on your knife blade. Another way is to slice big, yellow/red onions. If you cry fast, then it's either your techniques or your blade. Another great way of testing is to slice plastic. Extremely sharp knives slice plastic bags almost too easily - Without even having to add any pressure. Simply move it along the plastic bag and see if it goes through. Don't wash freshly harvested mushrooms Washing freshly harvested mushrooms can be disastrous (to its natural flavors). If you're looking for hygiene, PICK IT FROM A MORE HYGIENIC PLACE or get it from Tesco. Either way, they work better. If you're not particular, simply use a pastry brush and brush off its sand. For certain mushrooms like fresh button mushrooms, peel their 'outer' skin before cooking. You can use that skin for your chicken stock. Keep cockroaches away with this leaf Use 'Pandan' (or called Screw Pine) leaves to keep cockroaches away. They work extremely well. Pandan/Screw Pine leaves has hundreds of usage in thousands of recipes and home-uses. Reheat your bread in the microwave oven with some water Put in your bread and a microwave-oven-friendly bowl or glass filled with water in the microwave oven and give it a quick 20 second high heat. This will not make your bread lose too much of its moisture. Make your banana grow naturally juicier What you can do is to hang your bananas - Using a string or a hook, hang the banana on its comb and let it sit on air - This will give your banana a juicy boost and also make it brown evenly. Placing it on cold surfaces will blacken the skin (in one area first then spread to more later) faster. Bananas are naturally 'bomb-smoked' first in the farm before it goes on sale (to enable boost and uniform ripening), and when it's done that way, your bananas don't taste as good as natural ones. Keep your rice from rodents and stick-free When you're keeping uncooked rice, leave a few pieces of dried chilly in the container your store your uncooked rice. This will keep insects and rodents away. Besides, adding fresh dried chilly into your rice cooker will also make your cooking easier - The rice won't stick to the bottom. Make sure you don't cook the dried chilly (or make it come in contact with oil) first or it won't work. Naturally cook your ingredients a few times faster If you're adventurous enough, you can try packaging (in a plastic bag) a few unripe apples and some chilly. Put in 4 apples to 4 pieces of red chilly. Put them in a bag together and place it in the fridge. You'll notice that the chilly 'reactions' actually 'cook' the apples faster. Although this is not entirely 'proven' scientifically to many Chef's knowledge, it does work in certain cases.

20 Head Smacking Food Cooking Tips

Ethnic Food Recipes - The Chinese Way

2011-12-06T22:18:00.001-08:00

Ethnic recipes originated from different cultural diversities of each country. It is a way of studying former meals in terms of food preparation, dietary habits, food symbolism and rituals.

Most Chinese dishes merge a mixture of ingredients and a balance of elements in its flavors, colors, aroma, textures and food preparations. It is a noted and regarded great mixture of dishes. The usual meal that comprises Chinese ethnic dishes would comprise a cup of steamed rice, mixed vegetables, fried, steamed dish or soup. It even has four major Chinese cooking styles like Beijing Cuisine, Cantonese, Szechwan and Hunan also merge mixing of dishes.

Food Recipe

A good Chinese cooking custom can be marvelous by their seasoning blends, temperature operate and right cutting of ingredients. For best results, parboiling and partial frying are the techniques used by Chinese for centuries already.

In a house meal, eating rice two to three times a day is basic. Two cups of long grain white rice is cooked with 3 cups water for just 20 minutes, done commonly in four servings.

For rice porridge or congee, combining 8 cups of water and 1 cup of short grain rice will make out a commonly eaten breakfast. You can bring it to a boil, cover it in low fire and allow it to simmer for 1 ½ hours. Stirring is foremost every now and then in order to keep it from sticking in the pan. Veggies, dried fruits, meat, scallions, gingers and nuts can be added on top in order to spice up the recipe.

A mixture of tea in every meal is a must. It is the most-loved beverage of Chinese individuals. Social gatherings would not be unblemished without a cup of hot tea. Oolong, black and green tea are the 3 popular varieties in China. Oolong is brown pale tea as compared to fresh peaches. Black tea has a more strong taste. Green tea has a light and fresh flavor. It comes in loose form and it is often drank without sugar or milk. Drinking tea lowers the risk of cholesterol, prevents cancer and heart diseases.

Some Chinese ethnic recipes are as follows:

Soups and Appetizers

A clear soup serves as a drink while meals; it is a way to warm up people while the winter time. Their soup is commonly served in large bowls, for evening meal or banquet. On the other hand, dimsum as an appetizer is served while the mid-mornings or afternoon and can be as a late night snack. Dimsum samples comprise wonton, egg rolls, dumplings, shrimp balls and pastries. To enjoy yummy soups and dims sum samples, you can try these recipes:

Wonton formula - Ingredients:

o Minced pound pork ½ lb.
o Minced fresh mushrooms ¼ lb.
o ¼ tsp. Salt
o 1 tbsp. Minced scallion
o 1/8 tsp. Ground black pepper
o 1 pc. Egg yolk
o Peanut oil
o Wanton squares

Method:
o Using a bowl, mix pork, mushrooms, salt, scallions, pepper and egg yolk.
o Put a 1/2 tsp mixture at the center of won ton square and fold a projection to make triangles.
o Pull the projection bottom and overlap the tips pinching together.
o Fry in hot oil and drain.
o Serve with ketchup or mustard with a horseradish. It can make 120 pieces.

Main Dish

A main dish commonly consists of meats or fish and vegetables. Fresh vegetables are important. It should be cooked fast in order to support its color and crispness. The dish below is good for 4 persons.

Almond Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

o 1 ½ lbs. Chicken breasts
o 1 tsp. Honey
o 1 tbsp. Cornstarch
o 12 ounces pea pods
o 3 tbsp. Soy sauce
o ¼ cup vegetable oil
o 3 to 4 tbsp. Water
o 1 tsp. Ginger
o 1 cup natural whole almonds
o 1/3 cup sherry

Method:

o Cut chicken breasts in ½ inch cube.
o Mix ginger, cornstarch, and honey. Blend soy sauce and sherry in water.
o Heat oil in a wok on medium heat.
o Add almonds and chicken. Cook for 3 minutes.
o Pour sherry mixture until sauce thickens and add pea pods. Stir fry and glazed.

Ethnic Food Recipes - The Chinese Way

Feeding Toddlers - Nutritional Tips

2011-12-04T12:36:00.001-08:00

When kids reach 2 years of age, it is time to start giving them homogenized whole cow's milk. The toddler should eat most table foods that closely resemble the same types of food that the other family members enjoy. The frequency of eating for a toddler can be broken into multiple small meals per day.

Milk and dairy products should be limited to about 16oz. (2 cups) each day and 100% fruit juice should be limited to about 4-6 oz each day.

Food Techniques

Introduce a variety of foods to encourage good eating habits. Exercise good judgment when a child is making the transition from a bottle to whole foods. Give the toddler manageable pieces of food. Miniaturize most of the foods given so they child is able to pick up the food with their fingers if necessary.

Food plan for a toddler should be selected based on the USDA guidelines. The US Department of Agriculture promotes a healthy eating guideline for children 2 years of age or older.

The food pyramid focuses on the five major food groups. To ensure a good nutritious eating plan, a combination of these food groups is required daily to maintain good health. The basic make up of the 5 food groups include:

1) The Grain group - Servings include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, and 1 ounce of ready to eat cereal.

*Your child should eat 6 servings from this group.

2) Vegetable group - Servings include 1/2 cup of chopped or raw vegetables, or 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables.

*Your child should eat 3 servings from this group.

3) Fruit group - Servings include 1 piece of fruit or melon wedge, 3/4 cup of 100% fruit juice, 1/2 cup of canned fruit, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit.

*Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

4) Milk group - Servings include 1 cup of milk, yogurt or 2 ounces of cheese.

*Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

Toddlers are so active that they may need mini-meals in between their main three meals. These mini-meals can be nutritious snackables. Snackables like apples slices with honey, graham crackers with cheese, or slices of bananas and strawberries in a cup can give toddlers the fuel they need for quick energy.

5) Meat group servings include 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans. You can substitute 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 egg for 1 ounce of meat.

*Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

As children grow older, their appetite may decrease. Sometimes they become "picky" eaters as their growth rate slows. As long as they maintain a healthy weight and have a normal activity level, you have little to worry about.

Your children's daily nutrition is important to their overall health. Proper nutrition can prevent many medical problems, including obesity, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. Following the USDA guidelines will insure that your toddler grows healthy and strong.

Feeding Toddlers - Nutritional Tips

Easy Party Finger Food Recipes

2011-12-02T02:36:00.001-08:00

Finger foods have many advantages when it comes to organizing a party and coming up with the best menu. They look great and are relatively easy to make. In addition, you can have a multitude of finger foods available.

Guests will also enjoy finger foods. While development their selection, habitancy will interact with each other and have fun.

Food Recipe

Making finger foods is far from time-consuming and expensive. You can get very creative with the decorations and you can turn your buffet into a work of art. If you are finding for straightforward and effective finger food recipes, keep on reading.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs look very ornamental and pretty. The good news is that anything can make them and the formula could readily be modified to suit personel needs and the preferences of guests who are staggering to attend the party.

For a singular platter, you will need six hard-boiled eggs, half a cup of mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Decorations can be made from paprika, parsley, mint or even cherry tomatoes.

To make deviled eggs, cut each one in half and take out the egg yolk. Use a fork to get it crushed. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Turn these ingredients into a homogenous mixture.

Take a small estimate of the egg yolk and mayonnaise blend and return it into the egg white half. Decorate as proper and dispose the platter.

Chicken Fingers

Everybody loves chicken fingers. They are nutritional and exceptionally tasty. Here is the formula that you can corollary to make tasty and eye-catching chicken fingers.

Ten servings inquire eight chicken breast halves or the respective quantity of chicken fillets, a small sour cream carton, a tablespoon of soy sauce, two tablespoons of lemon juice, salt, pepper, oil and stuffing mix.

You will first need to cut the chicken meat into very thin stripes. In a cut off bowl you will have to mix the sour cream with the lemon juice, soy sauce and spices. Dip each chicken stripe into it and then roll into the stuffing mix.

Get a pan heated and pour some oil in it. Fry until the chicken finger turns gold in color. An alternative is to get the chicken fingers baked into the over - this alternative is much healthier than frying.

Mini Pizza

The easiest way to make mini pizza is to use pre-made dough or to make the dough yourself in a bread machine, in case you have one. You can also purchase pizza bases, which are already made in the perfect mini pizza forms.

The best aspect of development mini pizzas is that you can elect any kind of topping. You can make vegetarian pizzas with tomato sauce and cheese or you can go for more exotic opportunities - maritime foods, pineapple or primary Italian pizza toppings.

The tomato sauce goes on the mini pizza first and then you add all other ingredients - ham, mushrooms, bacon, cheese, tuna, chicken or anything else you fancy. Oregano is the best herb to use for Italian-style mini pizzas.

Get the oven pre-heated to at least 200 degrees Celsius. The cooking time is 20 to 30 minutes.

Easy Party Finger Food Recipes

Basic Food Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

2011-11-29T17:00:00.001-08:00

With people around the world doing all they can to stretch their kitchen budgets in these tumultuous economic times that we live in today, it can be very tempting to take a shorter route on food safety but you may end up hospitalized or worse. Following are leading basic food safety tips that must be followed to the letter to ensure you are observing food safety and that the food you are taking is safe and healthy.

1. Cured and dried types of meats can hold and hide countless germs. To be on the safe side, you might want to microwave the meats, then let them cool down before consuming them immediately.

Food Techniques

2. Never buy anything if you find that cooked food is displayed in the same place as raw produce.

3. Fresh fish ought to be shiny in appearance and very firm, not falling off from the fish bones. Similarly, it shouldn't have a strong 'fishy' smell.

4. When buying packaged chicken, ensure you are buying one that is pink in color, and not yellow or gray.

5. Nearly a third of the population thaw frozen meat or poultry on the kitchen counter, under hot water inside the sink, or in the oven. Always thaw frozen meat in a fridge set below 4°C.

6. Food safety is also about food preparation and not only cooking of food. Always ensure that all food is prepared in a clean and dry countertop. By the same token, ensure all pots, dishes, Tupperware, containers, wrappers, coolers, bag, and lunch boxes that will come in contact with the food that you are preparing are equally clean.

7. The safest food to carry with you on a trip are foods which are shelf-stable such as trail mix, single-serve cereals, canned food products, sandwiches, peanut butter, and thoroughly washed and cleanly wrapped veggies and fruits.

8. When observing food safety, you should also ensure you seal undercooked or raw meats tightly in an airtight plastic wrap. This way, you will prevent juices from coming in direct contact with these kinds of foods.

9. The other basic food safety tip, although often overlooked, is to never reuse a plastic grocery bag. Ensure you dispose it off immediately as it might carry the bacteria and harmful contaminants of what it had contained.

10. Food safety tips also entails obeying expiration dates on labels and packaging, particularly for packaged raw meats and poultry.

11. Be careful not to use the microwave to thaw without cleaning the platter and the insides thoroughly.

12. A sure way of cross contamination or transmitting germs is double dipping i.e. dipping a chip or vegetable in a bowl of dip or salad, biting a part of it off and then re-dipping again.

13. When shopping, always put meat at the bottom of your shopping cart or in a completely separate place to avoid contamination.

14. Leftover roasted ribs or chicken should always be reheated to 74°C before eating them.

15. When you are dining out at a bistro that smells bad or the utensils, cutlery, plates, spoons etc are dirty, just put the fork down and Run Away!

Basic Food Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

Kids Party Food Tips

2011-11-27T07:36:00.001-08:00

Kids are fussy eaters but if you know how to find fun ways to prepare and set out their favorite foods, then you will find them enjoying your party. There are many fast party foods that you can prepare.

Pizza: Most children like pepperoni on their pizza. If you can get them to eat green and red pepper or other veggie on their pizza, it would contain more nutritional value.

Food Techniques

Cheese and Crackers: Protein and calcium help children in their growth and cheese is one food item that contains them. Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses along with round butter crackers are a big hit with kids. Some children even like wheat thins, which are also beneficial to health.

Beef Sticks: The nutritional value of beef sticks is at best debatable but at least they are yummy. Additionally it is a source of protein.

Veggies and Ranch Dip: Most children do not like to eat vegetables. However those who do will like them more because they think Veggie and Ranch Dip makes them tastes superb. Hopefully those children who usually do not like vegetables will find them palatable when the dip is used. It's worth a try.

Potato Chips: This is definitely not the healthiest of foods but it is a party and children are supposed to enjoy themselves, so relax a little with those rules and let them enjoy.

Pretzels: Pretzels are a healthy, low-fat alternative to potato chips.

Ice Cream: This is one of the most commonly served and expected foods at a children's party. Ice cream goes well with almost anything and most children will be disappointed if it is not served.

Cake: Cake of course is the most important item on the food agenda. How else will a child be able to light up the candles and to sing a birthday song? A tasty alternative to this would be an ice cream cake.

Hot Dogs and Hamburgers: Usually all kids love hot dogs and hamburgers, even if they are not of the highest quality of food. They make good party food. Some children prefer them plain, others like a dab of ketchup.

French Fries: French fries serve as a complement to hot dogs, fish sticks or hamburgers and they are not expensive.

In order to avoid stress, do your preparations ahead of time. Those foods that you want to buy can be ordered in advance. Some catered food or pizza and hamburgers offer home deliveries. If need be, ask your friend to help you to pick up the cake.

Children with food allergies will be the first to tell you so, but just in case they forget, so do ask them first. If there are, make sure either that type of food is not served, or if it is served, assign someone to make sure that the child with the allergy will not have access to it.

With all these preparations in place, parents should have a less stressful time preparing for the party but instead enjoy yourself with the kids as well.

Kids Party Food Tips

healthy Fast Food Recipes - How to Cook Them

2011-11-24T22:00:00.001-08:00

Love fast food but hate the calories? Here's an choice that gives you the best of both worlds: cook your favorite fast food recipes at home and sacrifice the fat content in the process! Fast food restaurants often cook with the most fattening and salty ingredients inherent to get people hooked. Fortunately, you can cook many of these menu items at home and sacrifice the salt and fat without reducing the flavor. Here are a few tips on how to do it.

First, instead of deep frying, fry your food in a salutary oil, like olive oil. You can also use a reduced fat oil to further decrease the calories. This will allow you to get that deep fried taste without all the harmful fats that most fast food recipes use. Simply pour a small whole into a skillet and fry it up.

Food Recipe

Next, sacrifice the salt. A high salt intake causes high blood pressure and a range of other health problems. sacrifice the salt in the recipe to help sacrifice this problem. You won't even notice the difference. Also watch out for other seasonings high in salt.

Reduce high calories condiments. You can majorly lower the calorie content of your meal by reducing high fat condiments like mayonnaise, ranch, and sour cream. Instead, use a low-fat alternative, or just sacrifice the amount. You'll still get the great flavor, but you'll cut the calories nearly in half!

But how do I cook fast food recipes and dishes at home? It's surprisingly easy to cook most favorite menu items at home. Many of them can be made with tasteless household ingredients. All you need is a cookbook of replica recipes and a exiguous convention and you can be cooking salutary fast food dishes in no time! Give it a try, you can save time, money, and calories!

healthy Fast Food Recipes - How to Cook Them

Soul Food Recipes - Light Cooking Tips For Soul Food Recipes

2011-11-22T12:36:00.001-08:00

Light cooking is definitely in. Especially when it comes to soul recipes and other southern dishes. With the growing problem of obesity, high blood pressure and other ailments among African Americans, eating healthier continues to grow in popularity. Condition experts continue to advise lighter cooking techniques and food preparing as explication to this growing problem

The problems with cooking lite has all the time been preserving the down-home taste and satisfying feeling soul food recipes have all the time represented. But today's light cooking has evolved into a taste sensation thanks to creative chefs and food experts.

Food Recipe

Lite Cooking Tips For salutary Soul Food Recipes

1. Try Using egg substitute in recipes that wish more than one egg. Here's a tip 1/4 cup of egg substitute equals one egg. This allows you to cut 5-6 grams of fat and over 200 whopping milligrams of cholesterol from your recipe.

2. Use A Lemon. Adding a dash of lemon juice to vegetables, fish or poultry is a creative way to add flavor to your dish - without using sodium.

3. Cook with lighter oils. One of the best ways to cook lighter is to use lighter cooking oils. For example, peanut, oil of sesame seed oil. As opposed to animal fats or vegetable oils.

4. Using cooking spray instead of oil, margarine or butter can cut your calorie intake up to 55%.

These are a few of the most favorite light cooking tips used by our readers with victorious results. For example, weight operate as well as loss, in expanding to getting a deal with on other related Condition ailments.

Soul Food Recipes - Light Cooking Tips For Soul Food Recipes

Soul Food favorite - Fried Cabbage

2011-11-20T03:00:00.001-08:00

Fried cabbage is growing in popularity, not only for it's soothing taste, but because of it's condition benefits. Cabbage recipes, long praised for it's wholesome dose of vitamins A, B,C and E, as well as the intestinal benefits of fiber to boot. It has been a beloved vegetable of mine, it adds a unique interest to any dish, especially chicken, turkey or fish. Cabbage is also one of the most inexpensive vegetables for the number of edible parts (no steams or leaves to throw away), in expanding to the vitamin content.

Cabbage is an easy vegetable to handle, put in order and cook. Meaning the leaves are sturdy, cleans indeed and cooks quick. All you have to do is just cut the cabbage into four pieces (this makes it more bite sized) . Next you slice thin into a shredded thickness. Now it is ready for the frying pan. With a small teaspoon of olive oil, butter, margarine or cooking spray in a large skillet or frying pan, you're ready to go.

Food Recipe

First place half a cup of chopped onion in frying pan and cook 3- 5 minutes. Next add cabbage and cover on medium high heat for 3 minutes. find and stir mixture, then cook another 3 minutes. Check and remove when cabbage is soft. Season with one teaspoon of butter or margarine, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt and a half teaspoon of black pepper. If you like yours a small spicy you can add a teaspoon of hot sauce if like your cabbage to bite back a little. Serve hot with your beloved meat. This method makes 4-6 servings. Yes, treat yourself and your house to this soul food fried cabbage method This taste of the south southern method will have your house advent back for more.

Soul Food favorite - Fried Cabbage

Free Raw Food recipe - Raw Hummus With No Beans

2011-11-17T17:18:00.001-08:00

If you're looking for a good hummus recipe and especially a healthy hummus recipe that also has no beans then this raw recipes fits the bill. Hummus as we know it commonly contains cooked ingredients and includes beans but you can undoubtedly make the best hummus, without the beans or cooking it.

I've fixed and served this hummus many times and brought it to potlucks whether as a dip or to be served on the side. You can also spread it on raw crackers or tortillas and top with salsa, tomatoes, avocadoes, cilantro or other herbs and veggies. I often make it and just keep it in the refrigerator for a few days ready to use.

Food Recipe

For this raw recipe you'll need 2 medium zucchini or cut a huge one down, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2-3 garlic cloves, sea salt, 1 large or 2 small lemons for juice, sesame seeds, tahini (comes in a jar or in bulk at food coops), ground paprika and ground cumin.

When you put in order this hummus recipe make sure to reconsider how spicy you want it to be. I prefer mine on the mild side. I have tried it with 4 cloves of garlic and it was too many. You can also cut down on the paprika and cumin, so start with a petite and check by taste.

Here are the recipe ingredients: 2 medium zucchini, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2-3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp. Sun-dried sea salt, 1/2 cup of freshly extracted lemon juice, 3/4 cup black or white sesame seeds, 3/4 cup tahini, 1/2 tsp. Paprika and 1/2 tsp. Cumin.

Cut up the unpeeled zucchini and place in a food processor along with the olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic and process until gradually mixed. Add the sea salt, lemon juice, sesame seeds, tahini, paprika and cumin and process until mixed.

Refrigerate up to 3-4 days.

That's it. An easy raw food recipe that takes only minutes to make. So much better than the store brands, which also include cooked ingredients. Only raw ingredients go into this hummus recipe. You can market and sell it it's so good. You'll want to adjust it to your taste. Just make sure not to make it too spicy because many habitancy don't like hot or spicy foods or can't tolerate them. Raw foods don't have to be hot and spicy to be good.

Free Raw Food recipe - Raw Hummus With No Beans

Quick and Easy Raw Food Recipes, With 5 Ingredients Or Less!

2011-11-15T07:18:00.001-08:00

Are you finding for easy raw food recipes? Well here are a few actually quick and easy raw food recipes with 5 ingredients or less for the raw food beginner.

The raw food diet is a type of diet where people eat the majority of their foods in their natural whole state without cooking them. Many people are adopting this lifestyle to eat a natural whole foods diet and to get the benefits of all the nutrients ready in fresh raw fruits and vegetables.

Food Recipe

Most raw food recipes ready on the web or in recipe books are complicated, time consuming, and want a lot of fancy kitchen equipment. This unfortunately turns a lot of people off to the diet because they think it is too hard and time involving to fit into their busy lifestyle. In this description I'm going to offer a few easy recipes that don't want any fancy tool or exotic ingredients.

*Most people already have a blender so some of these recipes want a blender.

Easy Green Smoothie Recipe

2 bananas 4 kale leaves chopped with stems removed 1/2 of an apple 1 cup water

Blend in a blender until smooth. This nutritious green smoothie can be eaten for morning meal or as a mid afternoon snack. By blending the kale you are production all the nutrients in the kale leaves such as A,K,C, Iron and calcium easy for your body to suck in and digest. The sweetness from the bananas makes the kale leaves palatable, you'll be surprised by how good it tastes! Serves 2.

Easy Cucumber Salad

2 cucumbers chopped 2 ripe tomatoes chopped 1 red bell pepper chopped 1 bunch cilantro chopped 1 avocado chopped pinch sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy as a simple and delicious side salad. The juices of the tomato and bell pepper will marinate with the cilantro to dress the cucumbers. The flesh of a cucumber is a very good source of vitamins A, C, and folic acid. The hard skin is rich in fiber and a collection of minerals along with magnesium, silica, molybdenum, and potassium. Serves 4.

Easy Avocado Salad Dressing

1/2 an avocado 1 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chives pinch cayenne pepper pinch salt

Blend all ingredients except for the chives in the blender until level and then mix in the chives. If you don't have a blender mash the avocado and then whisk the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Avocados supply nearly 20 primary nutrients, along with fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. Serves 2-4.

Easy Mango Pudding

2 mangoes peeled and diced 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 cup raspberries 1/4 cup water

Blend all ingredients except for the raspberries in the blender. Put the mango pudding in a bowl and then ornament with the raspberries or layer the mango pudding with the raspberries in itsybitsy dessert dishes to make a healthy parfait. Serves 2.

I hope you enjoyed these recipes and are encouraged to try production them at home. For more free easy raw food recipes please check out the resources below:

Quick and Easy Raw Food Recipes, With 5 Ingredients Or Less!

10 Food Contamination Prevention Tips - How to Fight Contamination Without Chemicals

2011-11-12T21:36:00.001-08:00

You cannot keep a tidy kitchen just by being able to store, prepare and serve foods. Know that, in the kitchen, it is absolutely critical to store perishable items properly, ensure that all food services are kept clean, and that the meal preparation methods do not cross-contaminate.

A Word Of Warning About Food Contamination

Food Techniques

Handling raw meat can leave behind bacteria such as coli and salmonella on several objects such as knives and towels that are reused for wiping up spills. These bacteria can be very harmful to the health of any human being. You can get sick from it, and even die.

Especially children and elderly are risk. Meat and eggs are considered the biggest threats, but there are other sources too like packaged spinach. Clean food handling practices cannot fully prevent food-borne illnesses, but they sure cut way down on these risks.

Strictly paying attention to precautions to fight contamination can seem challenging to your environmental principles. Many of these steps involve liberal amounts of hot water and you may even need to use disposable wipes or towels to prevent contamination. Another precaution, or safe way to deal with foods, is to throw a way foods when their freshness is questioned. Additionally, your concerns about possible infection and diseases might even force you to use dangerous chemicals that are both environmentally unfriendly and your own health.

There are however many ways to fight food contamination without chemicals which are as effective, if not more effective.

10 Food Contamination Prevention Tips: DO's and DONT's

DO keep your refrigerator at 36 and 39 degrees F. DO respect expiration dates of all foods, especially meat. DO keep foods well-wrapped, especially refrigerated foods. DO keep fruit and vegetables separated from meat products. DO store meat on the bottom shelve, eliminating the risk of juices dripping down on other foods. DO wash all foods that are to be eaten raw. DO NOT prepare vegetables and fruits on the same surfaces you prepare meat on. DO use separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables. DO use separate towels or use disposable paper towels for cleaning the meat and vegetable surfaces. DO NOT reuse plastic bags that held meat or any animal product or wash them thoroughly and dry before recycling.

10 Food Contamination Prevention Tips - How to Fight Contamination Without Chemicals

simple Chicken recipe - Chicken Breast Stir Fry With Peppers and Onions - An Easy Food recipe

2011-11-10T11:54:00.001-08:00

Want to make an easy chicken recipe. Stir fry dishes are ideal when you are looking for a uncomplicated chicken recipe. Most of your time will be spent in the preparing step. Chopping the ingredients takes time, but if you know how to use kitchen tools, such as the chef's knife, it is not that difficult/ If you do your cooking at a higher temperature, and the ingredients are cut into very small pieces, the actual cooking time becomes very short. I sometimes use a Wok, but the vessel I use most is a black iron chicken fryer. Most of the stir fry dishes I make are served over rice. I use a microwave oven for the rice and I always start the rice first so that it is cooking all the time I am preparing the ingredients and cooking them. Stir fries are not only quicker, but are also easy to make. About the only way you can mess them up is to over cook to the point where the ingredients burn. To forestall burning you must keep stirring and when it's done, remove the Wok or skillet from the heat source.

This uncomplicated chicken recipe can be made with whether raw chicken or you could use leftover cooked chicken. If you use leftover chicken it should be added last, as it will not require as much cooking time as the vegetables. whether way thisw dish is easy to make. If you have a Chinese Wok, this could be used here but I still prefer to use a cast iron chicken fryer. The best way to serve this chicken recipe is over cooked long grain brown rice.

Food Recipe

Chicken Breast Stir Fry with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients

2 chicken breast tenders (3 - 4 ounces total), cut into bite size pieces
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons flour
Instructions

1 - Place the flour, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and stir together, then dredge the chicken and vegetables in it.
2 - Heat up cast iron skillet or Chinese Wok.
3 - Add extra virgin olive oil.
4 - Add the chicken and continuously stir for 2 or 3 minutes. If using cooked chicken, it can be added last.
5 - Add the chopped onions and chopped pepper and continuously stir for 2-3 minutes.
6 - Add 1/2 cup of water to help thin the sauce.

Serve over cooked long grain brown rice.

simple Chicken recipe - Chicken Breast Stir Fry With Peppers and Onions - An Easy Food recipe

Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Food Processor

2011-11-08T02:00:00.001-08:00

A newly purchased food processor comes with a small manual. Most of the content included is related to safety and warranty information. Little is dedicated to getting optimal performance from your new kitchen appliance. This can lead to frustration on the part of the user and eventual complete abandonment of the food processor.

It doesn't have to be this way. A properly used food processor can give you invaluable assistance in the kitchen when used properly. It can become quite indispensible once you are familiar with the inherent limitations and intended uses. Here are a few tips to help you along the way:

Food Techniques

Never use the food processor for something too hard for your kitchen knives. The blades are meant to perform as well as a good knife and as such they come with the same limitations. Never use them to chop ice or grind hard spices. The pulse button is the most crucial tool to master. It is how you will control the speed of processing and therefore how you will determine the texture of the finished product. Always use short bursts until you get the hang of it. Press the button for one quick second and let go;continue on this way until you are comfortable with the pulse feature. There are certain times when you will need to keep your ingredients cool. Any motor will give off heat, although heat output is minimal in more efficient models. Counteract this by chilling the bowl and blades in the refrigerator for 15 minutes prior to starting the project. Examples of when this will be helpful include when making butter, whipping cream or preparing a pastry crust. Use appropriately sized batches. The best volume to work with will vary from machine to machine. In general, you never want to fill the bowl more than halfway with liquids or three-quarters with solid foods. Recognize the limitations on the other side of the size scale. A few garlic cloves in a 14 cup bowl will not have very much contact with the blade. As a result, the cloves will not be evenly chopped and chunks will stick to the side of the bowl. Your best bet is to use a smaller machine or bowl, or to chop small projects by hand. When using the food processor to emulsify, slowly add the oil through the feed tube while it is running. Adding oil too quickly will cause it to pool within the dressing or mayonnaise rather than creating the desired emulsification. Spend a minute or two at the beginning of meal preparation to think about how the food processor can help. Having a plan will prevent you from realizing you could be using your food processor halfway through a task.

These are a few basic tenets of proper food processor usage. Simply knowing these seven crucial items can avoid annoyance and countless headaches. Remember, the food processor is there to help you, not to cause more problems. If you follow these guidelines and are still struggling, it may be time to shop for a better model.

Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Food Processor

Food Photography Techniques for Capturing Minimalist Cooking

2011-11-05T17:36:00.001-07:00

The rise of minimalist cooking is changing the art of food photography. The following is a look at some of the techniques adopted by photographers to capture the simplicity and the spirit of this modern cuisine. Whether it is because of the recession or a genuine desire to downsize and simplify, minimalist cooking has become extremely popular. Everything from expensive and hard to acquire ingredients to rarely used, specialized utensils and equipment have been pared back to the bare minimum. Less is definitely more. Many photographers have noticed this change, either consciously or intuitively and are evolving and adapting their techniques to suit. The old sumptuous saturated glistening overfilled image just doesn't seem to be a good match for this new approach to cooking and food in general.

The photographers who get this and have a feel for the subject have started to utilize a few specific techniques which serve to emphasize the subject matter but in a much more understated way and this article will lay out a few of these basic techniques. It is not intended to be a comprehensive photography primer and most of the techniques will not require expensive equipment. It needs to be stated though, that even a basic dSLR camera will be capable of much more flexibility than even the best point and shoot due to the amount of control available to the operator. This does not mean however that perfectly acceptable results cannot be achieved with the point and shoots, just that the range of possibilities is smaller.

Food Techniques

Simplicity is the Key

When composing the shot keep things very simple, plain white plates and brushed steel or plain counter tops work very well. If the image needs a bit of additional color, a sprig of a fresh herb such as sage is more than enough. Shoot on a level with or just a few degrees above the food. We are used to looking down on food and, in photography, offering a fresh perspective is always a good idea as it wakes the viewer's brain up. It also adds interesting possibilities for lighting but more about that later.

A blurred background is generally a good thing as this emphasizes the subject. This can be achieved by either using a long lens e.g. a 300ml with a wide aperture from a few feet away with a dSLR or by utilizing the macro setting on a point and shoot and getting in really close, normally within a foot of the subject. Both of these approaches have the added benefit of giving a very narrow depth of field. This means that only a small proportion of even the main subject is likely to be in focus. This concentrates the viewer's attention even more.

The Tripod

The only piece of equipment that is essential for taking high quality food photographs, other than a camera of course, is a tripod. It may not be required for every single shot but not having one would rule out a lot of potentially good shots. The choices would be between a small tabletop model, probably best with the smaller point and shoot camera. This would enable the tripod to be set on the same surface as the item being photographed, very useful when the camera has to be close to the food. There is a small tripod available that has flexible legs enabling it to be wrapped around objects such as tree branches and signpost poles. This type of support would come into its own for say, picnics or barbecues. The bigger dSLR cameras tend to be too heavy for the smaller tripods and generally require a normal sized model. The advice usually given to photographers is to buy the most expensive tripod that they can afford. I would say buy the tripod that will do the job without breaking the bank.

Whatever tripod is used always either release the camera's shutter remotely or use the timed delay function built into just about every camera now on the market. Pressing the shutter causes the camera to vibrate so doing this off camera or giving the camera time to settle down before the shutter release makes for a much sharper photograph. This leads us to the main reason for using a tripod: the photograph can be taken in natural light, i.e. flash isn't essential. As a rule of thumb good natural light is always preferable to artificial if the choice is between one or the other but often the best photographs use a combination of the two.

Lighting

While the above applies to food photography in general there are specific lighting approaches that give a more minimalist feel. The use of a very strong back light is one such approach. The best source is a window that occupies the entire background. This will give a very bright background with any colors reduced to pastels and objects such as trees, cars or other buildings reduced to abstract shapes. Now if this were the only light source used the food itself would be silhouetted and appear far too dark so a little fill light is needed. This is a blast of light from the camera's flash that is not as powerful as it would be if there was no ambient light but is powerful enough to illuminate the main subject. Point and shoot cameras generally have a setting that automates this process while a little more experimentation may be required with dSLRs and flashes.

A couple of quick points about lighting that applies to all photography. Direct light is harsh and produces heavy sharp shadows. I think that it is safe to say that in all minimalist food photography this is a bad thing so we need to soften the light. This applies to both natural and artificial light. With expensive off camera flashes a small diffuser that fits over the bulb is usually enough. In the case of smaller cameras with built in flashes a little ingenuity goes a long way. If the flash can be covered with a piece of semi transparent clear plastic or even a piece of greaseproof paper results can be improved dramatically. The worse light source for photography is the small built in flash units on cheaper cameras. As for natural light, direct sunlight is to be avoided which is why a North or south facing window is best. If direct sunlight is the only option then a semi transparent plastic shower curtain attached to a frame of plastic piping makes for a great diffuser.

The Computer

Of course the process does not end with pressing the shutter. Once the session is finished, or even during the session, the images are uploaded to a computer and edited. Usually the editing consists of little more than a bit of sharpening, a slight color correction or a minor crop. It is possible to use the computer for just these technical chores but, with a little imagination, the computer, can become a creative tool in it's own right. A minimalist approach to photography requires an awareness of what is essential to the image and what is incidental. It is often possible to lose information by increasing the exposure at this stage, often an increase of two thirds to a full stop can really make an image pop. Part of the reason that this is so effective is because it makes dull and off whites bright. This effect is often used in fashion photography but works equally well with food.

Technique and Eye

There is no great mystery regarding what makes for great minimalist food photography. The best advice, as with all types of photography, is to find images that you like which were taken by others, see which techniques were applied, then practice. Hopefully a combination of good technique and a practiced eye will produce something unique. The following techniques work well for me: diffuse natural light from behind the subject and fill flash to fully illuminate the subject; a low point of view, get close to the same level as the food; blur the background and aim for a small depth of field; on the computer, sharpen the image a little, crop and color correct if required. Above all, experiment and have fun. One day I may be practicing and writing about a technique that you have discovered.

Food Photography Techniques for Capturing Minimalist Cooking

straightforward Baby Food Recipes

2011-11-03T08:01:00.001-07:00

Homemade baby food is the best option when it comes to feeding your baby. Baby food recipes are so easy to make and are far healthier than buying jarred baby food. Make a large batch and store it in the fridge or freezer. Listed are a few recipes for simple, healthy, homemade baby food.

Almost everything your baby will eat in the first 6 months of their lives will be pureed. Purees are so straightforward and very health for your baby as they are fresh and only need one or two ingredients. Fresh food for your baby can be as straightforward as mashing a ripe, peeled banana or throwing it into a blender with a bit of breast milk to give it a smooth consistency. This is far great for your baby than purchasing jarred banana baby food. Your baby deserves the best, so take 2 minutes and whip up the healthier version for them to enjoy.

Food Recipe

When your baby is ready to enjoy more textured foods there are several easy recipes to try.

Cook fruit such as pears or nectarines in boiling water. Once soft drain the fruit, put it in the blender and add rice or oat cereal to thicken the aggregate and add texture.

Babies loved mashed potatoes and there are so many things you can add to make them a bit more enchanting and nutritious for your baby. They are also a great way to disguise some foods your baby may not like on its own. Boil potatoes until fully cooked. Puree in a blender with a little bit of butter. Serve them plain or add green beans, broccoli, cooked egg yolk or even add meat such as chicken or beef. There are many things you can add to mashed potatoes that will be good for your baby and add nutritional value. Experiment with different foods to see what they like.

Another great recipe for babies is to blend plain yogurt with fruit and add a little bit of cinnamon. Cinnamon is so good for you - it's a bit strong on its own but the flavor will blend nicely with yogurt and fruit. You can mix any fruit with yogurt, anything your baby likes. This is an easy and healthy alternative to serving store bought mixed yogurts to your baby, which are filled with added sugar.

Once your baby starts to eat meat there are a few things you can try. Puree skinless, boneless chicken with avocado, cooked broccoli or sweet potatoes. Or you may want to add rice. Add ½ cup cooked chicken and ¼ cup cooked rice with 2 tablespoons of milk to a blender and puree. This is a great alternative to jarred chicken and rice baby food which likely has added salt and doesn't taste nearly as good. Make a larger batch and freeze in small sections. When ready to use again take it out of the freezer with sufficient time to thaw. Reheat and serve to your baby.

Homemade food is far great for your baby. It's nutritional, fresh and so easy to make. There are endless recipes to try when making baby food. Baby food recipes are so easy when your baby is under a year as most recipes need only a few ingredients. As your baby gets older try dishes with more collection and introduce your baby to as many healthy, nutrient packed foods as possible.

straightforward Baby Food Recipes

Let's make Cheesy Bread for Party

2010-03-26T02:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

• 4 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• Green onion, finely chopped
• 4 oz. mayonnaise or ranch dressing
• 3 or 4 minced garlic cloves
• 4 oz. soft butter
• A loaf Italian or French bread

Instructions

1. Mix the mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese and chopped green onion (to taste) in a small mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise or ranch dressing, and stir it until the mixture is blended.
2. Place the minced garlic, Italian seasonings and butter in a separate bowl and mix it together until it's smooth and creamy. Add the garlic mixture to the cheese mixture and blend.
3. Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Evenly spread the cheese mixture over each of the two halves.
4. Preheat the broiler and put the cheesy bread under the broiler for about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the bread when the cheese melts and the bread turns golden brown. Check the bread often so it doesn't burn.

How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara

2010-01-26T00:13:00.000-08:00

Quick and easy, this is a delicious, rich brunch or dinner entree - and it's really just pasta with bacon and eggs!

Serves six people.

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Place a large ovenproof casserole in the oven.
2. Cook the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.
3. Beat the eggs gently together with the cream until just combined. Set aside.
4. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain well.
5. Immediately take the casserole out of the oven and put the pasta in it.
6. Add the butter to the casserole and toss. Pour the egg mixture into the casserole and toss again.
7. Add the pancetta, cheese, and parsley and toss well again. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings
- Pancetta is an Italian type of bacon found in many supermarkets and delis. If you can't find it, use regular American bacon instead.
- That's right, you don't "cook" the eggs; the heat of the pasta cooks them, making a silky sauce.
- Some people think it's sacrilege to have cream in carbonara - you can leave it out if you like.

Foods that wake you up in the morning [last 4]

2009-08-12T01:45:00.000-07:00

5. Soy
It contains compounds called isoflavones, which help clear the mind (and struggle with the loss of memory, too). Drink a glass of calcium-fortified soymilk, pour it over whole grain cereal or a bet, some sliced tofu in an omelet.

6. Ice water
Little frosty glass of H2O to get your blood pumping. In cold shock force your system to protect its normal temperature, which gives your metabolism a slight increase.

7. Coffee
But, of course! Caffeine helps alertness by wetting chemical called adenosine that otherwise block the energy activation of brain chemicals. As a result, you think faster, drive better and remember more. Just know your jitter threshold - I get too wired can undermine effectiveness.

8. If all else will not work
Post a tin of ginger theme Altoids, a few Red Hots, or a package of Listerine strips next to your alarm. When the buzzer is turned off, pop one or two of them in the mouth before pushing the snooze button. It is almost impossible to sleep in that "curiously strong" flavor to wake up your mouth!

In addition, facing the day - we all must, eventually - the real benefit of switching to the "on" in the morning is that your brain starts buzzing, absorbing the information and a sense of news. And life becomes a pupil can do as RealAge 2.5 years younger.

Foods that wake you up in the morning [first 4]

2009-08-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

There are problems in the transition from dreams to realityville? Head to the kitchen. What you eat can help you be more alert, think more, it is clear that more energy, and even more creative, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food and mood. Assuming that you have clocked at least 7 hours of sleep, these products will get you focused and in a sense, as the morning person - even if you are absolutely wrong.

1. A spoonful of sweetness
A TAD of sugar in coffee or honey in smoothiestimulates release of acetylcholine, the brain chemical that contributes to memory. But do not overdo it or you will feel rather sleepy. Excess sweets may increase the level of serotonin in the sleep-inducing high.

2. A whole-wheat Bublik
Your brain Primo fuel glucose, the basic building block of carbohydrates. So, after fasting the night, your brain is on Red Alert for CARB to correct. But you do not need a lot - half of all wheat Bublik would increase the speed of your engine. So will a bowl of oatmeal. Pick your fave.

3. Liquid oxygen that Bublik
Salmon contains a fat known as DHA, which is 97% omega-3 fatty acids in the brain. You need to get a lot of mental decks cleared for action - part of the DHA is to carry away cellular waste products that make your brain feel sluggish.

4. Spicy V8
Hot food and amp up the blood flow, which is warming your engines. If your tomatoes are very acidic in the morning, toss in tablespoon peeled fresh ginger in hot tea or a cold smoothie on a similar rush.

How to avoid double-dating disasters

2009-06-03T08:24:00.001-07:00

Our friends are so cheap! They itemize everything they eat — down to the penny. What do we do?

If they're the type to haggle over the bill, suggest splitting it 50/50 but offer to pick up the tip if you think your order was pricier. You'll probably wind up spending more dough than you would have if you'd itemized, but it'll spare you the headache. Or suggest cheap eats like Mexican, Indian, or burgers. Better yet, have them over to your place for a free meal. How could they argue with that?

Two couples we introduced are making plans to go out without us. How do we not take it personally?

Ouch. But look at it objectively — maybe they live close to each other, are both Red Wings fans, or work in the same industry. While your instinct may be to reinsert yourself into the pack or make a comment about it, back off. Anything you say will sound like, "Waaah, you like them better than us!" and make you look jealous. Instead, seek out new friends so you won't care as much what those four are up to.

My guy really doesn't like my best friend. Is there anything I can do to help them get along?

You love her high-pitched squeal and the way she smells her food before she eats it. Your guy isn't as much of a fan. Normally, you'd say, "Well, he'll deal," but how can he when you're double-dating with her and her guy every other weekend? While he may never get the appeal of your friend, explain how good she is to you and how supportive she is of your relationship. When you do make plans with your BFF and her guy, let him decide the agenda. That way, he can at least enjoy the activity, even if he's not digging the company.

We hang out with this couple who always plays the comparison game. How do we not get competitive?

Chances are they're just looking for an excuse to brag. When they ask you about your home value or what you're planning for your anniversary, put it back on them. Say something like, "Oh, who wants to talk mortgages ... tell me about that great kitchen remodel of yours!" It's a hot-seat ejector. But if hanging out with them always makes you feel worse, cut them off, end of story.

My guy's buddy's wife is the most boring woman on earth. Help!

Hey, not everyone can be as fab as you are! No matter how boring this woman is, she's not going anywhere (sorry). Even the dullest people have interests, so ask her what she's into. If you still can't find common ground, bring up hot celeb gossip and ask for her opinion. At least you'll have 5 to 10 minutes out of the way!

My friend's husband is a little bizarre, and my guy can't stand him. How can I make double-dates smoother?

Simple: Minimize the chitchat. When couple friends get together (especially if the two women are friends and the guys are the obligated tagalongs), the girls wind up gabbing and ignoring the guys, who are then forced to talk to each other. But men aren't like women — they're physical, action-oriented and not likely to spend hours catching up over Chardonnay. So if you want the guys to get along, put them in an environment where there's little opportunity to talk. Really, they'll be fine! Suggest a football game, bowling, a concert — all activities that'll keep them busy and distracted.

Worst packaged foods lies [part3]

2009-05-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

The Vitamin Vacuum

Kelloggs Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts

The claim: “Good source of 7 vitamins and minerals”

The truth: Five of the 7 vitamins and minerals are derived from this product’s first ingredient—enriched flour. That’s the code word for “refined flour that’s had nutrients added to it after it’s been stripped of fiber.”

What you really want: A breakfast without the nutritional profile of a dessert. Studies show that people who opt for high-quality protein (eggs, yogurt) over refined carbohydrates (pancakes, bagels, Pop-Tarts) lose weight faster and maintain higher levels of energy throughout the day.

The All-Natural Disaster

7UP

The claim: “All Natural Flavors”

The truth: The FDA doesn’t have a definition for this claim. Case in point: 7UP now boasts that it’s made with 100 percent natural ingredients. That’s because they’ve switched from carbonated water to filtered water, from citric acid to natural citric acid, and from calcium disodium EDTA to natural potassium citrate. Got it? Here’s the kicker: The soft drink is still sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, which can’t be made without the help of a centrifuge.

What you really want: A healthy choice, like lemon and seltzer. 7UP’s tactic is employed primarily by companies making junk food (see also: Natural Cheetos). Considering that the calorie counts are nearly always identical with their “unnatural” brethren (in the case of 7UP, calories and sugar counts are the exact same), concentrate on the bigger issues and find reliably healthy drinks and snacks.

The Cheeseless Cheese Pizza

Mama Celeste Original Pizza

The claim: “Original Pizza”

The truth: Ever had a pizza without cheese? Well, if you eat this one you will have, since Mama Celeste doesn’t use a single shred of real cheese in making this problematic pie. What does she use? Imitation mozzarella, which is the second ingredient on the list and is composed mostly of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, endowing each serving with 5 grams of nasty trans fats. Also watch out for the attachment of the word “flavored,” as in “strawberry-flavored”; it’s a surefire sign that the product is utterly fruitless.

What you really want: Cheese, strawberries, or whatever you think it is you’re getting. If the name or flavor in the food’s title isn’t one of the first few ingredients, find another product.

Worst packaged foods lies [part2]

2009-05-12T04:37:00.000-07:00

The Hidden Trans-Fats

Cheetos Crunchy

The claim: “Zero gram trans fats”

The truth: FDA allows manufacturers to make this claim when their products contain less than 0.5 gram of trans fats per serving. It may seem insignificant, but 0.49 gram of this nefarious fat can add up quickly.

What you really want: Keep total trans-fat intake to no more than 1 percent of total calories—about 2.5 grams per day for most adults. That means reading the ingredients list (especially those that proclaim to be trans fat-free), and looking for “partially hydrogenated,” “shortening,” or “interesterified.” For a trans-fat cheat sheet, be sure to avoid any of the items on our list of the 10 trans-fattiest supermarket foods.

The Unnatural Fruit

Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bar

The claim: “Naturally and artificially flavored”

The truth: While the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose the use of artificial flavoring on the front of the box, the requirements for what is considered “natural” and “real” are not strict: Even trace amounts of the essence or extract of fruit counts as natural. So yes, there is fruit in this bar, but it falls third in the ingredients list, behind HFCS and corn syrup.

What you really want: An honest snack with nothing to hide. Lärabars, one of our favorite snacks in the aisle, are made with nothing more than dried fruit and nuts.

The "Health" Food That Isn't

Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken

The claim: “Healthy Choice”

The truth: A company can call itself whatever it wants, but that doesn’t give credence to the name. Healthy Choice even provides a handful of nutritional stats—430 calories, 9 grams fat, 600 milligrams sodium—to back up the name, but they neglect to mention the 29 grams of added sugars used in this dish. The 6 different sweeteners in the ingredient list combine to give this less-than-healthy choice almost the same amount of sugar as a Snickers bar. Many Healthy Choice selections are reliably nutritious; this is not one of them.

What you really want: Dinner that doesn’t taste like a bowl of ice cream. While fat and calories are important considerations in everything you eat, be sure to read the fine print. Companies with healthy label claims often pull the bait-and-switch, going low in fat but then elevating the sugar or sodium to up the flavor quotient.

Worst packaged foods lies [part1]

2009-05-08T02:34:00.000-07:00

If you want to understand some of the food industry to take a walk through your grocery store candy aisle. There, on the labels of products such as Mike and Ike, and good and lot, you will find that, perhaps it is surprising claim: "The fat free." However, this is absolutely true of these empty-calorie junk food is almost 100 percent sugar and processed carbohydrates.

You see, the producers of food, you think stupid. In fact, their marketing strategies that rely on it. For example, it may be that the above-mentioned persons sweets hope you equate "fat free" with "healthy" or "not fattening"-so that you forget about everything on sugar, these products contain. This is a classic bait and switch.

And candy aisle is just the beginning. That is why Eat this, not! Supermarket Survival Guide Supermarket gave crack packaged food labeling codes and now you can ensure that you get exactly what you pay. Do not be fooled again by labels mislead!

The Organic Junk Food

Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese

The claim: "USDA organic"

The truth: It’s organic, so it must be healthy, right? Not so much. For an extra 60 cents per box, consumers save 20 calories and 1 gram of fat. They also gain 2 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 50 milligrams of sodium, and they lose 6 percent of their daily iron. The point is, even organic junk food is still junk food. Your body processes organic refined flour and powdered cheese the same way it does the conventional kind, so at the end of the day it’s still a high-calorie, low-nutrient letdown.

What you really want: If you must have mac, pick one with a label that reads like the recipe you’d use to fix it at home. Annie’s line of macaroni and cheese contains about 8 ingredients per box and cuts the fat by 72 percent over Kraft Organic. And to learn more about whether you should splurge or save when it comes to organic, check out "The Truth About Organic Food." In this economy, it’s important to know that you’re spending your money wisely. Sometimes, like in the case of this Organic Kraft Mac & Cheese, choosing the organic route may not always be the best use of your hard-earned cash.

The Fat Fake-Out

Smucker’s Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter

The claim: “25 percent less fat than regular natural peanut butter”

The truth: Smucker’s has indeed removed some of the fat from the peanut butter, but they’ve replaced it with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a cheap filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbs, double the sugar, and a savings of a meager 10 calories.

What you really want: The real stuff: no oils, fillers, or added sugars. Just peanuts and salt. Smucker’s Natural fits the bill, as do many other peanut butters out there.

Tasty Cinco de Mayo drink recipes

2009-05-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

Cinco de Mayo Cocktail Menu
On May 5, grab a piñata and your closest friends, because it's time to party Mexican-style. To properly celebrate America's favorite south-of-the-border holiday, we suggest mixing a variety of cocktails made from Mexico's most popular beverage export: tequila! This smooth liquor, made from the juice of the agave plant, is quite versatile and tastes fantastic with everything from fruit juice to ginger ale and salt.

Ingredients

1 ounce(s) Jose Cuervo Especial
3 ounce(s) Jose Cuervo Lime Margarita Mix
1 wedge(s) lime
1 teaspoon(s) salt

Directions

Rub rim of a chilled margarita glass with half a lime.
Dip into salt to coat.
In a shaker with ice, add José Cuervo Especial and José Cuervo Lime Margarita Mix.
Shake vigorously.
Strain into the margarita glass.
Garnish with lime wedge.

Is diet soda making you fat?

2009-04-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

We talk a lot about "look what we have, but if you never have thought that you ate, but instead looked only what you drink, you probably could cut 450 calories a day in your life that almost one pound of fat is trimmed each week! This is a study at the University of North Carolina found. Americans now drink about 192 gallons of fluid per year, or about 2 liters a day. To put it in perspective, it is almost twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When faced with a growing wave of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response: "Why not just drink diet soda?" Well, for several reasons. Eat this, not! did some research and discovered some hard truths for the low caloric value (and food free) drinks. History is not as clear as you suspect, and this may make you think twice the next time you're looking for a thirst-drinking.

Hard Truth # 1

Just because diet soda low in calories does not mean that it can not lead to an increase in weight.

It may be only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research shows that consumers sugary-tasting drinks, even if they are artificially sweetened, can lead to a high preference for sweetness in general. This means that the sweeter (and more calories), corn, bread, dessert-all. Given is 15 calories per teaspoon of sugar is not good news if you're watching your weight.

Hard Truth # 2

Guzzling these drinks throughout the day replaces healthy beverages like.

Diet soda is 100 percent of nutrient-free, and it is important to remember that all this is useless to occupy space fluid, which could be more healthy alternatives. On the positive side, it means you do not take in the equally non-nutritious, calorie and sugar packed options. But just as important to take an active drink good thing as it is to avoid this bad thing. Thus, one diet soda a day is fine, but if you Downing five or six cans, it means that you restrict your inbox healthy beverages, particularly water and tea, which is high in antioxidants.

In addition, a recent study from Johns Hopkins have found that limiting calorie liquid is a more effective way to lose weight than the restriction of calories from food. There is no place better than anything on the Elimination of our list of the 20 unhealthiest drink in America.

Hard Truth # 3

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give a diet Sodas their flavor.

Aspartame 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal studies linked the consumption of high amounts of sugar with brain tumors and lymphomas in rodents. FDA argues that the sugar is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headache, diarrhea, memory loss and changes in mood. Check out our guide to 11 of the most controversial food additive in order to stack up as aspartame.

The bottom line is this: Do you diet soda is good, and it may simply be doing you harm. The best way to hydrate is drinking low-calorie, high-nutrient liquid and the selection of healthy alternatives, like the ones you can find in our list of 16 best drinks swaps.

Now that you have to hold your liquid assets, to modernize the entire grocery list to avoid the worst 13 "health" products in supermarkets.

Top 19 worst drive-thru foods in America :chapter 2

2009-04-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

Arby’s Large Mozzarella Sticks
849 calories
56 g fat (26 g saturated fat)
2,730 mg sodium
Anything with as much saturated fat as a Triple Whopper should not be called a side. If it’s cheese you crave, order the French Dip ‘N Swiss or Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich instead to save more than 500 calories.

Eat This Instead!
Martha’s Vineyard Salad
With Light Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
389 calories
14 g fat (5 g saturated)
923 mg sodium

McDonald's Large Triple Thick Chocolate Milkshake
1,160 calories
27 g fat (16 g saturated fat)
168 g sugar
510 mg sodium
You’d be better off eating two Quarter Pounders than sucking down one of these belt-breaking shakes. Steer clear of milkshakes at the Golden Arches. If you must have a frozen dessert, order a vanilla ice cream cone to save more than 1,000 calories. Make swaps like that every week and watch the pounds melt off!

Eat This Instead!
Vanilla Reduced-Fat Ice Cream Cone
150 calories
3.5 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
18 g sugars
60 mg sodium

Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
720 calories
48 g fat (15 g saturated fat, 12 g trans fats)
1,360 mg sodium
48 g carbohydrates
You probably don’t need us to tell you that bacon, cheese, and fried potatoes are not a healthful trio. What's worse, though, is that Jack in the Box cooks in trans-fatty vegetable shortening, which has been linked to heart disease. It's no secret that French fries can ruin an otherwise sensible meal, but these things take destruction to another level entirely.

Eat This Instead!
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (3)
240 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fats)
420 mg sodium

Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
800 calories
60 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1,745 mg sodium
With 17 more grams of fat than Taco Bell’s Fiesta Taco Salad, this is the worst salad from any drive-thru. The dressing alone sets you back 42.5 grams of fat. Take a look at our list of the worst salads in America and see how this one compares.

Eat This Instead!
Chick-fil-A Southwest Chargrilled Salad with Fat-Free Honey Mustard Dressing
360 calories
8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
1,170 mg sodium

Dairy Queen Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard
990 calories
39 g fat (24 g saturated fat)
114 g sugars
This creation combines ice cream, strawberry syrup, and hunks of cheesecake for a high-fat dairy dessert. If you’re set on a Blizzard, go bananas. A small Banana Split Blizzard has 7 fewer fat grams than the small Oreo, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, or Strawberry CheeseQuake flavors. Or stray from the Blizzard and satisfy your sweet tooth with a small chocolate sundae to save major calories and fat.

Eat This Instead!
Small Chocolate Sundae
280 calories
7 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
42 g sugars

Burger King BIG FISH Sandwich with Tartar Sauce
640 calories
32 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
1,540 mg sodium

Fish is only healthy when it's not breaded and fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Here, the fry treatment translates into 7 grams of trans fats and 108 grams of carbohydrates.

Eat This Instead!
Whopper Jr. without mayo
and Garden Salad
365 calories
12 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
1,230 mg sodium

Hardee's Monster Thickburger
1,420 calories
108 g fat (43 g saturated fat)
2,770 mg sodium
230 mg cholesterol
This burger is called “Monster” for a reason. It’s got the caloric equivalent of almost 6 McDonald’s hamburgers, the saturated fat equivalent of 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon, and the sodium equivalent of 84 saltine crackers. You’ll satisfy nearly an entire day’s worth of calories in one sitting, so opt for the significantly less monstrous Low-Carb Thickburger, instead, and save 1,000 calories that you can allocate to more deserving and nutritious fare.

Eat This Instead!
Low Carb Thickburger
420 calories
32 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1,010 mg sodium

Arby's Roast Turkey and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
708 calories
29 g fat (8 g saturated fat)
1,676 mg sodium
Avoid any sandwich made on honey wheat bread: Two slices contain a staggering 361 calories and 68 grams of carbs. Cut those in half by sticking to a sesame bun.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Cordon Blue Sandwich (grilled)
488 calories
18 g fat (4 g saturated fat)
1,560 mg sodium

Jack in the Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta
690 calories
28 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
1,850 mg sodium
Unlike many other fast food restaurants that have made the shift away from trans fats, Jack in the Box's menu has a number of items with more than 5 grams of the stuff—and some with up to 13 grams of it! There’s no “safe” level of trans fats, but the recommendation is that you don’t eat more than 2 grams of the heart-harming junk per day. Add fries to this sandwich, and you’ll take in three and a half times your daily limit.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Fajita Pita
300 calories
9 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
1,090 mg sodium

Carl’s Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
with Medium Natural Cut Fries and 32 oz Coke
2,618 calories
144 g fat (51.5 g saturated fat)
2,892 mg sodium
Of all the gut-growing, heart-stopping, life-threatening burgers in the fast food world, there is none whose damage to your general well-being is as catastrophic as this. Consider these heart-stopping comparisons: This meal has the caloric equivalent of 13 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donuts; the saturated fat equivalent of 52 strips of bacon; and the salt equivalent of seven and a half large orders of McDonald’s French fries!

Eat This Instead!
Famous Star
with Side Salad with Low Fat Balsamic Dressing and 32 oz Iced Tea
685 calories
38 g fat (10.5 g saturated fat)
1,520 mg sodium

Top 19 worst drive-thru foods in America :chapter 1

2009-04-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

Time and money are two things Americans can’t afford to waste. So it’s not surprising (though slightly disappointing) that the drive-thru is considered one of the great inventions of all time. There’s even a study to prove it. In 2005 and 2006, researchers asked 600 adults and teens why they eat so much fast food. Three of the top four responses were it’s quick, easy, and affordable. Taste came in third, with only 69 percent of respondents listing flavor as a factor in their fast-food love.

Drive-thru foods may be convenient and easy on the wallet, but they’re loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, carbohydrates, and sodium. Translation: They’re no bargain when it comes to your health. But jam-packed schedules and a dismal economy make the occasional drive-thru meal a part of life. That’s why Eat This, Not That! studied the open-air menu boards and compiled a list of the worst items out there, plus better alternatives. Avoid these dietary land mines and save more than a few minutes and a couple bucks—how does up to 20 pounds in a year sound?

Worst drink
Sonic Minute Maid Cranberry Juice Slush (“Route 44”–extra large)
616 calories
165 g sugars

In its pure form, antioxidant-packed cranberry juice is a healthy choice. But this Cranberry Juice Slush comes with an asterisk next to the word “cranberry” on the Web site’s nutrition list. That’s probably because only 78 of the whopping 616 calories come from “cranberry flavor”—the rest of the bulk comes from the “slush.” Consider that a code word for sugar overload: the extra-large has the sugar equivalent of six packs of M&Ms. Check out our list of the 20 worst drinks in America to see other equally atrocious beverages.

Drink This Instead!
Cranberry Flavored Tea (medium)
42 calories
10 g sugar

Burger King Spicy Chick’n Crisp Sandwich
450 calories
30 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
810 mg sodium

Lean economic times make the value menu more appealing than ever. And that’s fine—most dollar menus have a few sensible items. But if you eat this sandwich often, saving a few bucks will quickly result in a surplus around your waistline.

Eat This Instead!
Whopper Jr. without mayo
290 calories
12 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
500 mg sodium

Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito
680 calories
30 g fat (10 g saturated fat)
2,120 mg sodium

Ditch this and order two grilled steak soft tacos (or any menu item) "fresco" style and the Bell boys will replace cheese and sauces with a chunky tomato salsa, helping to cut calories in half and fat by at least 25 percent.

Eat This Instead!
Two Grilled Steak Soft Tacos, Fresco Style
320 calories
9 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
1,100 mg sodium

Sonic Chicken Club TOASTER Sandwich
742 calories
46 g fat (11 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,742 mg sodium
How can a chicken sandwich pack so much fat? Start with a fried chicken breast, add bacon, cheese, and mayo, and you're there. Add to that the sodium equivalent of 53 saltine crackers, and you’re looking at a serious dietary disaster. Ditch the chicken for beef and save 10 grams of fat.

Eat This Instead!
Sonic Burger with Mustard
540 calories
25 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
730 mg sodium

Hardee’s Big Chicken Filet Sandwich
800 calories
37 g fat (6 g saturated fat)
1,890 mg sodium
A general rule: Avoid sandwiches with words like “big” and “monster” in the name. Hardee’s Monster Thickburger is another example—it comes in at 1,420 calories, 108 grams of fat, and more saturated fat than you want in two days.

Eat This Instead!
Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
415 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
1,175 mg sodium

Arby’s Roast Beef and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
810 calories
42 g fat (13 g saturated fat)
1,780 mg sodium
The unwholesome trinity of mayo, Italian sub sauce, and processed Swiss cheese make this sandwich the clear loser in the battle of the beef. The Super Roast Beef replaces mayo with a low-cal spicy pepper sauce and totals 370 fewer calories.

Eat This Instead!
Super Roast Beef
440 calories
19 g fat (7 g saturated fat)
1,061 mg sodium

Burger King Kids Double Cheeseburger and Kids Fries with Small Coke
950 calories
42 g fat (17 g saturated fat, 4.5 g trans fats)
1,410 mg sodium
BK's dubious double burger earns the distinction of being the fattiest meal for an on-the-go kid, with nearly a day's worth of saturated fat for the average 8-year-old.

Eat This Instead!
4-piece Chicken Tenders with Strawberry-Flavored Applesauce and unlimited water
280 calories
11 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
440 mg sodium

Dairy Queen 6-Piece Chicken Strip Basket
1,270 calories
67 g fat (11 g saturated fat)
2,910 mg sodium
The strips deliver more grams of fat than four DQ Homestyle Burgers, and nearly 300 more calories than a Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Salad
with Fat-Free Italian Dressing
280 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,550 mg sodium

Jack in the Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
740 calories
55 g fat (17 g saturated fat)
1,430 mg sodium
Skip biscuits at all costs. This one contains nearly a full day’s worth of saturated fat (check out the 8 worst restaurant breakfasts here). Instead try the Bacon Breakfast Jack—16 grams of protein makes it a surprisingly good way to start your day.

Eat This Instead!
Bacon Breakfast Jack
300 calories
14 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
730 mg sodium

Why men & women diet differently

2009-03-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

1. Guys can just say "No" to solve the problem of food
Earlier this year, the Brookhaven National Laboratory conducted a study where they presented men and women of their preferred food, and then monitored their brain activity using positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Ladies, men fighting: they have managed to eradicate hunger and their desire to eat, while brain activity among women has shown that many have continued to claim their favorite foods, even after having learned to think of other thing. In other words, we call it "emotional eating," something that the coach and the American Dietetic Association says spokesman Jim White is a "battle" for his female clientele, but not humans. The guy must be too busy thinking about something else or nothing at all?

2. But they are silent when it comes to nutrition
When a woman decides to go on a diet, the first stop, it will probably make health went his groceries. But not for men, "said White. "With women, they are eager to learn," he says. "They seek nutrients, read food labels and focus on healthy cooking and healthy meals." The guys can take a page of this book to learn something or to do what White calls a "grocery store tour" to familiarize yourself with what is healthy and what is undesirable. Just because the chicken does not mean that it is healthy. If this confusion you head to the grocery store or ask a woman nearby.

3. They compete to lose
When you think of Curves, Weight Watchers or other programs for the women, they are all focused on promoting cooperation, holding hands and reaching targets within a group. For men, weight loss is a sport. "If I want to encourage a man to lose weight, I do competitively," said Dr. Robert Vogel, the author of a health plan "The Pritikin Edge." "It will build a friend, may lose more weight, while women will both agree to buy new clothes when they reach their goal. "His intuition is supported in research, where men have achieved better results in studies of incentive for women when they earned money for every pound lost. Sign up for this.

4. Guys do not care no more (but you knew that already)
Studies show that many men tend to food for reasons of health or health scares, rather than appearance. Women are more susceptible to food because of social pressures. Vogel advises the National Football League, and as such, sees many big-bellied, 300-pound offensive lineman to go through his office that are all happy with their size and that their employment is . A woman, on the reverse tends to be compared to its peers. "You never really see a woman of 300 pounds that is prideful about its weight," he said, adding that women "bear the burden of social ostracism." Ultimately, it is less stigmatizing to be overweight, if you're a guy. This means that men are less likely to be dissatisfied with their bodies and women are more likely to obsess about the number of the scale.

5. Muscles question
If both husband and wife began at the same gym regime, it is likely to lose more weight at first because he has more muscle mass. It is also more likely to attack a target of weight loss by exercise. White said that for men, gymnastics is a "business plan", as they begin to come from four to five times a week, "really pumping iron." So here's an area where women can take their index Hunks without throwing that "I want to be lean, not muscular" excuse. "The truth is, you can not lose weight and keep it out of an exercise without a plan, "says Vogel. And this, together with the counting calories thing is a rule system that applies to both sexes.

best foods for your waist (2)

2009-02-24T05:35:00.000-08:00

continue from last post...

Reorganization: couscous
Reach for: wheat or quinoa

It turns out that couscous has the same nutritional value as a white paste, like Penne or Rigatoni. The same amount of wheat, less calories, and three times to fill you up fiber. Quinoa is high in fiber, is a big plus, this source of protein (for a couple of pieces of chicken). Play around a variety of crops, or a wild black rice, Farro, or amaranth. You will see that you love It is much healthier than white rice or pasta.

Reorganization: meat of turkey
Reach for: Extra-lean ground sirloin

Surprising, is not it? If the label states that "the land of turkey, or turkey breast, you actually get a combination of white meat, dark meat, and even some skin in which all add up to 325 calories and 20 grams of fat for a 5 - ounce serving. Compare that to 95 percent lean ground beef, which has 240 calories and 10 grams of fat. Lean beef provides as a good helping of iron - almost five times more than Turkey.

Reorganization: Canned Chickpeas
Reach for: low sodium-red, black or white beans

Chickpeas are hidden: they, like beans, but with more fat and calories. Adding more to your salad well. But the main ingredient, try black, red or white beans, which have no fat, large amounts of protein, fewer calories and a lot of nutrients like zinc and folic acid. Canned beans have a lot of salt, so choose low-sodium variety.

Reorganization: Tricolor pasta
Reach for: whole wheat pasta

Many people remember about filling their dinner plates with colorful food, so they can choose Tricolor pasta instead of white. But there are almost no spinach, beets and other vegetables in each serving. In addition, fiber and iron content is identical to that in a simple white pasta - that is, less of these nutrients than whole wheat pasta. The best choice of colors for brown paste. Although they have similar charges calories, total wheat versions more fiber than white, so you recharge faster and eat less.

Reorganization: Banana chips
Reach for: Dried apricots

Talk about that food just sounds good health! Most deep-fried banana chips with 220 calories and 15 grams of fat in half a cup - yikes! The same amount of dried apricots, on the other hand, about 150 calories and less than 1 gram of fat (plus a load of vitamin A). Buy organic and you'll also avoid sulphites, which can cause migraines and even disrupt sleep.

Reorganization: goat cheese
Reach for: feta cheese

Both cheeses have a strong flavor, so the good news is, as a rule, you do not go overboard with the serving size. Greek salad is a staple good bet, but: It has about 4 grams of saturated fat in the serving, compared with 7 grams of goat cheese, and about 15 fewer calories per ounce.

best foods for your waist

2009-02-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

Smart shoppers often get tripped up by seemingly healthy products which do not have enough vitamins and nutrients, and relatively high in calories and fat. To help keep your waistline in check with your food nutrition boost, Health magazine offers 10 compromises that at your next visit to the grocery store.

Reorganization: Grapes
Reach for: Raspberries

Although grapes heart healthy, they are very low in fiber and vitamins. Raspberries are a source of soluble fiber, which help reduce bad cholesterol and makes you feel full faster - good news for your waistline. Save money when buying frozen raspberries, which are out of season.

Reorganization: Beets
Reach for: Asparagus

Beets just look good, is not it? And they taste sweet (even sweeter if you roast them.) But there are reasons for this. Beets total sugar, sending your blood sugar glycemic slides. If blood sugar goes up and down, you are hungry faster, so you eat more frequently. It also leads you to store extra calories as fat. Smart alternative? Asparagus. Like beets, this is delicious grilled, but it has the advantage that much less sugar. Plus, the grass high in folic acid and vitamin C.

Reorganization: Vanilla soy milk
Reach for: skim milk

Vanilla soy milk dessert rather than substitute for milk or a good source of soy. If you're not lactose-intolerant to choose skim milk, which has a lot of calcium but not fat or sugar. (Even the plain soy milk a little more calories and fat than skim milk.) If you can not get out of vanilla-soy-milk habit, use a little coffee, but not in a big bowl of cereal or a smoothie.

Reorganization: Vitamin enriched water
Reach for: subject seltzer

One bottle of fortified vitamin water may have more sugar and calories than you can of cola! And vitamins are negligible compared to the amount of sugar you get. Replace it with a flavored seltzer (zero calories), or not-Cal taste of water (eg, tips), which contains no artificial sweeteners or added sugar.

to be continued..

Toum Raider: Garlic Delight

2009-02-06T06:36:00.000-08:00

There is a wonderful Lebanese fast-food outpost in Hollywood, California, which, like a sweet siren song, invited me back to the west coast. Zankou Chicken, also known as the undisputed delicacy of his famous grilled chicken, and their surprising lack of atmosphere, is a sort of late night spot to go for those needing a review of poultry. However, in Zankou Chicken (as good as it is) would just be chicken, if not for the support of the Lebanese spicy garlic sauce simply called Touma. Unfortunately, life in New York, I am thousands of miles away from my next Zankou experience, but fortunately not too far from Touma.

Frieda's Garlic Delight is basically Touma, a shake of garlic spread with lemon juice, salt, canola oil, and yes ... lots of garlic. While it may seem a bit overwhelming for those who are intolerant to garlic, it is much less severe than what you expected and exceptionally versatile. Available in four flavors, including Sun dried tomatoes, chipotle, olive green and Original (only pure garlic) Garlic pleasure because it is a paste, could be used as a marinade or sufficiently dilute with a little olive oil to be used as a dressing or a light pasta sauce.

Made without preservatives, no dairy, no eggs, no gluten and, Garlic Delight is a simple, refreshing and minimal, and the vibrant flavor. Those of you who, like the kick of fresh garlic, without doubt, polish off a tub with nothing but a few crackers, crudités, or fingers (if nobody is watching). I thought we worked exceptionally well launched with steamed vegetables and a light paste marinade for grilled salmon. If allowed, Garlic Delight could easily become a refrigerator staple for use in many recipes, snack or just embarrassing.

Frieda's Garlic Delight is available in four flavors (Original, sun-dried tomato, olive green and chipotle) and are sold in 7-ounce tubes in the refrigerated section of select Foodtown, Shoprite, Stater Bros., Whole Foods Markets and online.

Meaning of Chinese Vegetable

2009-01-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

Probably more food is consumed in the New Year celebrations than any other time of year. Large amounts of traditional food is prepared for family and friends, as well as close to us who have died.

New Year's Day, the Chinese family eats a vegetarian dish called JAI. Although the various components of JAI are root vegetables or fibrous vegetables, many people attribute various superstitious aspects to them

Lotus seed - signify having many male offspring

Ginkgo nut - represents silver ingots

Black moss seaweed - is a homonym for exceeding in wealth

Dried bean curd is another homonym for fulfillment of wealth and happiness

Bamboo shoots - is a term which sounds like "wishing that everything would be well"

Fresh bean curd or tofu is not included as it is white and unlucky for New Year as the color signifies death and misfortune.

Chinese New Year Foods

2009-01-24T06:56:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year season officially runs about two weeks, with the preparation of many days in advance. It is the most elaborate and important holiday in the Chinese calendar. Food plays a vital part in most of the festivities. The Chinese congratulate each other for having gone through another year and party together. Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is the most important family event of the year.

New Year's Eve dinner is usually a feast of seafood and sybolic filled. These include shrimp animation, dried oysters (ho xi) for all things good, raw fish salad (yu sheng) for good luck "fai-hai" an edible angel hair-like seaweed to prosperity fillings and cooked in water to retrieve a long lost goodwill of the family. Everyone wears red to ward off evil spirits and prevents black and white to represent death and mourning.

New Year's Day, Chinese families eat a vegetarian dish called "JAI. The various components are root vegetables or fibrous. These include the lotus seed = hope for many men offspring, ginkgo nut = hope silver, black moss seaweed = Pending wealth; dried tofu = expect more of the wealth and happiness, bamboo shoots = wishing all goes well .

The entire first week is for socializing. This is when the drive tray shared. The seventh New Year's Day is considered "Everyone's Birthday" as birthdays are not considered as important as turning a year old next to New Year. Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success.

Also on the seventh day, farmers are encouraged to display their products. These farmers make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate.

In the tenth to twelfth days over New Year holiday with friends and family.

On the 13th, Chinese diet a little, on rice and mustard green to clean your digestive system after so much rich food.

The Lantern Festival parade on June 15 and ends on Chinese New Year.

See Cute Pictures about chinese new year 2009

Cranberry-Honey Spice Pinwheel Cookies

2008-12-25T20:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup(s) sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup(s) cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed
1/2 cup(s) honey
2 teaspoon(s) freshly grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cardamom, or allspice
2 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) whole-wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cardamom, or allspice
1/3 cup(s) canola oil
3 1/2 tablespoon(s) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup(s) sugar
1/3 cup(s) honey
2 eggs
3 tablespoon(s) low-fat milk, plus more as needed
2 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon(s) almond extract

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Directions

1. To prepare filling: Combine dried and fresh cranberries, honey, orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom (or allspice) in a medium nonreactive saucepan (see Note) over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook, stirring, until the fresh cranberries burst and soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor and puree. If the mixture seems dry, stir in up to 2 teaspoons water. Transfer the mixture to a nonreactive container and refrigerate while preparing the dough.

2. To prepare dough: Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamom (or allspice) in a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine oil, butter, sugar, honey, eggs, milk, orange zest, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat the wet ingredients with an electric mixer first on low speed, then on medium speed, until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until evenly incorporated. If the mixture is too dry to hold together, stir in up to 1 tablespoon more milk. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 to 45 minutes to reduce its stickiness.

3. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a 6-inch-long log. Working with one log at a time, center it on a 16-inch-long sheet of baking parchment or wax paper. Cover with a second sheet. Press and then roll into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle of even thickness, inverting the dough occasionally to roll out any wrinkles and patching it to make the sides as even as possible. Transfer the dough, in the paper, to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining log of dough and transfer to the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the dough is slightly firm, about 15 minutes.

4. To prepare pinwheel rolls: Place one sheet of dough on a work surface. Peel off the top sheet of paper. Spread half the reserved filling evenly over the dough (it will be a thin layer). Working from a 15-inch-long side, tightly roll up the dough jelly-roll style, leaving the bottom sheet of paper behind. While rolling, slightly stretch out the center to yield an evenly thick roll. Wrap the roll in a clean sheet of wax paper, twisting the ends to prevent unrolling (see Tip). Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough and place on the baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 3 to 4 hours.

5. To bake cookies: Position racks in the upper third and center of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one pinwheel roll at a time, trim the uneven ends. Cut the roll crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices using a large serrated knife; periodically turning the roll to maintain a relatively round cookie shape. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Bake the cookies until puffed and barely golden brown, 12 to 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to middle halfway through baking. Immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cut and bake the remaining pinwheel roll.

Sweet apple and potato soup for your holiday

2008-12-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 3/4 pound(s) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1 small parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
6 cup(s) vegetable stock or low-sodium broth
1 dash(es) apple cider
1 teaspoon(s) green Tabasco sauce
finely diced Granny Smith apple and minced parsle, for garnish

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the parsnip, garlic, olive oil and salt. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.
2. In a blender, puree half of the vegetables with 3 cups of the stock; transfer to a large saucepan. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and stock. Add the apple cider and Tabasco and heat through. Season with salt. Serve with the diced apple and minced parsley.

How to Trim the Fat From Your Grocery Bill

2008-12-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

1. Buy in bulk. It might make you feel like a seventies throwback, but buying grains, cereals, dried beans, nuts, and seeds in bulk can save you a whole lot of cash. Plus, it cuts down drastically on the amount of packaging you need to schlep home and eventually recycle.

Of course, proper storage is a must. Keep grains, nuts, and other dry goods fresh in airtight jars. This will keep pests out and will help prevent the food from becoming rancid. Foods rich in oil, like nuts, are better off stored in the fridge or freezer in an airtight bag. If you can’t consume the nuts yourself, try making maple-spiced nuts as hostess gift to bring to holiday parties. Food co-ops and natural-food stores usually have a pretty good bulk selection, and you can also buy online.

My favorite new discovery is olive oil in a cask. Light, oxygen, and heat can break down oil and make it go rancid, but this packaging keeps the air (or at least most of it) out. Instead of buying eight 500-milliliter bottles of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for about $20-$25 a bottle (a total of up to $200), check out the Yellingbo 4-liter cask for $60. I know that sounds like a lot of dough to spend all at once, but if you use a lot of olive oil at home, it can be a huge cost-saver. Plus, instead of cleaning out and recycling all those bottles, you can just fold up the box, which is already made from recycled cardboard.

2. Clear out your freezer. Get rid of extraneous ice cube trays and finish up that gallon of rocky road. Look for bargain buys, and if you find a great deal on chicken breasts, for example, buy a bunch (make sure they haven’t passed the sell-by date) and either freeze in the original packaging or rewrap and seal using something like Reynolds Handi-Vac. Use a black marker to write the date you packaged them up and make sure to use them within two months.

3. Go whole. Yes, buying a whole head of broccoli or cauliflower is cheaper than buying the florets. And by the same token, you’re better off going for a whole chicken than skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Right now at Fresh Direct, the price of breasts is $10.99/pound, while a whole chicken is only $1.69/pound. You’ll probably need to buy at least a 7-pound chicken, but the savings are amazing and you’ll get more meals out of that one chicken.

Here’s how to get the most out of your chicken:

Day 1: Just rub a little olive oil, salt, and pepper on it (and push some fresh rosemary under the skin if you want to be fancy) and roast it for 70 minutes at 375º. Enjoy the chicken with some roasted red potatoes. When you’re done, pull the rest of the chicken meat off and store it in an airtight container. Don’t throw the carcass away! Wrap it in foil or put it in an airtight container.

Day 2: Take the chicken and either make chicken quesadillas or burritos with it, or dice it up with celery and grapes and mix with a little light mayo for chicken salad.

Day 3: Place that carcass in a large stockpot and cover it with cold water. Bring it to a boil and skim off any foam that comes to the top. Turn down the heat to a simmer, and skim again if necessary. Add a quartered onion, sliced parsnips, chopped celery, sliced carrots, parsley, and a few whole cloves of garlic, and simmer for about an hour and a half. Since the skin and most of the fat are gone, you can just serve the soup hot, or strain and chill. Make sure to add salt and pepper to taste. And, as an added bonus, water-based foods—like soup—can help you lose a few extra pounds.

KFC secret recipe

2008-09-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

By BRUCE SCHREINER, Associated Press Writer
Tue Sep 9, 6:36 AM ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Pssst. The secret's out at KFC. Well, sort of. Colonel Harland Sanders' handwritten recipe of 11 herbs and spices was to be removed Tuesday from safekeeping at KFC's corporate offices for the first time in decades. The temporary relocation is allowing KFC to revamp security around a yellowing sheet of paper that contains one of the country's most famous corporate secrets.

The brand's top executive admitted his nerves were aflutter despite the tight security he lined up for the operation.

"I don't want to be the president who loses the recipe," KFC President Roger Eaton said. "Imagine how terrifying that would be."

So important is the 68-year-old concoction that coats the chain's Original Recipe chicken that only two company executives at any time have access to it. The company refuses to release their name or title, and it uses multiple suppliers who produce and blend the ingredients but know only a part of the entire contents.

Louisville-based KFC, part of the fast-food company Yum Brands Inc., hired off-duty police officers and private security guards to whisk the document away to an undisclosed location in an armored car. The recipe will be slid into a briefcase and handcuffed to security expert Bo Dietl for the ride.

"There's no way anybody could get this recipe," said Dietl, a former New York City police detective. His security firm is also handling the security improvements for the recipe at headquarters, but he wouldn't say what changes they're making.

For more than 20 years, the recipe has been tucked away in a filing cabinet equipped with two combination locks in company headquarters. To reach the cabinet, the keepers of the recipe would first open up a vault and unlock three locks on a door that stood in front of the cabinet.

Vials of the herbs and spices are also stored in the secret filing cabinet.

"The smell is overwhelming when you open it," said one of two keepers of the recipe in an interview at company headquarters.

The biggest prize, though, is a single sheet of notebook paper, yellowed by age, that lays out the entire formula — including exact amounts for each ingredient — written in pencil and signed by Sanders.

Others have tried to replicate the recipe, and occasionally someone claims to have found a copy of Sanders' creation. The executive said none have come close, adding the actual recipe would include some surprises.

Sanders developed the formula in 1940 at his tiny restaurant in southeastern Kentucky and used it to launch the KFC chain in the early 1950s.

Sanders died in 1980, but his likeness is still central to KFC's marketing.

"The recipe to him, in later years, was everything he stood for," said Shirley Topmiller, his personal secretary for about 12 years.

Larry Miller, a restaurant analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said the recipe's value is "almost an immeasurable thing. It's part of that important brand image that helps differentiate the KFC product."

KFC had a total of 14,892 locations worldwide at the end of 2007. The chain has had strong sales overseas, especially in its fast-growing China market, but has struggled in the U.S. amid a more health-conscious public. KFC posted U.S. sales of $5.3 billion at company-owned and franchised stores in 2007.

source : Yahoo

Blue plate specials - Book

2008-07-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

Five menus are presented that are built around updated versions of these comfort foods: meat loaf, spaghetti, fish cakes, clam chowder and beef stew.

The recipes include turkey meat loaf with sun-dried tomatoes, and beef stew with shiitake mushrooms and baby vegetables.

author: Kidd, Kristine, Kaplan, Karen
Publisher: Conde Nast Publications, Inc.Publication
Name: Bon Appetit
Subject: Food/cooking/nutrition
ISSN: 0006-6990
Year: 1996

Recipes and menus, Meat, Cover Story, Cookery (Pasta), Pasta products, Fish (Food product), Cookery (Meat), Cookery, American, American cooking, Cookery (Fish), Stews, Clams, Cookery (Clams)

Diet food recipes

2008-06-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Atkins Diet started a revolution in the way that people looked at carbohydrates and the way that they went on diets. There are many diets in the world that advocate having a slim body but very few people have been able to achieve the weight that they wanted. With the Atkins Diet this changed and people who were on this program soon noticed a change in their body shape. To make sure that no bad foods were allowed to creep into the diet there was also an Atkins diet food List that you could see.

From this Atkins diet food List you can see that certain foods are forbidden for you to eat during the first stage of the Atkins Diet. During this stage you will re-educate your body to burn the existing stores of fat and lose weight. While this may sound as if you have nothing to eat there are interesting foods that are allowed.

From the Atkins diet food List youll find that in stage 1 you can eat meats, fish, poultry, and eggs. While the diet says that there is an unlimited amount of these which you can eat, it may be a good idea to eat only moderate servings of these foods. You should however stay away from processed meats as they could contain sugars.

Cheese types surprisingly, are allowed on the Atkins Diet food list. There are certain cheeses that you can eat while you are on this diet. These are full-fat, firm, soft and semi-soft cheese. The Atkins diet food List also includes aged cheeses as well as cheddars, and cow, sheep or goats cheese.

You will also find Gouda, Mozzarella, Swiss and Roquefort cheeses on the Atkins Diet food list. In addition other cheese varieties like the Blue cheese types can be consumed and can be found on the Atkins Diet food list.

With this food list handy as you progress through your diet, youll find that youll also be learning new and inventive ways to cook these foods as well. Whereas earlier you might have found that your staple foods and main dishes consisted of mainly high carbohydrate foods, with the help of the Atkins Diet food lists, you can be sure to eliminate these from your meals.

And even if you fall off the wagon while youre on your diet, you can just jump right back on, and your Atkins Diet food lists can help you to regain your lost footing. So you caved and went to the nearest Italian restaurant you could find and filled up on your favorite authentic pasta dish.

Chicken; What we can eat?

2008-05-23T02:27:00.000-07:00

This is recipe with chicken...

Chicken Appetizer Recipes Buffalo Wings with Spicy Blue Cheese Sauce Fried Quince Empanadas Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps Hot Wings with Blue Cheese-Yogurt Sauce Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce Grilled Vietnamese-style Chicken Wings

Chicken Salad Recipes Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps Chicken Salad Grilled Chicken Caesar Tomatoes stuffed with Chicken Salad Classic Cobb Salad Pasta Salad with Arugula Pesto, Grilled Chicken Breasts, and Feta Chicken Kebab Salad Curried Chicken Salad Chinese Chicken Salad Strawberry Toasted Pecan Chicken Salad

Chicken Soup Recipes The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken Chili Gumbo Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup Quick Chick and Noodle Soup Chicken Stew with Biscuits Emeril's Favorite Tortilla Soup Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken and Rice Soup

Quick and Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes Parmesan Chicken Roman-style Chicken Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables Chipotle Cashew Chicken with Brown Rice Teriyaki Chicken Thighs Spicy Orange Chicken Lo Mein Green Coconut Shrimp and Chicken Curry Sweet and Hot Pepper Chicken, Asian-Style Sweet & Sour Chicken with Brown Rice Sesame Noodles with Chicken Chop Suey

Healthy Chicken Recipes Oven Fried Chicken Tandoori Chicken with Tomato-Cucumber Raita Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chive Sauce Dijon-Baked Chicken with Rice and Broccoli Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce Fennel & Chicken Flatbread Roasted Chicken Tenders with Peppers & Onions

Roast Chicken and Grilled Chicken Recipes Lemon And Herb Roasted Chicken With Baby Potatoes Perfect Roast Chicken The Deen Brothers' BBQ Chicken Drunken Chicken The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken Beer Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken Paillards on Arugula Salad with Bruschetta Grilled Chicken Breasts with Spicy Peach Glaze

Chicken Comfort Food Recipes Chicken Pot Pie Fried Chicken Lady and Sons Chicken Pot Pie Chicken and Dumplings Chicken Cordon Bleu Grandmother Paul's Fried Chicken Crispy Chicken Fingers Chicken Kiev

Asian Chicken Recipes Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry Chipotle Cashew Chicken with Brown Rice Teriyaki Chicken Thighs Spicy Orange Chicken Lo Mein Green Coconut Shrimp and Chicken Curry Sweet and Hot Pepper Chicken, Asian-Style Sweet & Sour Chicken with Brown Rice Sesame Noodles with Chicken Chop Suey

Italian Chicken Recipes Chicken Parmigiana Chicken Marsala Chicken Piccata Chicken Florentine Chicken Cacciatore Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina Chicken Marsala Chicken Saltimbocca Chicken Scaloppini

Mexican Chicken Recipes Gold Medal Sizzling Fajitas Chicken Enchiladas Mexican Chicken Chili Suizas Bake Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas with Gooey Jack Cheese Easy Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas Mexican Lasagna Chicken and Green Chile Chilaquiles Chicken Tacos with Charred Tomatoes

Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes Slow-cooked Chicken Slow Cooker Jambalaya Slow-Cooker Chicken Gumbo Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken Slow Cooker Chipotle-Lime Chicken Thighs Jamaican Rice and Peas

Chicken Casserole Recipes Cowboy Chicken Casserole Chicken and Rice Casserole Chicken Divan Chicken Tetrazzini Chicken Boudine One Pot Chicken Dish over Cheesy Rice

Food culture and religion

2008-04-26T01:03:00.000-07:00

Food is an important part of religious observance and spiritual ritual for many different faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. The role of food in cultural practices and religious beliefs is complex and varies among individuals and communities. The following article is not all-encompassing. It is an introduction to a diverse and complex topic, and includes some of the ways in which various religious groups include food as a vital part of their faith.

Christianity
The various faiths of Christianity include Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The regulations governing food differ from one to the next, including some faiths that don’t advocate any restrictions. Selected facts include:
The ritual of the transubstantiation (changing) of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ is believed to occur at communion.
Roman Catholics fast for at least one hour prior to communion.
Fasting is sometimes considered to be ‘praying with the body’. It is believed to improve spiritual discipline - by overcoming the sensations of the physical world and focussing on prayer and spiritual growth. It may serve as a way to respect those people around the world who regularly face starvation or malnutrition.
Self-denial (of food) can help Christians to remember that having what you want is not always the path to happiness.
Variations of fasting or abstinence are observed by some Roman Catholics on such occasions as Lent or Good Friday; for example, some may strictly avoid meat at this time.
Most Protestants observe only Easter and Christmas as feast days, and don’t follow ritualised fasting.
Mormons avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
The majority of Seventh Day Adventists don’t eat meat or dairy products, and are likely to avoid many condiments including mustard. Those that do eat meat don’t eat pork.

Judaism
Judaism can be Liberal or Orthodox, based on the degree of adherence to the Jewish laws. ‘Kashrut’ refers to the laws pertaining to food in the Jewish religion. ‘Kosher’ means that a food is permitted or ‘clean’, while anything ‘unclean’ (such as pork and shellfish) is strictly forbidden. The Jewish ‘food laws’ originated more than 2,000 years ago and contribute to a formal code of behaviour that reinforces the identity of a Jewish community. Food forms an integral part of religion in life for a practising Jew. Other selected facts include:
Foods must be prepared in the right way in order to be kosher; for example, animals that provide meat must be slaughtered correctly.
The consumption of certain foods, including dairy products and fish, is subject to restrictions; for example, there are rules forbidding the mixing and consumption of dairy products with meats.
Ritualised fasting is also included in Judaism. Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement - for example, is a Jewish fast that lasts from, approximately, dusk till dusk.
Jewish feast days include Rosh Hashanah and Passover.
The Passover commemorates the birth of the Jewish nation. The food eaten helps to tell the story of the Exodus; for example, bitter herbs recall the suffering of the Israelites under Egyptian rule.

Islam
In Islam the concept of ‘Halal’, meaning ‘lawful or permitted’, is applied to all areas of a person’s life including regulations surrounding food. Prohibited foods are called ‘Haram’. It is thought that the Creator turns a deaf ear to a Muslim who eats Haram foods. Other selected facts include:
The list of Haram foods includes pork, alcohol, foods that contain emulsifiers made from animal fats, frozen vegetables with sauce, particular margarines, and bread or bread products that contain dried yeast.
Gelatine can be made from pig and, since pork is Haram, products containing gelatine are forbidden.
Caffeinated drinks such as coffee are sometimes considered Haram.
Certain religious dates demand fasting from dawn till dusk.
Some Muslims choose to fast on Mondays or Thursdays or both.
The month of Ramadan requires mandatory fasting during sunlight hours, as do particular dates of religious significance, such as the ninth day of Zul Hijjah.

Hinduism
People who practice the Hindu religion don’t eat meat from animals. They also avoid foods that may have caused pain to animals during manufacture. ‘Karma’ is believed to be the spiritual load we accumulate or relieve ourselves of during our lifetime. Animals are believed to have spiritual awareness. If a Hindu consumes animal flesh, they accumulate the Karma of that act - which will need to be balanced through good actions and learning in this life or the next. Depending on the level of adherence to this belief, in many cases beef is forbidden, while pork is sometimes restricted or avoided. Selected facts include:
‘Food is God (Brahman)’ is a common Hindu saying. Food is thought to be an actual part of Brahman, rather than simply a Brahman symbol.
Foods contain energies such as sound waves that can be absorbed by the person who eats them - the Hindu religion takes literally the maxim ‘You are what you eat’.
According to the Hindu religion, violence or pain inflicted on another living thing rebounds on you (Karma).
In keeping with the aim to avoid violence or pain to any living thing, vegetarianism is advocated, but not compulsory.
Prohibited animal products tend to vary from one country or region to the next; for example, duck and crab may be forbidden in one geographical location, but not in another.
Foodstuffs such as alcohol, onions and garlic are thought to inhibit the Hindu’s quest for spiritual enlightenment by exciting the body and leading to acts which may have Karmic impact, and are therefore avoided or restricted.
While beef is forbidden, dairy products including milk, butter and yoghurt are considered to enhance spiritual purity.
Fasting depends on the person’s caste (or social standing) and the occasion; for example, rules regarding fasting depend on whether the day has religious or personal significance.

Buddhism
The dietary rules of Buddhism, which is more of a life philosophy than a religious doctrine, depend on which branch of Buddhism is practiced and in what country. Selected facts include:
In his lives on Earth, Buddha cycled through various animal forms before he took on the form of a human being - this is why most Buddhists are vegetarian.
Similarly to the Hindu concept of Karma, Buddhism proposes that violence or pain inflicted on others will rebound on you, further strengthening the need for a vegetarian lifestyle. Some Buddhists believe that the cause of human aggression is violence against animals.
Some Buddhists avoid meat and dairy products, while others only shun beef.
Religious dates vary from one region to the next. Mahayana Buddhism, for example, celebrates three festivals for the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, while Theravada Buddhists observe all three events on a single day.
Buddhist monks tend to fast in the afternoon.
Buddhist monks and nuns aren’t allowed to cultivate, store or cook their own food; instead, they must rely on ‘alms’, which are donations from believers. This sometimes includes meats, as monks and nuns aren’t allowed to ask for specific foods.
Traditionally, meat from bears, dogs, elephants, horses, hyenas, lions, panthers, snakes and tigers are strictly prohibited to Buddhist monks and nuns.

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2008-04-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

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