Two Fat-Free and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

You can be ambitious and healthy at the same time thanks to healthy slow cooker recipes. They help you juggle between home and workplace without giving you guilt pangs of not cooking healthy food for yourself and your family.
Read on to find out about two simple, yummy and healthy slow cooker recipes, that are purely vegetarian.
Whole Cauliflower Baked
If you're on a weight loss program, cauliflower is a great vegetable for you. It's low in fat and carbs, besides safeguarding you from cancer.
INGREDIENTS: 1 big size cauliflower head, 2 tablespoonful Parmesan cheese, half a cup of seasoned bread crumbs, 1/8 teaspoonful garlic powder and salt, ¼ cup melted margarine, and a pinch of dried oregano and red pepper flakes.
METHOD:
• Place the cauliflower head in a steamer basket.
• Put this basket in a big pot.
• Add an inch of water and cover it with a lid. Let it boil at moderate heat.
• Cook the cauliflower for 20 - 25 minutes until it softens.
• Take a bowl and mix parmesan cheese, melted margarine, and bread crumbs in it. Add garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt for flavor.
• Remove the cauliflower from the basket and put it in a baking dish. Coat the breadcrumb mixture over it.
• Let it bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 - 15 minutes until it gets golden brown.
• Serve piping hot.
Vegetable Casserole with Cheese
This is one of the tastiest slow cooker crockpot recipes containing a variety of vegetables making it nutritious and savory.
INGREDIENTS: A cup of cooked brown rice, a cup each of frozen and thawed cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, and sweet corn, half teaspoonful each of garlic pepper, cinnamon, and salt, a bag (16oz) of sharp cheddar cheese shredded, a can (10.75oz) containing cream of mushroom soup, and a container (4oz) of sour cream.
METHOD:
• Put cooked rice, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and mushroom soup in a slow cooker and stir well.
• Add the vegetables - beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn and mix well.
• Add garlic pepper, cinnamon, and salt for flavor.
• Cover the cooker and cook on low heat for a couple of hours.
• Serve hot.
There is yet another recipe for broccoli potato soup. However, if you are skeptical about eating potatoes due to weight issues, you can replace them with cauliflower.
Let's hope the above two healthy slow cooker recipes tickle your taste buds and find a prestigious place in your food menu. Try them!

An Article on Chinese Recipes

China is the fastest evolving country in Asia and with its gigantic population, size and diverse culture it also possesses a good range of cuisines that's well liked the world over. Lets do a quick run through of some of the regional cuisines Szechuan and Cantonese are quite favored in the west. Fujian, Anhui, Shangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the other favored cuisines in China. Chinese cuisines have also been improvised by Chinese people living in other countries by incorporating the local touch with the original Chinese recipes..
The sheer range of Chinese dishes makes it impossible to catalogue all in one short article, but we will lay down a few of them here:
* Congee - A style of porridge. Congee is generally made using rice, but other cereals like barley, cornmeal, millet or sorghum are sometimes used instead.
Dumplings: Dumplings are popular and the Chinese variety are gaining in popularity the world over. Chinese dumplings constitute minced and grounded meat and vegetables and maybe steamed, fried or boiled, the Chinese names for the same are 'shuijiao, jiaosi and guotie.
* General Tso's Chicken - This is an American-Chinese dish that is well-liked in North America, but rarely eaten in China itself. The chicken is deep-fried, and served in a sweet and spicy sauced.
This is a popular chicken based dish made using shaxing wine, cashew nuts and sichuan peppercons. This dish has been improvised in the west to include their favorite flavoring ingredients
* Peking Duck - A duck glazed with syrup and then roasted or fried. The duck meat is carved at the table, and then eaten with steamed pancakes, plum sauce, and scallions.
* Soy Egg - A hard-boiled egg, with soy sauce, sugar, herbs, spices and water.
* Xiaolongbao - Steamed buns containing a meat soup, seafood or vegetables. The meat soup variety is prepared by placing meat gelatin in the bun before steaming, and the gelatin turns to soup during the cooking process. The buns may be made with raised or unraised flour, all the unraised flour version is generally only eaten in southern China.
This is a unique dish. Its packaged bamboo leaves containing glutinous rice and some vegetable or meat filling.

How to Prepare Whole Foods Smoothies

The whole foods diet is becoming more and more popular lately. It is less of a strict diet focusing on counting calories, weighing portions, or completely cutting carbohydrates. Instead, whole foods are fresh fruits and vegetables, lean oils, and whole grains. Rather than worrying about how many points your lunch is or how many servings of a source of calories you have had in a given day, you are changing your eating habits. You are learning to eat natural foods in their natural forms. It is about avoiding preservatives, processed starches, unhealthy fats, refined sugars, and other unnatural chemicals. Simply limiting or removing unnatural foods from your diet may enough for some people to lose weight and have more energy.
One of the fastest, cheapest, and most portable options while on a whole foods diet is having smoothies for meals. Smoothies allow you to eat plenty of natural fruits and vegetables, avoid meats or other unhealthy fats, and avoid refined sugars and other unhealthy starches. These smoothies are very easy to make at home. Simply buy a powerful blender and keep a fresh supply of fruits, vegetables, and possibly some ice or milk or a nondairy substitute.
There are many forms of smoothies. One of the healthiest is the "green smoothie" or one that has added leafy greens and other milder flavored vegetables. These smoothies are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and even the omega 3 fatty acids that some vegetarians or vegans may have trouble eating enough of. There are many choices for additions to a green smoothie. A few of the more common ones are collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, turnips, lettuce, and alfalfa sprouts.
When using vegetables in smoothies, remember to look for ones with a mild flavor. And be sure to always use the freshest possible produce. Some greens tend to get a dark color, slimy texture, and a very bitter flavor as they get older. Since you are eating these vegetables raw and with little, if any, sweeteners like agave or turbinado sugar, you want to avoid these bitter flavors and strange textures if possible. Rinse your greens thoroughly after buying them and store in sealed bags with a little paper towel to absorb any moisture and keep them in the vegetable box of your refrigerator.
If you prep your greens beforehand, it is just a matter of throwing a handful of them in with your smoothie every morning. For the rest of the smoothie add fresh fruits, any flavors like vanilla from the actual beans or real extract, and as little sweetener as possible. For extra protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and antioxidants you can always add in supplements or even other foods like avocados. For a creamier texture you can add milk or yogurt. If you are avoiding dairy there are whole foods friendly substitutes like rice, almond, or coconut milk. For an icy texture add either ice cubes or a handful of frozen fruit.
Homemade smoothies are a great addition to any whole foods diet. They are fast, cheap, portable, and are incredibly customizable. The options are limitless, they taste amazing, and it can be a great way to get even children to eat vegetables. And best of all, you do not need a complicated recipe. Just add things that sound good and remember to keep it healthy and keep it in line with your whole foods diet.

More Than Just Survival

Quality ingredients, extensive preparation, beautiful presentation, gourmet food is considered the best of the best. More than just the average meal, it is exclusive around the world.
Food is a passion of millions of people around the world. Most people you speak to will tell you to a varying degree how much they love food. It's the basis of our survival, and it's one of the few survival basics that we can actually enjoy, rather than just consume. Over the centuries, humans have made the most of this basic need, developing techniques to prepare food in ever more pleasing ways. The art of cooking for some is a career, or even an obsession.
There's a big difference between a cook and a gourmet cook. A person who cooks average, readily available food simply for consumption could be considered a cook. On the other hand, someone who goes to great length to prepare unique, high quality foods in a visually appealing way is considered a gourmet. Gourmet recipe is worldwide considered the best, and almost always is reserved for the very rich. The reason is that gourmet foods require a great deal of skill to prepare. Only gourmet chefs understand the art of gourmet delicacy preparation. High quality ingredients are also part of the gourmet food requirements. Rare ingredients from exotic locations are part of the reason for the high price.
People usually perceive gourmet recipes as a status symbol. The high price tag and effort that goes into presentation make it a sign of quality. When people want to celebrate a special occasion or make an impression gourmet food says they want to share the best. It is associated with fine dining, so a gourmet restaurant often has a dress code that requires everyone in attendance to maintain a certain standard of class.
Becoming a gourmet cook is seen as the highest level of culinary experience. Gourmet chefs go through rigorous training to learn skills required to prepare gourmet meals. They must learn the art of recognizing quality ingredients. With thousands of unique gourmet foods, they have to learn how different foods can mix together, and learn to recognize them by taste to effectively combine foods for appetizing dishes. Gourmet chefs also have to learn how to prepare foods to perfection. Proper preparation is crucial to cooking successful gourmet food. One of the key requirements of gourmet food is presentation. Perhaps one of the most important talents of a gourmet chef is presenting their dishes in a creative and attractive way. Many believe this is not so much a skill as a talent. To succeed as a gourmet chef, mastery of ingredients, preparation, cooking to perfection, and presenting a visually appealing dish is crucial.
Food is more than just a survival need. There are millions of possibilities for appetizing dishes. Gourmet recipes take food to optimum quality and beauty. Gourmet food is perceived to be the best quality, attracting high prices and a superior reputation. The art of preparing gourmet food takes a great deal of training and not a little talent. Gourmet food is considered a symbol of status, typically reserved for the very rich or special occasions. If you want to treat yourself to the best of a basic survival need, give gourmet food a try.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

The Italian Ice Craze

Are your taste buds dying to taste something new? Ever had Italian ice? It's not ice cream, just ice. Perhaps you haven't heard of it before or maybe you've heard of it but, until now, you still never could get the chance to taste it. Maybe now is the time.
Italian ice is a frozen dessert made from either concentrated syrup flavoring or fruit purees. In the some areas such as Philadelphia, it is better known as water ice. There are many different recipes for making this dessert but basically they are all the same. The main difference between them are their flavors.
It is actually very easy to make this dessert. As long as you have a freezer, you're good to go. The basic ingredients used to make it are water, sugar and the desired flavoring or fruit juice. There are many different flavors to choose from but the more common ones are cherry, coconut, champagne, chocolate, strawberry, and lemon. It really depends on your taste. You could experiment with different flavors to find which ones you like the best.
The ratio of the ingredients are 4 cups of clean water to 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of juice of any flavor you may desire. You could adjust the ratio according to taste. Usually, for orange, lemon, or pineapple flavors, more sugar is added.
The procedure is very simple. First, you have to mix sugar and water and boil them in a saucepan or a pot. Then, slowly stir the mixture continuously until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved. Turn off the heat source and let it cool down for about 10 minutes. When it has already cooled down, add the desired flavoring then stir to make sure it is well mixed. Once done, pour down into a container put into the freezer for approximately 4 hours or until it freezes. During this period, stir it occasionally until it becomes completely frozen and ready for a scoop. Your chilly sweet dessert is now ready to serve.
To make this dessert more exciting, you could add toppings or garnishes of slices of fresh fruits such as lemons or strawberries.
Italian ice serves a variety of functions. It can be used to cleanse the palate between meals, provide cool and refreshing relief during hot and humid weather and serve as a light and tasty dessert which you could enjoy by yourself or together with family and friends.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Vegan Christmas Dinner - Perfect Apple Pie

Finish your vegan Christmas dinner with a classic, made-from-scratch apple pie. For best results, make this the day before your holiday meal. Serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla soy or rice "cream," if available.
Perfectly Easy Vegan Pie Crust:
Have an 8 or 9 inch pie plate, pastry cutter or sturdy whisk, rolling pin and waxed paper ready.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup Nucoa or Butter-Flavored Crisco
• 5-7 Tbs. cold water

Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in half of the shortening product using a pastry ble.nder (the tip of a sturdy whisk works well), until mixture resembles corn meal. Cut in the remaining half until mixture resembles very small peas.
Sprinkle a tablespoon of cold water over a small part of the mixture. Gently toss with a fork and push to the side of the bowl. Repeat process until all is moistened, and gather dough into a ball. Divide dough in half, forming each piece into a ball.
Place a large section of waxed paper on your rolling surface and dust lightly with flour. Place a ball of dough in the center and flatten slightly, smoothing edges. Dust dough lightly with flour and cover with another large section of waxed paper. Roll dough between the papers, from the center outwards, until 1/4 - 1/8 inch thick.
Peel off top sheet of waxed paper. Transfer dough to pie pan, arrange, and carefully peel away remaining waxed paper. Fill pie. Repeat the rolling and transfer process with the second ball of dough to make top crust. Crimp edges together with fingers or a fork. Wet a sharp knife and carefully cut four vents in top crust, radiating from the center.
Apple Filling:

• 5-7 tart, green apples
• 3/4 cup sugar or artificial sweetener
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• Dash salt
• 2 Tbs. Nucoa or Butter-Flavored Crisco

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pare and core apples and slice thin. Combine all ingredients except shortening and mix with apples. Fill prepared bottom crust with apple mixture and dot the top with shortening. Add top crust as previously described and sprinkle with sugar for sparkle. Loosely cover crimped edges with foil to prevent over-browning.
Bake pie for 30 minutes. Take pie from oven and remove foil. Return pie to oven for another 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Allow pie to cool completely, then cover with foil and store until ready to serve. Warm pie in 250 degree oven for about 10 minutes before serving, if desired.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Homemade Chocolate Pie

I like Pie! Don't you? Why yes, everybody likes pie! With so many fabulous flavors from fresh and fruity to decadent chocolate and creamy with whipped cream or a la mode. Pie is taking the place of the trendy cupcake and it's no wonder since pie is appealing to young and old, male and female alike. Men love a delicious homemade pie and don't usually like those foo foo princess cupcakes. Since chocolate is what many dessert lovers crave, I decided to share with you my favorite homemade chocolate pie recipe which is rich, creamy and oh so satisfying!
I recommend this homemade chocolate pie for any occasion. It's great for birthdays, family gatherings, pot-luck dinners, ladies luncheons, as a thank you gift to a pastor or teacher, and it's a great way to show you care to someone that's ill or needs uplifting.
Homemade Chocolate Pie
Ingredients:
Baked Pie Crust (below)
1/4 cup (stick) margarine or butter
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream Whipped Cream
Directions:
1. Prepare Baked Pie Crust
2. Melt butter and chocolate in 2-quart sauce-pan over low heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Mix sugar and cornstarch; stir into chocolate mixture.
3. Beat eggs in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick and bright yellow, stir into chocolate mixture. Cook chocolate mixture over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly, mixture will become thick and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool for 10 minutes and stir occasionally.
4. Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed, until stiff. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Spread in pie shell. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours to set. Garnish with whipped cream.
Pie Crust
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plus
1 tablespoon shortening
1 cup all-purpose or unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Directions:
1. Cut shortening into flour and salt, using pastry blender or fork, until the mixture becomes crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, one tablespoon at a time, blending with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl ( 1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if needed).
2. Shape pastry dough into a ball. Shape into flattened round with lightly floured rolling pin. Make certain not to overwork the pastry as that can cause the pastry to become tough.
3. Roll pastry into circle that is 2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan, with floured cloth covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie pan. Unfold and gently press into pan.
Please note: I recommend using heat resistant glass pie plates or dull-finished aluminum pie pans. Due to the pastry being made with shortening there is no need to grease the pan.
Also, if you have a food processor you can save time by placing the shortening, flour and salt in the processor and pulsing with quick short pulses until the mixture becomes crumbly. Then pour water all at once through the feed tube and pulse until pastry dough begins to leave the side of the bowl.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Introducing More Whole Grain Foods in Your Diet

When choosing to eat wheat or grain enriched food, whole grain is much healthier than refined grains. Whole grains have been tested to show that consuming it can lower the risk of heart disease and other diseases.
Whole grain by definition includes all the edible parts of a grain. This consists of the bran, endosperm, and germ, which all have their respective minerals and nutrients. However, refined grains don't have a lot of these components, which causes it to lose most of its nutrients.
Whole grains are rather easy to come by. They are included in oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, barley, and even wild rice. Be careful not to be tricked by false or tricky labeling on packages. Some products may claim to be the healthy wheat variety but are not whole grain. Avoid deceptive products such as these as they don't provide you with all the nutrients and minerals, but try to claim that they're as healthy.
When buying products at the market, doctors recommend that you buy bread that has the word "whole" in it. Bread that is labeled as "refined" or "enriched" is not the same and will not provide the same vitamins.
However, some products are still "whole" products even though they are not labeled as such. These include oats, bulgur, and brown rice.
In order to get enough whole grains in your diet, you should follow a few of the following guidelines. Every little bit helps in getting you healthier. Eat whole wheat bread instead of normal white bread. Eat popcorn instead of potato chips. Eat oatmeal instead of sugar enriched cereal.
As you can see, eating healthier is not difficult. Simple changes in deciding what you eat all go a long way. The benefits you feel from eating whole grain foods will also go a long way in making you feel stronger and healthier. They provide you with the minerals and nutrients your body needs to function at an optimal level.
Once you get in the habit of eating healthier, it will become second nature to you in a few months. And once you start feeling healthier, you won't want to go back

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Spaghetti and Meatballs En Papillote

The intensity and pleasure of the flavors at least double with this version. Not one ounce of heat is lost as Spaghetti & Meatballs En Papillote makes its way from kitchen to table. As you cut into the parchment paper, gently pull back until the stew of bubbling tomato sauce, juicy meatballs, and al dente spaghetti unite in a hot, vaporized rush of Italian spices and aromas, and converge on your olefactory senses.

Made with: Fontanini Meatballs

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. Spaghetti (cooked)

1 1/2 lbs. Fontanini Meatballs (cooked (approx. 24 – 1 oz)

3 cup Marinara Sauce

1 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)

1 cup Basil (julienned)

4 – (1/2 sheets) Parchment Paper

Procedures: 1. To prepare the pasta, place dry spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Strain and cool down in cold water to stop cooking process. Strain, cover, set aside.

Method for Marinara Sauce:

Sauté onions in olive oil over high heat until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, half the basil, chili flakes and simmer for 10 min. Add garlic, adjust with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 min. Purée if you wish or leave alone for a more rustic look. Add remaining basil at the end for freshness. Sauce can hold in refrigerator for 3 days or freeze until needed.

To Assemble:

1. All products are cold or at room temperature when constructing. Toss pasta in 1/2 tomato sauce and meatballs in 1/2 tomato sauce. In center of parchment paper, place 1/4 of the pasta with 1/4 of the meatballs on top. Dust with parmesan cheese and julienne basil. Fold over parchment paper, one corner to opposite corner (resembling a triangle). Start from one side, folding over in small increments, encapsulating the pasta and meatballs inside. Keep folding and creasing until complete, and the triangle now looks like a half dome.

2. Place on a sheetpan and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Steam from pasta and meatballs will fill the pouch. Place filled paper pouch on plate and serve.

3. When cut, steam and aroma is released.Tear back and enjoy.
Meatballs are moist and pasta al dente.

Source : http://fbworld.com

Delicious Italian Chicken Parmesan

This tasty Italian classic has been modified a little by adding longhorn cheese in addition to the Parmesan. The recipe looks a little complicated and drawn out but it really isn't hard to do. Assembling the ingredients will take almost as long as the cooking. The cooking is done in 3 stages: First the chicken tenders are cooked. I used my favorite black iron chicken fryer skillet. Secondly the sauce is heated in the microwave, and thirdly the parts are combined and finished off by melting the cheese under a broiler.
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
1 1/3 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten slightly
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup shredded longhorn cheese
1/2 teaspoon basil (dried)
Instructions:
1 - Preheat broiler
2 - Combine 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, basil & 1/8 teaspoon salt
3 - Dip each chicken tender in egg, then crumb mixture
4 - Melt butter in cast iron skillet and cook chicken tenders approximately
3 minutes per side, then set aside.
5 - Combine remaining salt, spaghetti sauce, lemon juice, and pepper.
6 - Heat sauce in microwave for 2 minutes on high
7 - Place chicken pieces in oven proof bake dish, then pour sauce over, sprinkle
with longhorn cheese and remaining parmesan cheese.
8 - Broil for 2 minutes or so, just enough time to melt the cheese topping.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Classic Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tspn. salt
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tspn. baking soda
1/2 tspn. baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup butter
1 tspn. caraway seed
1 egg

Preparation :

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Cut in butter, then add raisins and caraway seed. Break egg into a measuring cup and add enough buttermilk to equal 3/4 cup. Add the egg mixture to the flour. Mix until blended and knead dough. Shape into one large or two small rounds. Make a cross on top with a knife and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar (if desired). Bake in a greased skillet, or on a greased cookie sheet, until golden (about 30 minutes).

Source :  http://fbworld.com

Chasing the Perfect Barbecque Grill - Some Basic Tips By Chet Hastings Platinum Quality Author

There is not much doubt that everybody enjoys barbecue. Whether steak, hamburger, fish, turkey, ribs or any other number of other tasty morsels. Just to make sure we are all on the same plate here lets define barbecue. This term technically means cooking large cuts of meat for a long period of time, over low heat with lots of smoke. However the term is more widely used when refering to a topless grill which is used to cook hamburgers and hot dogs and do it rather quickly. Grills with tops are more commonly designed to hold in the heat and smoke for longer cooking cycles and for larger cuts of meat.
Grills come in many different styles, sizes, materials and heat sources. The most common style over the years have been the basic rectangular or pot shaped open top grills used to cook with charcoal. Now one of the most popular heating fuels is propane. Propane grills come in sizes from table tops to large stainless steel console models. Electric grills are also available but probably not as popular as the first two styles.
The first decision to make when choosing a grill as usual is the budget and how much use use it will get. If you are an average barbecue lover that cooks outside once or twice a month then investing in an elaborate grill would most likely be a mistake. However if you have a large family that enjoys eating outside often or if ou entertain large groups then a large semi portable may be what you need.
Next you need to determine how sensitive your taste buds are. There are those who swear they can't tell the difference in meat cooked with charcoal or propane. Others would rather go hungry than eat something prepared over propane. Deciding where you and your family stands on this debate will help you decide whether to purchase a charcoal or gas or even an electric grill.
Just to make sure we cover all the bases, electric grills are the easiest to keep clean and maintain. Propane would be second with charcoal in third place. You don't have to empty coals from the first two. So if you have a low tolerance for maintenance and like to get your heat going quickly and your taste buds are satisfied with propane or electric prepared foods than you may not be happy with the extra work involved with charcoal.
Once these basic decisions are made you can spend a couple of exciting hours on the internet looking over all the styles and models available. Your perfect grill is out there. But perfect or not grab a grill and get cooking.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

St. Patrick’s Day Drinks: The Irish Pirate

1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 pint green mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 tps pure mint extract
4 tbsp dark rum
Mint sprigs, for garnish (if desired)
Put milk, ice cream, extract and rum into a blender.
Blend on high until smooth, about 15 seconds.
Pour into 2 chilled glasses.
Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Source : http://fbworld.com

Chicken Coq Au Vin By Executive Chef Josh Silvers

Serves 2 – 4
Ingredients:
1 Whole Fresh Organic Chicken (quartered)
Sauce Ingredients
2 slices Applewood Smoked Bacon (cut into little strips – lardouns)
1 cup Carrots (diced)
1 Yellow Onion (sliced)
2 Shallots (minced)
1 1/2 cups Red Wine
1/2 cup Port
1 tspn. Tomato Paste
1 cup Demi Glace (veal glace)
Rice Ingredients:
4 clusters Cinnamon Cap Mushrooms
2 tspn. Butter
1 cup Jasmine Rice
TT Salt and Pepper
2 sprigs of Fresh Thyme
Cooking Method:
1. Lightly salt, pepper and flour the fresh, organic, chicken, then sauté in butter and peanut oil. (The peanut oil helps to stabilize the butter.) Let the chicken brown, flip it over, and put in the sliced bacon to cook.
2. Then add the carrots, onion, shallots, continue to sauté, and then add liquids of wine, port, tomato paste, and one cup of veal glace. Add fresh thyme. Cover, bake at 450 degrees, for 20 minutes or so.
3. Remove chicken, reduce sauce, add 2 tspn. butter (adds richness to sauce, thickens it, adds sheen, and fullness to the mouth.) Use salt and pepper to taste, serve with rice. Garnish with fresh thyme.

Source : http://fbworld.com

Omega Ingredients splits tomatoes into flavour variants

Flavour supplier Omega Ingredients has developed a new range of tomato flavours from the whole fruit, which can be used in foods and beverages geared towards the natural trend and as savoury flavour enhancers.

The trend towards natural flavours has been escalating, not least because the incoming flavour regulation sets out specific definitions for natural flavour terminology. Using flavours ‘from the named food’ is considered about as natural as can be.
To develop its new tomato flavour range, which can be labelled simply as ‘natural tomato extract, Omega Ingredients “has taken the natural flavour out of tomatoes then fractionated it into four different components with different flavour characteristics,” managing director Steve Pearce told FoodNavigator.
The four tomato variants it is offering are cooked tomato; fresh, ripe tomato; juicy tomato, and a highly concentrated intense tomato extract.
Pearce explained can be used not just to create tomato flavours, but to enhance tomato intensity and savoury notes. This is particularly the case with the highly concentrated version, which can be used to enhance the savoury impact, “almost acting like a flavour enhancer”.
“We have added nothing, and taken away as little as possible,” he said, adding that they are made using a gentle, low temperature process.
The extract be used directly by food manufacturers in products such as tomato juice and pizzas. Omega Ingredients has developed a microencapsulated version which is especially suitable for foods that are cooked, as it protects the volatile notes. The encapsulated cells are broken when the consumer chews the product, releasing the flavour into the mouth.
Pearce suggested that the tomato extracts could be used not only in the tomato sauce, but also in the dough base.
When the tomato flavour is used in a paste application it can enhance the tomato flavour, Pearce said. This can bring cost reductions as it means less whole tomato needs to be used to make a noticeable difference in the product quality.

Flavour customers
Some of Omega Ingredients’ customers are flavour companies, and the tomato extract could be used to help them develop flavours that meet the exacting criteria of natural flavours under the new flavour regulation.
Pearce said it is not only useful for tomato characteristics, but chemically-speaking the cooked tomato note is high in dimethyl sulphide, an extremely volatile flavour molecule that occurs widely and is an important component in flavours such as asparagus, pea and seafood, but which is expensive to obtain naturally.
Sourcing
Omega Ingredients, which was founded 9 years ago, has used the same fractionating process to develop flavours from a range of other fruit, including passion fruit, apple, strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, blackcurrant, raspberry and pear.
It typically works with fruit processors, putting to use the waste material that they would throw away but which is high in volatiles that can be extracted, and developing individual relationships means it can guarantee quality.
“It’s nice to have a relationship where you are the sole user of that particular source.”
The company also works with international suppliers to it can source its raw materials. This means that when tomatoes are not available in the UK, say, they can be sourced from southern Italy or from South America.

“It is important to have that option, as it keeps us going all year and means we can supply ingredients when they are not in season.”
Nonetheless, Pearce encourages customers to think ahead about their needs. “We impress on them that these products do grow on trees and bushes, and it can be quite awkward if they come and ask for them six months after the season.”

Source : http://www.foodnavigator.com

Combination ingredients to link stabilizers and health

Ulrick & Short, which has made its name in the ingredient world as a clean label manufacturer, is planning to differentiate its ingredient range by creating combination products that can also deliver health benefits.

As part of this new drive, the firm has split its innovation division from its R&D division, and is building partnerships with research groups and other ingredient manufacturers.
The ultimate goal, said Ulrick & Short director Adrian Short, is to bring new and “practical” ingredients to market in short time frames. “We’re not looking at re-inventing the wheel,” he told FoodNavigator.com. “It’s not about having crazy ideas, it’s about thinking quite practically how we can take our range forward to add benefits and value to it.”

Emulsifying functionality
Delving into the realm of functional ingredients is the first leg of the firm’s new innovation strategy.
The idea, explained Short, is to team up with other suppliers that have experience in developing functional ingredients in order to create a new range of combination products. These would deliver health benefits together with the clean label or emulsifying benefits traditionally associated with Ulrick & Short’s products, he said.
The ultimate benefit to customers of using such a combination product rather than two separate ingredients is twofold, claims Short. Firstly, the ingredients would be “easier to dose”, and secondly they would potentially be cheaper for customers. “There might be a premium initially, but I think the delivery of added benefits in ingredients will become the norm, and this approach will be more economic in use for our customers,” he said.
The first ingredient being examined as part of this new focus is a clean label stabilizer combined with plant-based omega-3. This is the fruit of around 12 months of “behind the scenes” work with an industry partner in the omega-3 sector.

The ingredient, derived from flax, has already been well researched, said Short. “It might not be stable but we’re looking at protecting it with one of our clean label stabilizers that would allow it to go through heat processing. So the omega-3 benefits would be delivered along with the emulsifying effects of our stabilizer.”

Research phase
Short said it will also be working with food research teams at Sheffield and Leeds universities for additional research to ensure health benefits are still delivered in the new combination products.
“The research phase depends on the product, but we’re expecting a turnaround time of 12-18 months, which is a very short time to get a new product to market,” he said.
Other combination products on the cards include clean label preservatives and antioxidants, made using different fractions of liquorice extract.
“Some of these things already exist, but often have their limitations. What we’re doing is putting them together with other ingredients to allow customers to add health benefits while also removing E-numbers, additives, allergens or reducing saturated fats,” said Short.
The firm plans to target three main sectors with its new ingredients – dairy, breakfast cereals and snack bars.
Although the partnerships the firm is seeking are global, it will initially be focusing on selling the new products in the markets where its sales network is already established – the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Benelux and Spain, with Scandinavia being a potential new area of focus.

Source : http://www.foodnavigator.com

Zero-calorie sweeteners do not prompt overeating, finds study

People do not compensate with extra calories after consuming foods and drinks sweetened with zero-calorie sweeteners, suggests a new study published in the journal Appetite.

Some previous research has suggested that consuming low- or zero-calorie foods and beverages can prompt the brain to expect calories that do not arrive, thereby triggering hunger and subsequent overeating. However, the findings of this latest study suggest that this may not be the case.
The researchers tested the effect of stevia, aspartame or sucrose on satiety, hunger and blood glucose and inulin levels in both lean and obese individuals. They gave participants a stevia, aspartame or sucrose-sweetened pre-meal snack 20 minutes before meals, with each of the stevia and aspartame-sweetened snacks containing 290 calories, while the sucrose-sweetened snacks contained 493 calories.
At meals, participants were told they could consume as much or as little as they liked.
The researchers wrote: “Participants did not compensate by eating more at either their lunch or dinner meal and reported similar levels of satiety when they consumed lower calorie preloads containing stevia or aspartame than when they consumed higher calorie preloads containing sucrose.”
Stevia, glucose and insulin
In addition to satiety questionnaires, participants also provided blood samples before consuming the pre-meal snack, and then at 30 minutes, one hour and two hours following lunch. These were then tested to assess postprandial glucose and insulin levels – and the researchers found that stevia in particular significantly reduced both glucose and insulin levels compared to either sucrose or aspartame.
“Stevia preloads reduced postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, suggesting stevia may assist with glucose regulation,” the authors wrote. “These effects appear to be independent of reductions in caloric intake, as participants consumed similar calorie amounts in both the stevia and aspartame conditions.”

A dietitian with the international food and beverage industry trade association The Calorie Control Council, Beth Hubrich, said: "Although the totality of the scientific evidence demonstrates that low-calorie sweeteners and the products that contain them are not related to weight gain, increased hunger or overeating, there have been recent reports questioning the benefits of low-calorie sweeteners…This human study, in addition to the many others, serves as a counter to the recent allegations about low-calorie sweetener benefits from epidemiological studies (which cannot show cause and effect) and studies performed in a small number of rats."

Source : http://www.foodnavigator.com 

Does Food Technology Affect Food Quality?

When we visit a supermarket, we look for healthful, nutritious food that tastes good and is free of contaminates or disease organisms. Food science and technology make that possible in what is one of the word's largest and most important economic activities.

Significance

1. Innovative techniques have made it possible to offer foods in which purity and safety are combined with good nutrition and taste appeal. Also, each element of the process of getting food to the consumer has its base in technology.

Nutrigenomics

2. Advanced genetic technologies (nutrigenomics) combine the sciences of plant genetics and nutrition, with the goal of developing food that improves human disease resistance.

Function

3. Researchers already have been able to increase the antioxidants in some vegetables---work that continues. Plant genetics is a major player in the worldwide effort to improve food quality and productivity.

Rheology

4. The study of cell deformation, strength and structure (rheology) has resulted in upgrades in the way produce is harvested, stored and transported to market in peak condition. It has brought change in the design of harvesting, handling (transportation) and storage methods that do not physically damage produce.

Effects

5. The end result of the technological change is bruise-free and high-quality fruits and vegetables waiting on your grocer's shelf.

Source : http://www.ehow.com

Take it with a grain of iodised salt

A study conducted by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) shows that if you choose to add salt to your food, it pays to make it the iodised variety.

The study, which evaluated the level of iodine in 20 salt products available for retail sale – six iodised salt products and 14 non-iodised sea, rock, and low-sodium salt products – showed that iodised products contained about 30 times more iodine than non-iodised products.

While iodine content in the iodised products on average ranged from 32-64 milligrams per kilogram of salt, in the non-iodised products it ranged from 1-5 milligrams per kilogram of salt.

NZFSA senior nutrition manager, David Roberts says there are obvious risks from a diet high in salt, as eating too much puts your blood pressure in danger of going up, which can lift your risk of heart disease and stroke.
“However, this study shows that if you like to add a little salt to your food during cooking, you might as well get some nutritional benefit by choosing an iodised salt and increasing the iodine in your diet.”

Iodine is an essential nutrient for growth and development, but research from the 1990s has identified mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in adults, pregnant women, and children in New Zealand.

“Iodine can’t be made in the body so we need to get it from the food we eat,” David says. “It supports normal growth and development in children and helps to maintain the body’s metabolic rate.”

Iodine deficiency in New Zealand is being addressed through a variety of measures, including requiring bakers to use iodised salt in most bread since September last year.

Other sources of iodine include reduced or low-fat milk and milk products, eggs, and seafood. Foods that contain seaweed, such as sushi and seameal custard, are also sources.

In the area of salt reduction, NZFSA is working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other stakeholders to minimise New Zealanders exposure to total sodium in the food supply as there is strong evidence that the general population would benefit from reducing sodium consumption. Salt is thought to be the principal source of sodium in the food supply.

A daily upper level of intake for sodium is about two grams per day (or 2300 milligrams per day) from all sources, and less if you already have high blood pressure. The New Zealand Total Diet Study, which NZFSA conducted in 2003/04, estimated that most people had much greater intakes than the daily upper level of intake. Sodium is being measured again in the 2009 New Zealand Total Diet Study to see if levels in foods have changed.

Processed foods generally have much higher concentrations of sodium than unprocessed foods. Key processed food sources of sodium in the New Zealand diet include breads, takeaways, dairy products, cereals and pasta, biscuits, cake, and meat products.

Source : http://www.foodtechnology.co.nz

The Caveman Diet – Here’s A Classic Caveman Diet Recipe That Is So Easy To Make!

The Caveman diet has done all kinds of awesome, wonderful things for my body! You know, my body fat has dropped considerably over the past few months and I’m starting to see some definition, especially in my arms and midsection.
And that’s not all!

The caveman diet which by the way, is also known as the Paleolithic diet, have also upgraded my “alert radar” so to speak. You see, before adopting the paleo way of dieting, I often feel somewhat woozy during the day. I yawned, yawned and yawned a lot when I’m at work – peeving my obnoxious team leader in the process (serves him right!).

Now, I’m always alert as if I someone filled a whole barrel of Arabic coffee in my system every day. I’M GLAD it’s not of those “fad diets” that really do not offer any benefits to our health.

But there’s one thing I’M NOT GLAD about…

See, the caveman diet menus are S-o-o-o-o-o unbelievably BORING! After all, you may only eat Paleolithic diet foods, thus wave goodbye to pasta, bread, preservatives, processed sugar etc…

Worse yet, simple yet tasty paleo diet recipes are too few and far between. So, I kind of struggled with this diet at first, but after discovering a collection of downloadable paleo diet cookbooks, everything got under control.

Now I know how to prepare all kinds of mouth-watering paleo dishes! Check out the link at the bottom, if you’re interested in preparing over 300 easy and tasty paleo recipes. Preparation instructions are well explained in the cookbooks.

Speaking of recipes, here’s a classic one that you should try right away!

Paleo Cumin Fish Grilled with Salsa!

Ingredients for fish:

2 large fish fillets
1 tbs cumin ground
1 well grated garlic clove
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup of lemon juice

Ingredients for salsa:

A bunch of chopped parsley
1 large capsicum, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs olive oil

Directions:

1. First, you have to mix together cumin, clove, olive oil and lemon juice. Put the fish fillets on a plate and apply the mixture all over them. Cover well and place in the fridge for about 20 – 30 minutes.

2. Plopped the fillets on a grill pre-heated to medium. Now, cook both sides until well browned.

3. For the salsa sauce, all you have to do is mix the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well. Finally pour the mix on top of the fillets.

Enjoy the caveman diet recipe that is absolutely lip-smacking!


Source : www.articledashboard.com

Delicious Salads For A Hot Summer Day -- Picnic Or At The Beach -- Pea Salad

Have you ever tried a pea salad out? I think many have not. Does this make pea salad inferior to other salads? Probably not. You might find some recipes that are not that tasty - but, I would assume, those recipes are forgettable simply because the one who created it did not put enough imagination into it (so, if you decide to try out pea salad, but you find the ingredients included to be not as exciting as they could be, add whatever you like to make it more fun!).

I am going to give you a ridiculously simple pea salad, the exemplify just how simple it is to make one (and to get you started with doing pea salads).

The ingredients required, to make this nice salad, are these:

Peas - 1 can
Chopped onion - 1-2 slices
Chopped garlic - 1/2 clove
Mayonnaise - 1 spoon

First you drain the canned peas of water. Then put them in a bowl. Now, add the chopped garlic and onion and stir gently. Add mayonnaise to the mix, and mix. If you dislike garlic, just leave it out (no harm done at all).

Would you like to try out different vegetables with this recipe? It works! If you wish, add some chopped nuts or sunflower seeds. If you dislike mayonnaise, use any other salad dressing. As you can see, this recipe is very open for experimentation and substitution - so if there is something that you are not sure you will like, just use something else! Very simple.

I hope that you enjoy your pea salad!

Source : www.articledashboard.com

Salads For A Picnic Or Down At The Beach -- Cole Slaw Of Glory

As with many other salads - or, really, every single one as you can endlessly vary everything - there are many alternatives to how the cole slaw can be done. Which, of course, only makes the whole thing more exciting!

If you wish, and if you are lazy, there is cole slaw to buy, at the grocery store, that has been pre made. All you do, if you choose to go with that variant, is buy the cole slaw and add some dressing. Very simple, but not necessarily the most exciting way of doing it! Or cheap. So, why not check up instructions on how to chop your own cole slaw on the net. Just use Google. I am going to give you a recipe that you can use, now:

Ingredients in this recipe are the following:

Green cabbage, that have been removed of core and chopped - 1/2 head
Large carrot, that has been grated - 1
Red onion - 1/2 cup

If you want to, use also these ingredients: Bell pepper, green onion, broccoli, any fruit that you would like to use, any nut, fresh herbs, finely chopped pickles, celery

For the dressing, here are the ingredients:
Salad oil - 173 cup
apple cider vinegar - 1/3 cup
Sugar - 2 tablespoons
Mustard powder - 1 teaspoon
Celery seed - 1 teaspoon
Garlic powder - 1/4 teaspoon (if you wish, you can skip this ingredient)

The following are the directions for making this salad: Begin with grating the carrot, slice and chop the onion and cut/grate 1/2 cabbage. All these ingredients, you put in a large bowl.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Blend, or whisk, at a vigorous pace the ingredients. Add dressing to the salad. Taste off and see if you like the way it tastes, or if you want to add more salt or pepper (or why not some other spice to make things exciting!). Put something on the salad, to cover it, and let it be in the fridge for an hour or more.

Enjoy your cole slaw!

Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Salads For Eating At The Beach Or Picnic - Caesar Salad

Have you ever tried a pea salad out? I think many have not. Does this make pea salad inferior to other salads? Probably not. You might find some recipes that are not that tasty - but, I would assume, those recipes are forgettable simply because the one who created it did not put enough imagination into it (so, if you decide to try out pea salad, but you find the ingredients included to be not as exciting as they could be, add whatever you like to make it more fun!).

I am going to give you a ridiculously simple pea salad, the exemplify just how simple it is to make one (and to get you started with doing pea salads).

The ingredients required, to make this nice salad, are these:

Peas - 1 can
Chopped onion - 1-2 slices
Chopped garlic - 1/2 clove
Mayonnaise - 1 spoon

First you drain the canned peas of water. Then put them in a bowl. Now, add the chopped garlic and onion and stir gently. Add mayonnaise to the mix, and mix. If you dislike garlic, just leave it out (no harm done at all).

Would you like to try out different vegetables with this recipe? It works! If you wish, add some chopped nuts or sunflower seeds. If you dislike mayonnaise, use any other salad dressing. As you can see, this recipe is very open for experimentation and substitution - so if there is something that you are not sure you will like, just use something else! Very simple.

I hope that you enjoy your pea salad!

Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

How To Make Almond Milk

If you are vegan or just prefer not to consume dairy products, here is a recipe for making almond milk which you can use over cereal or as desired. You can leave the skins on the almonds as it will not harm you, but it does leave little pieces in the milk which is not very attractive.


Therefore, you may prefer to take the skins off of the almonds, which leaves a white looking liquid that resembles thin cow’s milk or skim milk. It does involve a bit of work to achieve although kids usually find it fun, at least the first time.

The first thing you need to do is to soak the almonds for 8-10 hours (overnight is ideal). Nuts are soaked to remove the enzyme inhibitors from them so always pour off the water from them when finished.

Enzyme inhibitors are on all seeds to keep them safe until the conditions are right for them to grow. These conditions are light, warmth, and water, usually with soil included too, except in the case of hydroponics.

Getting the skins off the Almonds

1. Take the soaked almonds and put them in an enamel or metal (non-glass) bowl.
2. Heat water in a separate pan until boiling.
3. Pour the boiling water over the almonds and stir them for about a minute, no longer, so as to not cook them.
4. Immediately transfer them into cold water. The skins should come off easily but if they don’t, repeat the process.
5. Take off the skins by holding them between the thumb and index finger and pushing on the skin. Be careful, as they have a tendency to shoot across the room.

This will leave a white almond.

Making plain almond milk

1 cup of almonds, skins off if preferred
3 cups of good filtered water

1. Put the almonds into a Vita-mix or other blender with one and a half cups of the good filtered or well water and blend until smooth.
2. Then add another one and a half cups of water and continue blending.

This will leave you with a somewhat chunky kind of milk. If the pieces of almonds are a problem, blend them more or strain them out of the milk through cheesecloth or a fine strainer.

Making sweet almond milk

1 cup almonds, with or without skins
3 cups good filtered water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
a dash of stevia or lo han guo to taste

Process as for the plain recipe but add the sweetener and vanilla after the water but while still blending.

Making yogurt from almond milk

If you so desire, you can make yogurt from almond milk too, although I did not care for the consistency. You can use purchased cultures or take two or three probiotic capsules per blender full and break them into the blender.

Use the Yolife yogurt maker the same way you would for other milk. Or if you don’t have a yogurt maker, you can pour the contents into a non-metal bowl and let it sit out on the counter, covered, for five to eight hours at room temperature.

Taste it after 5 or 6 hours to see if it's slightly sour, because when it is sour, it is finished. The more sour it is, the more cultured it is, but it is up to your individual taste.

Add the natural sweetener of your choice and maybe some vanilla if desired. Use it over cereal, with fruit or in a smoothie, the same way you would use other types of yogurt.

Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Perfect Tips For Grilled Steak

Mist in the air, drizzle and a grilled steak. The combination could not have been any better. Grilled steak is a popular pick for many foodies. But, not just any grilled steak will savor your taste buds alike. The proper grilling is exceedingly important if you wish to enjoy a sumptuous meal. Pretty contrary to what many individuals believe, grilling a steak right isn't as complicated. Comply with the given tricks and you will manage to get it just right.
Selecting the right cut of the meat is very crucial in case you want it to be grilled right. Certain cuts are better than others when it comes to barbecuing. Amongst the various available cuts, it's the grill strip steak that works the finest with this cooking technique. It includes the proper combination of fat and meat to produce some delightful flavors. Nevertheless, if you are gorging on cuts that are rich in fat, do not forget to take a run on the treadmill regularly to compensate for all those calories.
The flavor of your grilled steak will be further augmented if you season it early. Commonly, most folks add salt to their steaks right ahead of putting them on the grill. This does not give the salt enough time to permeate the meat. Also, there's every chance of the salt getting transferred to the grill, leaving your steak devoid of taste. Hence, ideally, you ought to season your steak at least 15 mins before barbecuing. And, instead of normal salt, you could try using sea or special Hawaiian salts. However, do go easy on the amount, as you may have to cope with high blood pressure in case you've too much of it.
Stay away from touching your steak while it is on the grill if you want it to come out correctly. Most cooks tend to continuously nudge, or probe the steaks to see whether it is completed. The thickness of the cut of meat alone should be able to offer you a rough idea of the time required for it to cook satisfactorily.
Use charcoal. Most people make use of gas grills when barbecuing steak. While these grills are simple to use, they may not provide the very best flavor to your food. In most cases, the gas grill imparts a gas flavor to the meat. To increase the flavor of your grill, it is recommended that you use hardwood charcoal. If you are smoking your meat, then you can even consider adding wood chips. This will add substantial flavor to your meat but takes a lot of time.
Utilize the mentioned tricks to grills your steak to perfection and also create something that's lowcal without compromising on flavor.

Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Cooking Your Own Meal: How To Make It Possible

Many people are facing for the first time the challenge of preparing meals without the help of a friendly hand indicating what the best way to prepare their food is. Moreover, many people do not know which products; they should buy to fill their pantry. If you're one of those people, you already know what I'm talking about.

Hence, I send you a message of optimism. Learning to cook and purchasing suitable cooking products is much easier than you think. Mainly, you should use your common sense. With that, and some basic understanding about taking care what food do you need, you will have no trouble.

I'll try to explain you with more detail what using common sense is about. When you have the need to prepare your meals, is common to doubts come up along with some questions. What? How? , How should I prepare it? , Where do I get it? Well, before you going mad, and end up ordering food, try organizing your mind asking yourself questions in a logical order.

Step 1: Buying ingredients

Clearly, in order to start cooking, we need all ingredients at hand. Buying food ingredients must be done having in mind which ingredients are necessary. To save you unnecessary trips to the supermarket, it is essential to prepare a list of products that actually are going to be needed. Review that list several times and include ingredients that are about to end in your pantry, so you always have what you need.

When shopping your food ingredients, you should pay special attention to the expiry date of products. Furthermore, you should consider the case of food you'll eat often or only on special occasions, and which one last longer. For example, if you buy fresh fruit or vegetables do it in sufficient quantity to be consumed in a short time, because otherwise they will spoil.

Conversely, if you buy products such as rice, vegetables and canned goods, you can retain them for longer, allowing you to buy more of them and save you time on future purchases and better organize your pantry.

Lastly, if you do not have much experience in preparing recipes, take advantage from information given on product labels. Product composition, quantities, and sometimes even recipes may appear on the packaging of food.
By following these simple guidelines, you will learn to shop useful and healthy food, as well as save money on unnecessary food.

Step 2: Preparation

Once you have all ingredients, come the next step: Cooking. What meal do you want to prepare? Here again, the first thing I propose is something of pure logic. If you're new, do not play the game of being a great chef because you will only prepare a disaster (I'll tell you from experience), that will discourage you and make you walk away from the kitchen.

There are plenty of simple healthy recipes in which you can start an amateur chef career. Besides of cooking pasta and rice, you may prepare simple meals based on vegetables, which are very easy to prepare to give you excellent results.

Look for simple recipes that are well explained, and can be prepared quickly. Where is the best place to find them? They are hundred of sources, but the fastest way to find recipes is on the Internet. In just minutes you'll find plenty of solutions to prepare your first meals.

One of the most interesting things of cooking is that you can innovate by preparing meals with a personal touch. Do never stop searching for new ways to prepare the same meal, and when you find your own style of cooking, try to perfect it. Preparing a meal may become a personal challenge, and that will make the experience much more fun. Never forget that the main goal you should pursue is to produce original recipes, tasty, but above all healthy.

You see, we all fit in the kitchen. You only need a little organization, willing to learn, and a lot of imagination. Do not hesitate, take care of your health and enjoy.

Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

The Benefits Of Wood Grilling Fuel

Wood has been used as a fuel source since the days of cavemen and is still used abundantly today, as well. Wood is a great fuel choice not only because it’s widely available but also because it is cost efficient and safe for cooking.
When it comes to the safety of wood, the way the wood is processed means quite a lot. It can determine how safe the wood is for the environment and for humans. In addition, it can determine how well the wood will burn. One of the most performance-efficient wood fuels in the world currently is the Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) because it has very little effect on the environment and on the health of humans. Thus, it’s very popular and commonly used.

Reasoning like this serves as a great argument as to why wood has been used as a major source of fuel for grill burning. Yes, the wood contains inherent chemical properties, but processing practices minimize chemical output and even optimize burning consumption to the point that the material has become a source of renewable energy. That’s probably the greatest advantage of wood, aside from the safety factors involved.

As mentioned, wood is widely available and inexpensively processed so naturally it is low in cost. Wood can be purchased in a variety of locations in either log form, slabs or even in chips. Wood chips have become a prevalent source of fuel in industry as well, due to its cost effectiveness. In addition, wood chips are popular due to its applicability to an array of energy purposes, such as automatic heating systems, which are contingent on continuous, easy burning fuel to meet their programmed quotas. Wood chips and wood pellets are both small and facilitate the ease of storage, transportation and consumption.

While it’s clear wood is an inexpensive and widely available source of fuel when grilling, it can also add flavor to meals being cooked. Flavored woods can be used to add flavor to the foods being cooked on the grill. Woods in flavors like mesquite, cherry, apple, maple, hickory, oak, guava, kiawe and pecan are very commonly used. Often cooks like to combine different flavors of wood together, to create a unique flavor.

There are several different types of fuel you can use when grilling, including gas, wood or propane. However, wood is the most natural method you can use. It has been used for ages, is inexpensive and can even be used to add flavor to the foods being cooked. In addition, the newest types of wood processes allow wood to be used in a very environmentally friendly method which only adds to the charm of using wood for grilling.

Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

5 Simple Steps To Cook Healthy Nutritious Food

Every night when you go home, you have to make a decision about what to have for dinner. For the most part, we would like to eat nutritious food, but many of us didn’t grow up learning how to cook healthy meals. If you’re watching your health, eating out is not the best option, so most people look in their cookbooks for recipes. This isn’t always the best solution, because recipes lie. But, if you know the right way, it’s very easy to cook nutritious food every night of the week.
This is the process that many people go through:
1. You come home from work, and have to start planning dinner.
2. You’ve already cooked the 5 things you know how to cook this week.
3. You need more ideas,
4. You look through the pantry, consider calling for pizza…

It’s not only exhausting, but you have to re-educate yourself every single night. It’s not going to get you the results you want or deserve for yourself and your family. If you’re looking to cook more nutritious food at home, save time and have endless cooking ideas, you’re in the right place.

There are 5 simple steps to cooking with fresh ingredients.

Step 1: Get Fresh Ingredients

• The first step for using fresh, seasonal ingredients is to actually GET some.
• This could be the most difficult step for many of you that are used to the huge mega-mart grocery store.

There are alternatives. My eyes were opened to more alternatives during my trip to Paris, France. The food culture in Paris is so much different from where I live in the US. There were very few corporate “chain” restaurants there.

Many of the restaurants were small, 10 table places where there were three people on staff, the chef, the maitre d’ and the dish washer. They had their service each night and went home. Each time I asked why their food tasted so good, they all had the same answer. And, not a single person bragged about their recipes.

Instead, I was told that I needed fresh, simple ingredients. I discovered that I needed to examine where my food is coming from. This doesn’t mean simply the store where you shop, but what is the country of origin for your food. Think about how you feel about your money going to another country when there are farmers in your community that need your help. Now think about how long ago that vegetable was harvested in the far away country, and what happened to it during its travels.

It might be inconvenient to drive past dozens of mega-marts to find a farmers market. But you may find that there’s a local produce roadside stand near you that you’ve avoided. In my case, I signed up for “The Produce Box” which delivers fresh community supported agriculture to my doorstep. Fresh is important because fruits and vegetables degrade as soon as they’re picked.

• Nutrients are lost
• They become visually unappealing
• Harder to cook successfully
• Loss of flavor!

Step 2: Select the freshest ingredients when you shop
Be aware of what you’re choosing, even if you shop at the local produce stand or farmers market. Some items may still be fresher than others and the most nutritious, healthy food is the freshest. You have to be even more aware if you shop at the local mega grocery.
In understanding how to cook healthy, you need to be able to understand the difference between fresh food and food that has been ripened artificially or is not ripe at all. Do you know how to tell a fresh orange or grapefruit? Did you know that color is NOT an indicator of freshness in peaches?

Step 3: Storing Fresh Ingredients
For maximum shelf life, nutritional preservation and budget savings, there are three issues in storing fresh ingredients:

1. Moisture
2. Air circulation
3. Temperature

Not everything can be thrown in to the drawer in the refrigerator and preserve their freshness. In fact, some things will suffocate in a plastic bag. Other produce will need to be wrapped tightly to retain moisture. Other items will need to be kept cold, while others will degrade under the cold.

Step 4: Master a few basic cooking techniques
At the very least, master the following techniques:

1. Understanding the transfer of heat
2. Saute method
3. Know how to make sassy sauces

But there are so many more. All of the basic methods in cooking are covered in my live cooking classes. Giving you the tools to understand these basic methods is what makes my approach to teaching cooking so unique and why people rave about my Web Cooking Classes. Web Cooking Classes empowers you with a thorough understanding of basic methods which allows you to cook and create without a reliance on recipes. Pure freedom!

Step 5: Finishing the Process with Fresh Herbs
This is the number one question I get during my live cooking classes:
Q: “Which herbs to use and how much to use?”
A: “Use the ones you like.”

Seriously! Use your nose to see what it reminds you of, use the ones that you like and use as much as you like.

You want to know my number one herb secret? Herbs go last! Fresh herbs should not be cooked. In fact, just the heat of the finished dish is enough to release the aromas of fresh herbs.

These are the secrets that chefs know about how to cook healthy which are so easy to incorporate into your every day cooking. You can cook nutritious food that you want to eat for your health and for how wonderful it tastes.

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Top Seven Tips To Ensure Good Hygiene Practice In The Kitchen

As any responsible restaurant owner knows, you have a legal and moral obligation to ensure good hygiene practice with your staff, as well as your food and facilities keeping up with the necessary industry standards.

There are a number of strict regulations and guidelines that need to be enforced at all times (these can be seen in full on the Food Standards Association’s website); however in the meantime we can impart some quick and easy tips that will help maintain a high level of hygiene in your commercial kitchen, as well as prevent food poisoning, the advancement of disease or worse. Here are our top seven tips:

1) Clean as you go
We strongly advise cleaning as you go along when cooking, particularly during the preparation stage where food scraps can easily go astray. This simple approach will help prevent bacteria spreading and potential accidents in and around the kitchen.

2) Don’t be slack with food
If food ever falls on the floor, irrespective how clean you think your floor is, or you’re tempted to use the veggie chopping board to cut some meat, just remember the vast quantities of bacteria you’re cross-contaminating.

3) Don’t cheat with meat
Always ensure you cook meat thoroughly, and in particular, never share the surface or utensils used for raw meat or poultry with any other items unless it’s been sufficiently sanitised first.

4) Don’t forget the ‘big’ clean too!
We certainly suggest a ‘big’ clean of fridges, freezes, cupboards and surfaces at least once a week. If you store large quantities of food and drink, remember that this will attract bacteria as the above locations are prime spots for breeding. Also check the dates of all stock before serving.
This may sound obvious, but meat that is a one day out of date could potentially be lethal to an unsuspecting customer.

5) Undercover
The use of a well-maintained and washable apron will help to prevent cross-contamination, particularly between your hands and food.

6) Think about others
Certainly don’t have contact with food if you feel unwell, have an infection or open wound. In fact, with the first two you shouldn’t be in work at all; however, at least cover up any cuts with the correct waterproof plasters. You can also easily spread infections by sharing cutlery and utensils. In addition try not to taste food in-between cooking (yes, we all like to do that at times) or from a utensil that is put back into the food that you are preparing.

7) Grasp the concept of clean hands!
Last but by no means least; ensure your hands are super clean at all times, particularly before and after handling food and using the toilet. Many employees will smoke during work hours too, so make sure you enforce the issue by introducing signs throughout the kitchen to jog their memory. A suitable flow of water, hand cleaning agents and towels should be accessible at all times.

As we mentioned at the start of the article, as a commercial food premises you must abide by a number of strict detailed regulations that. However, the majority of good hygiene practice is based around common sense and awareness. In summary, make sure your cleaning schedules and practices are well organised and maintained. Train your staff to be aware of what to look out for and ensure they have sufficient knowledge to act on their own. If you install a good culture amongst your staff and follow our important tips you will deliver high standards of hygiene for both your customers and staff.

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Low Fat Cooking Tips

Most of us are aware that we should eat healthy to stay fit. But most of us fail to follow this sensible advice mainly because we lack information on low fat cooking. Low fat cooking does not require special ingredients or a lot of extra effort. By giving a little more attention to what we eat and what we use to cook our food, we can come up with healthy and delicious low-fat food.

Low fat cooking is a way of preparing and cooking food that reduces our total fat intake. By making simple changes in how we cook, we will be able to enjoy a healthier diet without sacrificing flavor or giving up whole food groups

There are many benefits that we can get from lower fat cooking. It helps to keep us fit, lowers cholesterol levels, and protects us from heart problems. Below are a few tips to cut the amount of fat in the diet:

1. Use non-stick cooking spray instead of oil or butter. If cooking spray is not an option, use liquid oils instead of solid fats.

2. Choose lean meat and skinless chicken breasts, and trim all visible fat from meat.

3. Instead of frying, use other cooking methods such as grilling, broiling, baking, braising, poaching and microwaving foods. When you must saute, use minimal amounts of oil or use broth instead.

4. Dredge chicken or fish in breadcrumbs instead of batter, and then bake them instead of frying.

5. Replace some of the meat content in burgers, meatloaf, chili, etc. with vegetables, whole grains or beans.

6. Instead of pork or beef sausages, use chicken or turkey sausages. Replace regular bacon with Canadian or turkey bacon.

7. Use an egg substitute to cut out cholesterol. Or, use one egg and two egg whites to replace two whole eggs in your recipes.

8. Use fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Substitute full-fat cheeses with reduced-fat ones, and lessen the amount you use. Use yogurt or reduced fat sour cream in dressings, dips, spreads and stews.

9. Marinate your food in soy sauces, flavored olive oil, herbs or spices.

10. When baking, replace some of the fat with applesauce, low-fat buttermilk, or nonfat yogurt. Your baked goods will taste just as good without the extra fat.

Obesity and heart disease are on the rise. Low fat cooking can lower the amount of fats in our diet and help us avoid heart disease and common health problems associated with excess weight such as arthritis, joint pains and back problems.

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Why Going Vegan Is Good For Your Health

It has been proven that going vegan is good for your health, in addition to taking a personal stand for animal rights. As long as a person follows a healthy and balanced vegan diet, the health benefits and major disease prevention will make a difference in living a longer and happier life. vegan diets are full of nutritional benefits with reduced saturated fats and cholesterol levels while providing carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, antioxidants, Vitamin C and E, protein and phytochemicals to the human body.
?Each fruit and vegetable has a purpose in keeping us healthy, a specific job so to speak, which applies to how the body works to its highest potential. A huge example is by preventing cardiovascular disease. vegan diets reduce the risk of heart disease, help prevent heart attacks and strokes, reduce high blood pressure, and eliminate dietary cholesterol from meat and meat products. Whole grains and nuts are the key foods for the health of the heart and blood pressure - in addition to eliminating all dairy products and meat while simultaneously adding fresh fruits and vegetables.


The fast growing problem of Type 2 diabetes is easily controlled by a low-fat vegan diet, a healthy diet that does not require counting calories or fat grams due to a perfectly balanced diet of fruits and vegetables. The diabetic will lose more weight and lower their sugar levels faster than any other diet because it focuses on the type of food, instead of the quantity of calorie-restricted diet food. Altogether, the person who has Type 2 diabetes will develop a healthier weight, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Another growing problem in American society is lack of energy. This could be due to the lack of enriched breakfast cereals, cooked beans, baked potatoes with skin, enriched pasta and fresh fruit and vegetables in their diet, needed to adequately provide and store the body's iron in the liver and long bones - where the red blood cells are made. Supplementary iron supplements prescribed from a physician are most absorbable in the fumarate or sulfate forms, less in the gluconate. Foods that inhibit the body from absorbing iron are spinach, rhubarb, sweet potato, soy products, bran and whole grains. People with an iron deficiency should eat oranges, orange juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes of all types, potatoes, green and red peppers, or white wine. A healthy vegan diet may be just the thing needed to boost a person's energy levels

Of less importance but just as noticeable in why going vegan is good for your health is the ability to live a longer and healthier life; reduced body odor; less intense PMS; reduction of bad breath; healthier skin with fewer blemishes; alleviation of allergy symptoms; and fewer migraines. There is simply a feeling of contentment and feeling good when the body is healthy and not overweight. A diet of five or six smaller meals of vegetables and fruits allows the body to easily absorb what it needs without packing on the extra pounds that are harmful to the entire body. Why going vegan is good for your health can be supported by a multitude of reasons, but they all center on our desire to achieve good health and longevity.

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Basics Of Bread Making

Using Yeast
The easiest type of yeast to use is active dry yeast. It should always be fresh, so make sure to look at the expiration date on the packets. Having and using fresh yeast is important because you want the bread that you make be fresh as well.
For the water, you must get the temperature just right. Water is used to make the yeast dissolve and added to a mixture of yeast and flour. In order to get the right water temperature, get a thermometer. The temperature is supposed to measure between 110 – 115 degrees after the yeast has dissolved in the water.
For a flour and yeast mixture, the temperature for the liquid must be between 120 – 130 degrees.

Adding Flour
In order for the finished product to have the right quality, you have to choose the right kind of flour. One of the best kinds of flour that will do your bread justice is bread flour. Bread flour can make the best kind of bread.

It has a high content of protein or gluten. Gluten is important because it can make your bread have a special texture. Gluten helps the dough to stretch in the form of a web. When the yeast ferments, air bubbles will try to emerge. Using gluten will trap them.

All-purpose flour can also be used to make the bread. Cake flour is not recommended because it doesn’t contain a lot of protein. Your bread will not bake right due to the cake flour not being strong enough to deal with the gas pressure from the yeast.

With whole grain flours, there is not enough gluten to justify making a loaf of bread. You would have to include all-purpose flour or bread flour to provide it with structure.

Using Liquids
Depending on what type of liquid that is used in the dough will determine how it will come out. If you use water, the crust will be crisper and the bread will have more of a wheat taste to it. If you use cream or milk, the bread will have a richer taste and a fine texture.

Using cream or milk will cause the bread to brown quicker. There is more sugar and butterfat included in the dough. If orange juice is added, it will still be sweet and will help to kill the strong taste of the whole grain effect.

Fats
When you use shortening, oils or butter, the bread will have more flavor. It's not a good idea to use margarine or whipped butter because they have water. Water is also found in low fat items, so they are not good to use either. Your loaf of bread will not hold up very well.

Using Eggs
Your bread dough will have flavor when you add in the eggs. Eggs also give the dough richness and color. Eggs give your bread a nice taste.

Adding Salt
Whenever you make bread, you should always include salt. Salt helps with how the yeast is developed and the bread will not rise more than it's supposed to. The bread will also have a good flavor. Of course, there are some people who would prefer not to use salt. They can substitute it with items such as yogurt to help the bread to rise normally.

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Peel Tomatoes In 2 Easy Steps

Today, I want to share information about an item that you probably very familiar with and already understand the health benefits and eat it every summer. The tomato.

One of the best flavors of summer are fresh tomatoes. They are bright, clean, slightly acidic and can be used in just about any kitchen application. Most of us love a sliced tomato on sandwiches, or diced tomatoes into a cool summer salad or salsa.

However, if you have to cook a tomato, the skin becomes bothersome. The skin of a tomato does not break down under heat and needs to be removed unless you like little rolled quills of tomato skin stuck in your teeth after a meal.

First heat some water to simmer or a very slow boil. While your water is heating, core your tomato and on the opposite end, mark an “X” in the skin. Once your water is ready, drop in your tomato. You will not need to leave the tomato in very long as you’re not trying to cook it, rather to tease the skin off. When the skin on the tomato begins to split, remove it from the water and drop it into ice cold water. This change from intense heat to ice cold is called “shocking” and will cause the skin on the tomato to begin to roll up on the edges and separate from the tomato so you can easily pull the skin off using your fingers.

Once this is complete, you can cut the tomato in half and flick out the seeds inside the tomato. Once you remove the seeds and give your halves of tomato a good squeeze, you now have peeled, seeded tomatoes that you can use in any number of dishes. The French call this procedure “tomato concasse” (con-ka-say). It’s peeled and seeded tomato, and a procedure anyone can master in their own kitchen for sauces, jarring, or diced in any dish.

Nutritious food can be found all around us and in learning how to cook healthy dishes, open your mind to the idea of learning some new procedures that will enable you to enjoy your produce in fresh, new ways. Enjoy your healthy eating!

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Organic Coffee Has Its Benefits

Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. It is grown without the use of pesticides and fertilizers which in turn helps out the soil.Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment.

In order for coffee to be certified and sold as organic in the United States, it must be produced in accordance with U.S. standards for organic production and certified by an agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The term Organic indicates that no chemicals were used in the cultivation of the coffee. In order to proclaim that a coffee is Certified Organic, a recognized third party certifier must document the cultivation of the coffee for three years running and issue an Organic Certificate

Organic coffee is grown in over 40 countries. To name a few; Bolivia, Burundi, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and even in the United States (Hawaii). As I said there are more, but these are the biggest producers.

Coffee contains a lot of Antioxidants Antioxidants are what you need to fight all of the free radicals that can cause cell damage spreading through your body. It also contains caffeine.Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, alleviating fatigue and increasing wakefulness. After drinking a cup of coffee, caffeine is rapidly and efficiently absorbed from the digestive system and starts to work in the body just 20 minutes after consumption and the effects may last for several hours.

Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others are and too much can cause unwanted effects such as anxiety, restlessness, irritability and sleep problems.

The benefits of coffee are tremendous though. Drinking coffee has been proven to reduce the risk of such cancers as bladder cancer, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. It has also been linked to reducing the development of type 2 diabetes and liver disease as well as the growth of gall stones.

Coffee even offsets some of the damage caused by other vices, some research indicates. Tests have shown that people who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don't.

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