American Cuisine

The subject of American cuisine is a complicated and somewhat controversial topic, argued from multiple directions by historians, chefs, scholars, and patriots alike - "what is American cuisine?" When the Italians or Japanese are asked to define the basics of their native food, the answers come easily; defining ingredients and dishes are generally well known even by foreigners, and there are centuries of historical information to support the responses. Ask five people individually the same question about American cuisine and odds are you"ll receive five different answers, if you get one at all.
 
The confusion is justifiable. For centuries now the U.S. has been the destination of billions of immigrant peoples, and as these foreign cultures have adjusted to our society they have contributed as well. Jot a quick list of food items usually considered "American" you'll find this is true. Hamburgers and hotdogs? German. Pizza and ice cream? Italian. The patriotic dessert found in the phrase : as American as apple pie? Originally a British treat (mirrored by the Dutch). The mixed lineage of some of our most culturally important foods has caused cynics to claim that America has no native cuisine…but they're wrong.
 
Our Own Food
 
While American cuisine is widely influenced by its immigrant populations, it is also unique to this country in both content and execution. In rebelliously creating their own nation the early settlers intentionally created their own way of doing things, in part to establish their own identity, but also to make the British mad. Early kitchens are an excellent example: while the British cooked over a single large fire using a system of multi-sized removable grills, many new settlers built very large hearths, or fireplaces, into their kitchens to allow for the use of multiple fires with varying purposes. As a result, the kitchens of first Americans were very different in appearance than their British counterparts of the same time period.
 
The settled Americans also had access to different ingredients than the Europeans because of location. Early settlers found the new world flush with corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, cranberries, wild rice, pumpkin and squash, as well as turkey (there's a reason these foods appear in Thanksgiving Day dinners) and a wealth of native fish/fowl. It should be recognized that in speaking of American cuisine we are not solely discussing food of the continental United States. South America provided some of the greatest agricultural discoveries of the world, before the discovery of the tomato in South America by Spanish explorers, tomatoes weren't even eaten in Italy! It wasn't until the 18th century that the Italians utilized what is now viewed as a defining contributor to their native cuisine. The Americas also delivered vanilla and chocolate to the Netherlands and Spain, peanuts to China, and potatoes to Ireland, in addition to other contributions.
 
Native American Food
 
It should be noted that our food roots were broadly influenced by the most authentic American chefs, Native Americans. Without their giving nature and patience, which allowed them to share crops, agricultural techniques, and hunting practices with the utterly unprepared settlers, our new nations would have died out within the first few years of arriving. Corn, or maize, was the foundation of the diet, along with beans, pumpkin, squash, and meat obtained from hunted animals. Region also played as great a role in North America as it did in the history of other great cuisines. In landlocked regions meat, like beef, and grains were staples. The populations near the coastlines and major waterways utilized fish like salmon, trout, lobster, crab, and clams.
 
By using what the new world provided for them, the settlers began shaping food as we know it in America. The young Americans were farmers and travelers, and meals had to be hearty to sustain them. What is now considered "rustic" or "country" style cooking is actually American cuisine in its most authentic form. Corn bread, turkey, stews of root vegetables and meat, bean soup, stewed tomatoes, maples syrup, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin-anything are definitively American. And while apple pie may not be wholly patriotic, Shoofly Pie (made with sweet molasses) is.
 
State-side Outside Influences
 
Defining meals in America is almost impossible, as every home may house a different cultural and ethnic background with their own specific meal staples and dining guidelines. American cuisine has typically focused on large breakfasts (pancakes, eggs, toast, cereal, coffee, etc.), hurried lunches during the work week, and a large meal at suppertime. However, the cultural diversity spread across the country makes it difficult to make generalizations about the cuisine as a whole.
 
The immigrants of Europe, Africa, and Latin America definitively added to the styles and dishes represented in American Cuisine. The French and Spanish who settled in Louisiana were the catalyst for Creole cooking, providing us with Jambalaya and Gumbo, while the German population of Pennsylvania Dutch country added salt pork, candies, corn chowders and breads; in the nation's southern central region, a dish called chili con carne eventually became a phenomenon. Perhaps most influential, however, was the African based cooking, or "soul food", which has become as synonymous with the American south as BBQ. Even before slavery, and definitely throughout it, African Americans faced poverty and usually had only animal scraps and cheap produce with which to feed themselves, introducing dishes like chitterlings, or slow cooked or fried pig intestines, collard greens, fried chicken or catfish, fried okra, and black-eyed peas with ham hocks to the mix.
 
American Cuisine only continues to refine itself as the nation grows older and chefs more ambitious. And while outside influences will always be essential to the identity of food in America, there are some things that will remain our own: head to Philly for cheese-steaks or the original Animal Crackers, Maine for crab cakes, New Jersey for salt water-taffy, and just about anywhere for ice cream sodas. And if you're really hungry? Forgo the patriotism, and have a slice of warm apple pie.

Caribbean Cuisine

The Caribbean, a chain of many islands off the Southern coasts of Florida, offers a wealth of diverse, soulful, and colorful cuisine. The islands, most notably Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic and Haiti, have a long history of foreign influence. The region changed hands between the British, Dutch, French, Spanish, Danish, and American colonial powers, all of whom contributed ingredients and approaches to food, and whose presence ultimately led to a richly varied regional cuisine.
 
Staples of Island Cuisine
 
Though the food on each island may vary greatly, the region's geography, as well as the natural resources available, dictates that the staples of the Caribbean diet are essentially the same. All forms of seafood are readily available, with fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, and other shellfish appearing most often; dishes like fried flying fish, the national dish of Barbados, are signatures of the area.
 
Pig and goat were traditionally the most utilized livestock, along with chicken, which also added eggs to the diet. It is also not uncommon to see iguana meat used in authentic dishes, and the use of tofu has become more prevalent in recent years.
 
The warm climate is friendly to tropical agriculture, and produces fruits like plantains, bananas, mango, melons such as cassava, passion fruit, pineapple and papaya, as well as coconut, which has many roles in the kitchen on the islands. Root vegetables like yam, yucca, onion, and sweet potato are most common, with avocado and a variety of peppers, both mild and sweet, rounding out the diet. Sugar cane must also be mentioned not only because of its use in island cookery, but because it is one of the chief exports of the area.
 
Rice is the staple starch in Caribbean cuisine, though it varies greatly from region to region and home to home. Yellow rice, red rice and white rice, as well as rice which has been cooked with other ingredients like pigeon peas (arroz con gandules, a staple dish of the diet in Puerto Rico), other legumes, capers, or olives, are the foundation for much of the cuisine in the islands, and are usually accompanied by beans (which also vary depending on the area). Cornmeal is also utilized, turned into a polenta-like dish known as cou-cou (corneal cooked with okra), which is served with fish and stews.
 
Island drinks are wildly popular in the United States and abroad, both alcoholic and virgin. Rum, a liquor preferred in the islands largely because it is produced there, lends itself well to sodas, fruit juices, and other beverages like pina coladas (made with rum, pineapple, and coconut cream or milk), mojitos (sugar, lime, and mint leaves) or daiquiris. Beer and sangria (wine based punch) are also consumed, though the latter usually before or after a meal. Non-alcoholic beverages like ginger beer (attributed to Jamaica) and milkshakes (Cuba) are also favorites, as is malta, a drink made from mashed barley water and molasses. Strong coffee with milk (Cuba's cafe con leche) and tea are also enjoyed. 
 
Spices and Cooking
 
Spices are prominent in the islands and help to define regional cuisines. Onion and garlic are utilized throughout, with ginger, allspice, lime, cumin, cilantro, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, bay leaf, and a variety of hot peppers appearing throughout the more localized food offerings. Jamaican cooking particularly favors the potent Scotch Bonnet pepper, and uses it in its signature spice blend, jerk. Jerk is a combination of allspice, Scotch Bonnet peppers, garlic, cloves, and cinnamon or nutmeg, which is dry rubbed into meat before grilling or steaming in banana leaves. Puerto Rican and Cuban cooking by comparison are much milder, using spices to add flavor without heat, as in the case of Puerto Rican sofrito (a base sauce consisting of vegetables, herbs, spices, and sometimes tomato) and Cuban mojo or mojito (oil, onion, garlic, and lime juice).
 
Grilling and steaming tend to be the most prevalent cooking techniques. Frying is also used, particularly on the Spanish speaking islands where empanadas (steamed meat or cheese turnovers) and savory dumplings are prepared. Meat is can also be eaten sandwich-style; the famed Cuban sandwich, or media noche, is the best known example: roasted pork, ham, cheese, pickles, and a garlic mayo or simple mustard, toasted between two pieces of Cuban bread.
 
One-pot cookery is additionally recognized as being a central way of preparing meals, with soups and stews playing vital roles in the daily diet; most meals on many islands begin with soup. Cuban cuisine is known for black bean soup, Puerto Rican for chicken with rice soup and asopao (chicken or fish gumbo). Pepper pots, a soupy stew made of meat (generally pig, beef, or chicken), vegetables, peppercorns and spices, as well as callaloo (a soup made of either taro, Spanish callaloo, malanga, and/or Chinese spinach leaves, garlic, herbs, coconut milk, veggies, and meat) are also good examples, considered signature dishes of island cooking.

Chinese Cuisine

Chinese culture, rooted deeply in tradition, pride, and a mystical history, has always been fascinating to the Western world. Even more fascinating seems to be the native cuisine of the land, a style of cookery that is completely foreign to the Western chef in almost every way. Utilizing very different tools, ingredients, accents, and techniques, Eastern food is a school of cooking entirely to itself, one that has garnered the respect and admiration of food lovers and professionals alike.
 
The Chinese approach to food blends esteem for necessity with a respect for the art of cooking. Dishes of necessity, the items eaten to maintain life (rice, noodles), are eaten daily to fuel work. The delicate preparations of meat and vegetables are expressions of the art of food, and considered dishes eaten for pleasure.
 
The Food
 
The staples of Chinese cuisine are starch based (rice, noodles, wheat, etc.), supplemented by protein in the form of pork, chicken, duck, fish, tofu (doufu), or peanuts. Vegetables like Chinese cabbage, kale, spinach, snow peas, watercress, onions, and peppers are most common, and essential in combinations with nuts and tofu to the vegetarian cuisine of the Buddhist communities.
 
Food in a land with many mouths to feed has always been a precious commodity, and Chinese cooks developed appropriately frugal recipes. Chinese cooking frequently uses every ounce of edible material an ingredient has to offer, developing practical preparations for cuts of meat that many cuisines would define as unusable (chicken skin in simple salads, for example). Chinese cuisine is unparalleled in its ability to prepare these items with such artful skill that no diner would ever suspect they supped on scraps.
 
The sporadic scarcity of food also helped to develop a level of respect for meals still exercised today. Food is often honored with ceremony and reverence; it is not eaten hurriedly, but savored. This reverence is seen in the delicate cutting of meat and intricate presentations of vegetables, which are characteristic of the cuisine; few recipes will ever call for "chunks" of meat, or "roughly chopped" vegetables. This, in part, is why chopsticks are used for eating , the Chinese feel that the use of a fork and knife is disrespectful; they would rather not "butcher" at the table.
 
Regional Cooking
 
Chinese cooks are known to be both flexible and innovative, and as a result many "regional" delicacies have been assimilated into a broad and balanced national cuisine. As a result, it is less easy to list the dishes of Northern China than it is to list those of Northern Italy. However, there are some defining characteristics:
 
Northern China relies on wheat rather than rice, and therefore has some of the best dumplings and noodles in the entire country. It is one of the few areas to produce bread products like steamed buns or simple pancakes. It also notably uses garlic and dark soy sauce to create boldly flavored dishes. The great city of Peking (now Beijing) lies in the North, and has spawned the fare of its namesake (most notably Peking duck), one of the signature dishes of Chinese cuisine.
 
The region at the West of the Yangtze River gives us the notable culinary phenomenon of Szechwan cooking. Richly flavored with ginger, garlic, chilies, and Szechwan peppercorns, the food can be mercilessly spicy, and delicious. Additionally, as with most societies close to water, the food from this area utilizes a diverse offering of fresh fish and seafood.
 
As the first mass migration from China to America was made by the Cantonese, Southern Chinese cooking is perhaps the best known in the United States. Stir frying is one of the most utilized techniques, along with steaming. Because the Cantonese believe in food being consumed as close as possible to its natural state, overcooking is frowned upon, and even MSG (monosodium glutamate, a chemical flavor enhancer that is very popular in other schools of Chinese cuisine) is avoided when possible. Stir frying, a technique similar to sauteing, utilizes the wok, one of the defining tools of Chinese cookery. Round pans with high, sloped sides, woks are extremely versatile items, and often one of the only pans used to cook a meal. They are particularly useful in the light cooking of the Cantonese style, allowing the chef to apply direct or indirect heat to ingredients as needed. In addition, stackable bamboo steamers, chambers for cooking food with steam, can be placed over a wok full of boiling water to prepare several items at once over a single flame.
 
Meals in China
 
Food in China is generally served "family style", with main items placed at the center of the table and taken from communally; bowls of rice are given to each individual. At special meals rice is usually omitted, as it is considered too common to enjoy with foods from the "pleasure" school of cooking.
 
Dishes from the national cuisine that have grown popular world wide are now almost countless: stir-fried chicken, pork, or beef dishes made with garlic, ginger, scallion, and/or soy sauce are common, as are more elaborate items like Kung Pao chicken (meat with bean sauce, garlic and chili paste, and hot peppers), or Peking Duck (in a sauce of peanut oil, sugar or honey, and ground bean sauce with red wine vinegar); delicacies include Shark Fin Soup. Noodle dishes like Lo Mein are also common, as are soups (Hot and Sour soup, Won Ton, Egg Drop, etc.). Fortune cookies, lightly fried "cookies" containing a paper fortune, are associated with dessert but are actually an American invention; in China, fruit, tea, and sweet soups are traditionally served.

French Cuisine

No study of world cuisine would be complete without exploring the exalted culinary offerings of France. Presently considered a food Mecca, France has been a main influence in modern gastronomy and is the birthplace of haute cuisine. It is known for its elegant techniques and presentation as well as a refined approach to meals in general. The techniques explored by the original French masters are still taught today in culinary schools around the world, and even the most modern chefs have foundations in the French approach to food. France also has a wealth of regional cuisines, each with its own signature and culinary significance. Like in Italy, these regional variations make pinning down a unified national cuisine nearly impossible. Instead, France is celebrated for its almost unparalleled contributions to dining and cookery, and its continued focus on pursuing new avenues within the food world.
 
French Influences
 
Towards the end of the 16^th century, the capitol of inventive and celebrated cooking began to shift from its home in Italy to the kitchens of France. Popular food mythology suggests that it was the arrival of Italy's Catherine di Medici and her army of royal cooks that spurred this shift, but in reality French cuisine had already started to move away from what were, comparatively speaking, more primitive approaches to food. The Italians did contribute food items like artichokes and ice cream, as well as well as lessons in approaching food, such as modern table manners and the practice of enhancing, not masking, the natural flavors meal ingredients.
 
The French are notably credited with founding the restaurant industry. Pre-Napoleon, chefs worked for private households or the royal court. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, when many chefs found their employers beheaded, cooks used their skills to establish businesses open to the general populace, opening what were the first French bistros. By the 19^th century Marie-Antoine Careme and George-Auguste Escoffier were applying logic to take the movement one step further. Careme organized meals from a hodgepodge of various dishes into the courses we enjoy now, and experimented with blending multiple flavors into a single dish (a practice that remains a characteristic of French food today). Escoffier is credited with the first structured menu that could be given to restaurant patrons, and for beginning modern cookbooks, i.e. listing and codifying recipes in printed source with formulas that allowed recipes to be replicated. Escoffier, a celebrity chef in his own time, also organized restaurant cooking staffs based on military practices, and stressed the importance of high quality ingredients.
 
The Food
 
Like any cuisine, the French diet is made up of staple ingredients with a particular focus on regional offerings. Vegetables like potatoes, aubergines (eggplant), turnips, onions, leeks, green beans, and mushrooms (especially the expensive and revered black truffle) appear frequently, as do fruits like strawberries, apricots, cherries, pears, tomatoes, apples, and oranges. Herbs like tarragon, chervil, rosemary and chives are invaluable in French cookery, used in the form of herb butter or fresh from the garden. They also play a role in the sauces that are definitive of French cuisine.
 
The cuisine also utilizes plenty of meat including chicken, rabbit, veal, beef, pork, mutton and lamb. Duck, whose meat, fat, and liver (in the form of foie gras) are also considered characteristic of French cooking. Additionally, France enjoys a skill in working with fish and seafood like cod, sardines, herring, oysters, mussels, and shrimp, and is the originator of bouillabaisse, a superb fish stew.
 
Wines like Bordeaux, Merlot, Burgundy, Chardonnay, and Sauvingnon Blanc also play an important role as a chief export of France, as well as a daily and luxury beverage; France's climate allows both reds and whites to flourish throughout the country. It is often paired with cheese, which is taken just as seriously. France provides more varieties of cheese than any other nation in the world (including Camembert, Roquefort, and Brie), over 500 at last count. The AOC (Appellation de Origine Controlee) actually regulates the names of around 45 cheese varietals, meaning that a cheese must meet strict criteria in order to be classified as, for example, Brie. Raw milk cheese under the age of 60 days old cannot be exported to the United States, and therefore can only be enjoyed in the homeland.
 
Regional Cuisine
 
Regional cuisines are a hallmark of food in France. Entire volumes are dedicated to chronicling provincial home cuisines, as they are more specific than homogenized mainstream restaurant cuisine and vary greatly from region to region; homes in Northern France prefer fats like butter, cream, and lard, while the South uses duck fat and olive oil, and so on. Provincial cuisines are so respected that some restaurants dedicate themselves solely to the food of a specific area, while an American might look for a good Italian or Chinese restaurant, it is not uncommon for the French to seek out good Alsatian establishments (serving regional dishes of the province of Alsace, like blood sausage or bredela). Provincial dishes (like Pot-au-feu, a beef stew, or coq au vin, chicken braised in wine), in combination with the more technical styles of the restaurant and food industries, help to demonstrate how a respect for food and fine ingredients can be incorporated into the home on a daily basis.
 
Meal Structure
 
The French have a calm respect for food, and believe it should be savored rather than eaten hurriedly without reflection. A culinary day in France typically begins with coffee, tea, and/or milk, as well as cereal, bread, or pastries with jam or fruit. Bread, a celebrated staple of the French diet, is its own art form in French cookery and is served at every meal, it is more likely to appear at breakfast the form of a simple baguette or loaf than as a croissant (these are a weekend breakfast favorite). Lunch generally is taken in the late afternoon, around 2pm, and is variable depending on profession and location. Dinner can be had as early as 6pm, but is more reliably enjoyed in the late evening, around 8 or 8:30pm. Starting with soups, salads, and/or crudites, a main dish (usually meat or fish) is served accompanied by sides of vegetables, rice, pasta, or fries. In formal dining situations a cheese assortment generally follows, with dessert pastries like tarts, fruits, or yogurt ending the meal. Wine is enjoyed throughout the meal, and often is selected to complement specific dishes.

Indian Cuisine

India, one of the most populated countries in the entire world, is a diverse nation comprised of 17 states, and therefore, much like France or Italy, is home to a large number variable regional cuisines. India, especially Northern India, has also been subject to a great deal of outside influence, the presence and rule of the British Raj being the most significant.
 
The presence of many religions and cultures within one nation, as well as geographic influences, has made it almost impossible for India to own a single national cuisine. Religious restrictions are particularly powerful forces in food, and dictate what many in the Indian population can eat; Buddhists are vegetarian, Muslims cannot eat pork, Jains cannot eat onions, etc. Religious restrictions have led to a dedicated vegetarian cuisine throughout parts of the country. Additionally, the caste system prevents people of different classes from eating with one another or from becoming chefs at all, making it difficult for certain cuisines and food trends to spread.
 
Staples of Indian Cuisine
 
Grains like lentils, pulses (a kind of legume), and of course rice (as in the rest of Asian cuisine) are the foundation of food in India, with Basmati rice being the most recognized. Basmati rice, native to the Himalayas, is long grain, and thinner than the rice used in Western cooking. It has a distinctive, nutty aroma which is released when cooked; aging the rice, which is commonly done for periods of time no more than one year, results in a stronger, more distinct fragrance. Rice is usually served as an accompaniment to stew-like dishes which Westerners would classify as curries, or in the equivalent of pilafs, which add vegetables, nuts, beans, and spices, and are served alongside meat or vegetarian dishes. Rice is also eaten plain.
 
India, unlike most other Asian cuisines, also utilizes breads in the daily diet. Bread is typically more prevalent in Northern India, but can be found throughout the country, and is generally made from atta (whole wheat flour). These breads are usually unleavened or flatbread (naam, roti, puri, etc.) varieties, which can be folded and used as both a meal item and an edible utensil (smaller pieces of bread are torn off, then used to scoop up rice, meat, vegetables, and sauces from the dish). Many breads are cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven also used for cooking meat. Bread dough can also be made into small pockets and filled with rice, vegetables, meat, and/or spices, and baked or fried into small snacks (samosas, for example).
 
Produce is also vital to Indian cuisine as much of the population is vegetarian. Peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, squashes, root vegetables, and native vegetables are used daily. In areas where meat is eaten, goat, lamb, and poultry are preferred. Meat is often seasoned and roasted, stewed, or cooked in a tandoor.
 
In some regions dairy has a strong role, and is made into items like ghee (clarified butter), yoghurt, and sweets/dessert items.
 
Indian Spices
 
Indian food is celebrated for its use of spices, like garlic, ginger, chilies, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek. It is famous outside the country for potent spice blends called curries, a name which is synonymous with both the spices and the stew-like dishes they season. The term curry is actually a bit of a miscommunication between the native Indian people and the foreigners who brought the dishes back to Britain and other parts of the world, where they have become quite popular in India, the spice blend is actually referred to as masala. Masala is a general term; mixes can be dry or wet, spicy or mild, and from fresh or dry ingredients. Northern India tends to favor dry spices, while Southern India turns dry mixes into pastes with lime juice, coconut milk, or water. One of the most famous Indian dishes is Garam Masala, a brown blend which can be different depending on region, but is typically black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, and sometimes coriander. It is added, generally, to meat and poultry dishes, which are then served with rice or flatbread. Kashmiri masala, a milder blend, taaza masala, a green paste made with mint, and tikka masala are also well known.
 
Food in India
 
Despite many religion and caste influences restrictions on regional diet, food is recognized as an element in life that brings joy as well as nourishment. Even the more restrictive diets celebrate food and welcome its presence.
 
Food in India is known for the "family style" element of its meal composition. The centerpiece of the meal is typically on large serving pf rice or bread, which is shared and accompanied by many smaller savory or spicy dishes. The smaller dishes are folded in with flatbread or mixed with the rice, with all guests helping themselves to whichever items they desire.
 
Most meals are eaten while seated on low stools or on the floor, in front of a low table. Food is eaten with the fingers, or with the assistance of bread.

Japanese Cuisine

Italian Cuisine

Thai Cuisine

Turkish Cuisine

Mexican Cuisine

10 Dessert Tips for Life

In an increasingly fast paced society, knowing some basic tips for preparing desserts would help bring pleasure and decrease the chaos in your life.  Desserts are so important in our culture that they are even considered a food group on the food pyramid.  Despite the fact that Americans are becoming more and more overweight each year, desserts are not escaping from our treasured American lifestyle. 
 
Desserts are a delicate pleasure that we all enjoy.  But often the fact that we are a fast paced culture, baking cookies or a cake does not often seem like fun due to the fact that it is viewed as time consuming.  Well, if you follow some basic tips for dessert preparation, guarantee you’ll enjoy making desserts again!
 
1. Buy already made ingredients on your list – This is a great tip and saves a lot of time.  Pre-made ingredients include pie crusts, crumbs, baking mixes, fresh or frozen mixed fruit, etc.
 
2. Have the most common dessert ingredients in your kitchen always – Having the most popular dessert ingredients in your kitchen always will save you a lot of time.  Try to buy the following in bulk: nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, flour, eggs, butter, chocolate, etc.
 
3. Preheat the oven! – Although this is a VERY basic tip, it is probably the most important, especially if you have an old oven.  Ovens can take anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes to heat up.  Who wants to wait for an oven to heat up for 30 minutes?  The trick to remembering this is to turn the oven on immediately after getting all your ingredients together.
 
4. Use the bottom rack in the oven – Another essential oven tip!  For obvious reasons, using the bottom rack in the oven saves baking time due to the fact that the bottom rack receives the most direct heat.  So, try to squeeze as many baking sheets down there as possible!
 
5. Bake in multiple batches – You can obviously save time by making multiple batches of a dessert like cookies, cupcakes, etc.  The only thing to be careful of is to avoid eating them in a few days.  Although cookies can lose freshness after a few days, they can go quite a while before not being any good.
 
6. Always have fruit in the house – This tip is great because many recipes call for some sort of real fruit like berries.  Having fresh or frozen fruit in the house at all times will definitely save a last minute trip to the store to find that essential fruit ingredient.  Frozen fruit will last the longest so definitely buy that in bulk as well.
 
7. Simplify your favorite dessert recipes – We’ve all prepared desserts that have over 15 ingredients that are supposedly NOT optional.  Find alternative recipes online and after making the recipe once, pay attention to the taste, and find ways to simplify it.  Does it really need walnuts?  Does it really need brown AND white sugar?  Probably not.
  
8. Let your kids help prepare the dessert – You may have given birth to them so that they could grow into respectful individual human beings, but they can help you bake just like they help with chores around the house.  The best thing about getting your kids involved is that if you find the right repetitive task, they can save you a lot of time.  Also, the best thing about this tip is that kids usually don’t turn you down when it comes to preparing a dessert they can eat!
 
9. When in doubt, just grab some stuff and GO! – If you weren’t planning on making a dessert, just throw in some ingredients off the top of your head and see what happens!  This is an awesome tip because it allows you to save on time in the sense that you won’t be looking at a detailed recipe with a long list of ingredients and long list of preparation steps.  I use this one all the time when it comes to preparing smoothies.  With a smoothie, you can’t go wrong!  Throw in as much as you want of anything and see what happens.  The only rule to follow with this tip is to put the most of a particular ingredient into the blender that you want the smoothie or beverage to taste the most like.
 
10. Let go of measuring utensils – This may be the hardest tip yet because it forces you to trust in your abilities.  Some people may fear that they have no abilities and thus do not want to prepare a dish, especially a dessert, free style.  But this is so important when it comes to saving time because when you have to get out a lot of ingredients AND a lot of measuring utensils, it becomes a major time consuming project to prepare something as simple as cookies.
 
So, follow these 10 steps for making desserts and you will be definitely find preparation a lot easier.  It will also run a lot smoother and more than likely you will have fun in the process.  Imagine that, enjoying the process of making a dessert while knowing you will also enjoy tasting it later on!  It doesn’t get any better than that.

20 Ways to Avoid Food Poisoning

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top food culprits of food poisoning include foods from poultry, unpasteurized milk, raw eggs, and raw shellfish.  The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to make announcements of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in addition to forcing retailers or venders to recall whatever food product caused the outbreak.  However, despite these measures, it is still possible for any consumer to come into contact with contaminated foods.  In addition to this risk, lack of food safety preparation at home can also lead to food poisoning.  While there are an exponential number of ways a consumer can avoid food poisoning, following a straightforward guideline can help introduce basic food safety practices into any household.
 
Food poisoning can occur in anyone consuming contaminated food; however, it most likely occurs in those with weaker immune systems like infants and the elderly.  Other groups that are vulnerable include those with chronic diseases like AIDS and pregnant women.  Healthy teens and adults are less likely to suffer severe consequences of food poisoning due to their robust immune system. Despite the fact that the FDA has a considerable long and complicated set of rules for farmers and other vendors to follow when packaging and selling food to consumers, due to a variety of reasons the FDA is unable to protect every single consumer in the country.  With this, it is important for consumers to know how to protect themselves at home and when dining out.
 
1. Cook food thoroughly – Most recipes call for cooking meats at a certain temperature.  Buying a cooking thermometer is ideal for this.
2. Separate fresh veggies from raw meats when preparing a meal.  This will prevent cross-contamination.
3. Wash all vegetables before use – The usually come with tiny insects, even when washed at your local grocery store.
4. Rinse fruit that is to be eaten uncooked – Doing this will not only help you from eating germs, but also various pesticides that are used during the growth of that fruit.
5. Chill foods that need to be kept cold immediately when coming home from the grocery store.
6. Keep the kitchen clean – use antibacterial products when possible or at least a vinegar solution if you want to avoid harsh chemicals.
7. Avoid cold deli meats – This is especially true if you go to restaurants that prepare fresh subs.  However, if you do buy some cold deli meat from your grocery store, you can cook it and then put it back in the fridge to get it back cold again before serving it.
8. Always wash your hands when cooking and before eating – Use soapy HOT water.  Under no circumstances should you do a half job on this one.  At any given moment our hands carry hundreds of thousands of germs and you don’t want any of that on your food.
9. Reheat leftovers thoroughly – Especially any foods that contained beef or poultry.
10. Avoid unpastuerized fruit juices – Most fruit juices are pasteurized, but double check the labels.
11. Avoid unpastuerized milk – Look on labels in the store.  Pasteurized milk will say so.
12. Be careful of raw meat like sushi and steak tartar
13. Never eat raw shellfish – Shellfish includes clams, oysters, and mussels for example.
14. Avoid restaurants that look dirty – It’s definitely ok to support the local guy, but not to the extent of your own health.
15. Don’t lick any batter that contains raw eggs – For example, if you’re making chocolate chip cookies which calls for use of raw eggs before baking…DO NOT under any circumstances be tempted to lick off the mixing spoon any leftover dough in the bowl.
16. Clean chopping boards – Plastic boards can be simply put into the dishwasher.  However, wood boards should be cleaned with an unscented bleach solution.  New wood boards are best as old ones and plastic boards tend to allow germs to resurface more easily.  Also, after cleaning them, let the chopping boards remain a part from other dishes in order to let them dry completely.  Moist attracts germs as well.
17. Avoid leaving leftovers out for longer than 1 hour after a meal is served – Bacteria tends to thrive in conditions that are not too cold or too hot.  Thus leaving your baked chicken out for 4 hours is a guarantee way to allow some growth to take place.
18. Do not let your pet or insects nibble off food you intend to eat – If you let your dog lick your plate, make sure you let him lick it CLEAN not partially and then you eat more off of it.
19. Keep the refrigerator set at 4°C – This will prevent most bacterial species from growing.  But don’t fool yourself either; there are bacteria that exist that can grow at just below 10°C. 
20. If the electricity goes out and you don’t have a generator, throw away any food that needed to be kept cold after several hours.
 
Now in an ideal world, following all these measures would ensure you would never get food poisoning.  But since we do not live in an ideal world, recognizing the signs of food poisoning is just as important.  With this, it can be very essential to get medical attention right away due to the fact that the symptoms can become severe very quickly if appropriate measures are not followed.  The typical symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  However, if you experience diarrhea accompanied with blood in the stool, headache, stiff neck, a fever lasting more than a day, rapid heart rate, dizziness, general weakness, numbness, tingling, or diarrhea that lasts longer than several days, you should consider the food poisoning to be severe enough for an emergency room visit.

Allergies Associated with Milk and Dairy Products

Many people have problems associated with milk and dairy products.  The typically symptoms you might experience include coughing, wheezing, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, and bloating.  In some children, milk and dairy problems will also manifest as hyperactivity.  Now, keep in mind that if you have allergies to dairy products, that does not mean you are lactose intolerant.  In this article, we will provide information showing how the two appear the same but actually, are very different.  If you have any type of reaction after eating or drinking dairy, then you could very well have allergies.
 
If you suspect that milk and dairy products are the problem, then you should talk to your doctor to get a confirmed diagnosis.  Once this has been done, you will need to make adjustments in your diet.  For instance, you will need to start paying close attention to labels for all dairy products to include milk, cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and so on, choosing products that are made without lactose.
 
Because the number of individuals with allergies to milk and dairy products is growing, we now see many more options on the market, making grocery shopping easier.  However, one of the challenges associated with allergies of this type is that foods are not automatically labeled as “milk” or “dairy”.  Therefore, we have provided you with a list of common terms seen on labels.
 
• Lactoglobulin
• Lactalbumin and lactalbumin phosphate
• Casein
• Sodium caseinate
• Lactose
 
Additionally, many of the foods you buy every day actually contain one of the above-mentioned dairy ingredients.  This means that if you have allergies to milk and dairy products and you eat any of the foods listed below, you would likely experience the same symptoms.
 
• Cake
• Au Gratin Potatoes
• Donuts
• Cream Candy
• Chocolate
• Custard
• Yogurt
• Ice Cream
• Margarine (not all, but some)
• Salad Dressing
• Pudding
 
The good news is that for people who are lactose intolerant, substitutions are available.  Over the years, these alternatives have been improved upon where they now taste quite good.  In fact, when cooking with the dairy substitutions, you can hardly tell the difference and some people even like the flavor better.  The substances listed below can be used for cooking, making ice cream, and even in place of drinking milk.
 
• Soy Milk (some people also have allergy reactions to soy)
• Almond Milk
• Rice Milk
• Non-dairy items such as chocolate, cheese, yogurt, ice cream
 
As you know, it is important to get enough dairy products in the diet as a source of vitamin D and calcium.  If you cannot tolerate these products, you can add other foods to the diet that will still give you the needed nutrition.  For instance, foods high in vitamin D and calcium include spinach and broccoli.  In addition, you might visit your local health food store, choosing a high quality supplement.
 
Lactose Intolerance
 
In this case, lactose, milk, and sugar cannot be digested.  The reason is that the body does not produce adequate amounts of lactase, a digestive enzyme.  This means that even a teaspoon of dairy product would have an adverse effect.  The undigested lactose stays in the intestines, drawing water into the intestines that causes diarrhea and becomes fermented by the colon’s bacteria, causing gas.  For this reason, a person who is lactose intolerant will typically only experience side effects of diarrhea and gas, although children often have more problems to include heartburn and vomiting.
 
Allergies to Milk and Dairy Products
 
With this, it is the protein in the milk that a person is reacting to, which includes whey and casein.  Although a person could be allergic to both, usually it is one or the other.  The symptoms of allergies associated with milk and dairy products are more involved, as mentioned earlier in this article.
 
With this type of allergy, the body’s immune system is reacting, trying to fight off anything harmful in the form of bacteria or viruses.  Keep in mind, the one thing that this allergy and lactose intolerance does share is that both remain undigested in the intestines.
 
Although adults do suffer from the many side effects of a milk and dairy allergy, we often see children with the highest number of cases and the worst reactions.  For example, if a child were allergic to dairy, you would typically see a reaction within 45 minutes.  The most common symptoms that he or she would present include hives, swelling, coughing, and in severe cases, even shock.  Obviously, in babies and small children, identifying allergies to milk and dairy products is crucial.  Again, if you suspect this is happening, see your doctor.  Often, switching the milk to goat or soymilk is recommended.

Appetizers

If you only have one chance to make a good first impression, then a meal only has one chance to start off right. Appetizers, the broad name used to refer to the first course of a meal, are a dinner's equivalent of the first handshake. Like tapas in Spain, antipasti in Italy, and mezze in the Mediterranean, appetizers whet the appetite for the main event and are excellent when paired with a good drink and a few friends. Unfortunately for the health-conscious eater, adding a first course before the entrees means adding calories to a dinner's overall tally. And in the case of many American mainstream restaurants, particularly franchises, appetizers are loaded with fat, trans fat, calories and cholesterol - a typical order of mozzarella sticks packs 700 calories and almost 50 grams of fat! Luckily, there are techniques to avoiding the pitfalls of appetizer dining, and many ways for the home cook to serve healthy, delicious, and artful first courses that impress before the entrees arrive.
 
The FIRST First Course
 
The practice of serving smaller items before a meal to stimulate appetite and conversation has been part of dining for centuries. Historically speaking, the ancient Greeks are given credit for first implementing appetizers as part of their large banquets. Their food was designed around aperitifs, alcohols (vermouth, wine, champagne, amaretto, and Campari are some modern examples) served before the meal to assist in digestion and prepare guests for dining (and socializing). The Greeks favored a communal bowl for aperitifs, which was passed around the table from guest to guest; the logic was that sharing stirred up feelings of unity and friendship amongst those in attendance. The accompanying food items varied depending on region and host, but often included olives, vegetables, oysters, marinated seafood, garlic, and egg based dishes. Many of these items are still considered "starters" on the bill of fare around the world today, oysters on the half shell are one of the few appetizer items mentioned in early American cookbooks and menus, olives and vegetables appear as staples on antipasti listings, and egg-based dishes, like deviled eggs or quiche, are still widespread BBQ and banquet favorites.
 
Modern Appetizers and Healthy Choices
 
If the typical first course still was centered around olives, vegetables, and marinated seafood, there would be little to worry about. The issue is that many mainstream offerings have evolved from popular pub and bar menu items, i.e. greasy foods that go well with alcohol: spring rolls, dumplings, potato skins, Buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks. We also have a love of cheese-based dips, popular at informal home gatherings as well as restaurants, and given enticing names like "queso fundido". These items are fun to eat and share, but can wreak havoc on your waistline, sometimes containing an entire day's allotment of fat and/or calories in a single serving.
 
Of course these are generalizations, based on the menu offerings of some of the country's most trafficked restaurant chains. Many dining establishments do list an array of healthful, artistic, and satisfying appetizer items, and these are the items you should seek out to start your meal, whether out on the town or entertaining at home:
 
Soups. Most cultures encourage soup as a prelude to a meal, and so should you. Studies have shown that diners given a small serving of hot, clear broth soup before a meal consume fewer overall calories in a sitting than those who go right to the entree. Be sure to avoid cream-based varieties like bisque that can be loaded with fat; stick with clear broths, and look for varieties that contain nutrient and fiber rich vegetables that help to satiate your appetite. Also beware of the restaurant staples like French onion or broccoli and cheese, the damage the cheese does far outweighs the benefits of the veggies. Try consomme, won ton, hot and sour, gazpacho, chicken vegetable, or bouillabaisse instead.
 
Baked or poached items. Frying and deep frying add tons of fat to what would otherwise be healthy choices. Fried calamari, dumplings, cheese, potatoes, and even veggies are a definite no. Stick with appetizers that are baked, poached, grilled, steamed or lightly sauteed instead, like baked asparagus, sauteed squid, shish kebabs, or grilled chicken satays.
 
Crudites. Plates of fresh vegetables are always a colorful way to start a meal, but fatty spreads like Ranch dressing or cheese fondue can gum things up.  Try salsa, bean spread, garlic spreads, or hummus as healthy and flavorful alternatives.
 
Go Mediterranean. The Greeks, Italians, and Turks have healthy starters right. Olives, marinated seafood, grilled or marinated vegetables, roasted red peppers, small portions (1 oz. or under) of cheese, and spreads like hummus or tatziki with whole-grain pita/chips are tasty treats.
 
Good fats. Fats like lard, mayonnaise, and butter are main ingredients in appetizers. Use very sparingly in home recipes, and look for healthy options like olive or walnut oils.
 
Good sweets. Sauces like sweet and sour sauce can be loaded with corn syrup. Marinate in fruit juices or puree fruits and nuts for a better sweet.
 
And never underestimate the power of presentation : part of what makes appetizers so, well, appetizing is how they look on the plate. Serve fresh fruit and salads in halved, hollowed out melons or coconuts, and utilize garnishes like edible flowers, chopped nuts, or fresh herbs.

Appreciating the partnership of wine and food

To date, wine is a luxury beverage produced mainly in Italy and France.  Despite being a luxury, there is such a variety of tastes and uses that one can find a bottle of wine as cheap as ten dollars and as expensive as $40,000 dollars.  That being said, wine captures the attention of the poorest and richest for a variety of reasons.  One reason for its popularity in particular is the potential health benefits.  We’ve all heard that red wine, for example, has incredible health benefits.  These benefits include all of the following:
 
• Increase levels of HDL in the bloodstream (good cholesterol)
• Reduce levels of LDL in the bloodstream (bad cholesterol)
• Reduce blood clotting
• Increase levels of antioxidants in the body
• And many more!
 
While these benefits have been backed by biomedical research again and again, some people may feel uncomfortable incorporating it into their daily drink regimen if they are not already accustomed to it.  Also, wines have a variety of tastes so it instead of spending a lot of money trying different wines with different foods, it might be best to find information about the basics of red wines versus white wines. 
 For example, red wine typically goes well with Italian foods like pizza, lasagna, and pasta.  It is easy to remember that because most of these foods have “red” in them.  By this I mean the tomatoes or tomato paste used to make them.  Red wine also goes very well with grilled meats like barbeque and chicken and as for seafood, tuna and salmon are perfect matches for enjoying a chilled glass of red wine.
 
Now white wine is at the other spectrum of the wine groups.  For this reason, white wine should never be used with any kind of spicy foods or foods that might have a tomato-like taste to them.  Another important note to remember is that white wine, unlike red wine, should not be served very chilled.  If there is a preference for it being somewhat cooler, keeping it in the fridge for a few hours should suffice, however it can and often should be drank at room temperature for optimal taste.
 
Moving forward, the topic of food and wine does not always mean wine on the side as a beverage to go along with a meal.  Food and wine also means certain kinds of wines mixed in with foods.  Wine mixed in with food can add lots of flavor while giving you some of the health benefits of drinking wine alone as a beverage.  The reason I say you will only get some of the benefits is because most meals call for use of heat and generally speaking heat can damage certain chemical properties within something as delicate as wine, however, there are still some benefits.
 
A variety of healthy recipes exist online and in plenty of cookbooks that include the use of a variety of wines as a primary or optional ingredient.  Now wine has always been traditionally used with meats like beef, chicken, pork, and fish, however there are plenty of desserts, side dishes, soups, and appetizers that also make excellent use of wine mixed with various foods.  Exploring the different ways one can mix food and wine (the ingredient) can be very useful if you want to start small and just add wine to some recipes you already have. 
 
The advice above should be most useful.  But for now you can start by adding just a teaspoon of red or white wine to your favorite dish and see what it does to the smell and then taste. However, it is important to note that smell can be very deceptive so the best way to see if it will work well is by trial and error taste tests.  Wine tasting techniques are discussed at the end of this article. 
 
When you do add in the wine, it might be helpful to not “cook” it for long.  In fact, just adding it on towards the end of the cooking time for a few minutes on low heat would work very well in most cases.  Another tip would be to take away one spice you would traditionally use and instead of that spice use your choice of wine.  This way, little by little, you could see how making small adjustments in your recipes would allow you to incorporate more wine in your diet!
 
Wine tasting is definitely an art and one that is learned typically by trial and error.  The following steps should be practiced frequently and are ideal especially if you want to know if the wine you have is truly superb and develop an appreciation for winemakers. 
 
1. Look – Examine the wine glass closely for color and clarity.  Older wines are typically more translucent.
2. Smell – Gently swirl the wine in the glass around and let your sense of smell take you away!  You may smell flowers or berries mixed into a sensual aroma.
3. Taste – The best part.  Take the smallest sip possible and let the sip spread on your tongue until all the taste buds on your tongue are awakened. 
4. Attack/Evolution Phases - You may at first think a wine is bitter, but after a moment it becomes sweeter or vice versa.  These two phases may last between 15 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the person.
5. Finish – How long do you have the taste in your mouth after taking a sip?  Does it last more than five minutes?  Does the taste actually appeal to you? 
 
And that’s all there is to wine tasting.  It is a complexly unique profession for the average person to undertake, but well worth it if you want to incorporate wine in some fashion or another into your daily diet regiment.

Benefits of Fish and Shellfish

Known as brain and heart food, fish and shellfish are loaded with healthy benefits.  Because of the nutrients found in fish and shellfish, the American Heart Association recommends people eat this food type twice weekly.  With high levels of protein, nutrients, and vitamins, most fish is excellent to improve and maintain good health.  In fact, fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which provide the heart with protection.
 
As with any food, you want to choose the right fish and shellfish.  Most species are fine but some types of fish contain high levels of mercury.  In small amounts and to the normal person, this contaminant would not be a problem.  However, in children and pregnant women, mercury can have devastating effects.  For this reason, many doctors suggest that pregnant women avoid fish altogether while pregnant, while other doctors simply steer patients away from fish such as tuna, which is often high in mercury.  The same would be true for children, choosing fish and shellfish that has little to no mercury content.
 
Other benefits associated with eating fish and shellfish twice weekly include reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as a lowering of blood pressure.  In fact, medical studies show that eating fish twice a week can actually lower the risk of stroke by as much as 27%.  Of course, if you were to increase the number of meals weekly that includes fish or shellfish the percentage increases.  Then, as mentioned, fish is also known as brain food because thrombotic infarctions, which are strokes caused by blood clots in the brain, are significantly reduced.
 
Regardless of the type of fish or shellfish you prefer, it is imperative that it be cooked properly.  For instance, the omega-3 fatty acids that are so health beneficial can be destroyed by air, light, and heat.  For this reason, fish needs to be cooked so it is done but never overcooked.  For this reason, the best methods of cooking fish and shellfish include broiling, baking, poaching, stir-frying, grilling, sautéing, and steaming, allowing the fish to retain its nutrients.  The one method you want to avoid, which is often people’s favorite, is deep-frying.  Sure, shrimp and other types of fish cooked this method have a wonderful flavor and crunchy texture but the nutrients are destroyed.
 
Many people simply do not like fish or shellfish.  If this is you, the health benefits can still be enjoyed by choosing fish oil supplements instead.  These supplements can be found at local drug stores, grocery stores, and health food stores, providing the same benefits as eating fish twice a week.  The only downside is that some people have reported gassy stomachs and even a fish-like breath while taking fish oil supplements.  While supplements are an excellent alternative to eating fish, it is imperative that you purchase quality fish oil in that some supplements on the market are worthless.
 
Other options for getting enough omega-3 fatty oil come from sources other than fish and shellfish.  For instance, you can get the same benefits as eating fish twice a week by incorporating some vegetables, tofu, certain nuts, and oils to include flaxseed, canola, and soybean to your diet.  For children and pregnant women, these alternatives are excellent.  In addition to eliminating the risk of mercury poisoning, you still get the needed omega-3 fatty acids.
 
Recent studies have been performed that show omega-3 fatty acids are far more beneficial than initially thought.  Some of the other areas in which fish and shellfish can boost the body include:
 
• Improvement of psoriasis, arthritis, and kidney disease
• Elimination of some cancers
• Better kidney function for people with diabetes
 
As mentioned, fish and shellfish are great for the diet but for pregnant women, precautions have been given by the United States Food and Drug Administration.  In this case, certain fish to include tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, and shark should be avoided altogether or not consumed more than once every month or two.  The reason is that levels of mercury in these fish are beyond what the FDA considers safe for human consumption.  Now, while non-pregnant women could eat this fish, mercury during pregnancy affects the unborn child’s nervous system, causing serious damage.  Other fish such as walleye and pike, which are freshwater fish, also contain levels of mercury too high for pregnant women.
 
If pregnant, you should talk to your doctor before eating fish or shellfish.  Chances are that you would be told eating up to 12 ounces of cooked fish weekly would be fine, which would include farm raise fish such as rainbow trout, canned fish, and even most shellfish.  In this case, these species are a great source of protein needed by expectant mothers.  Again, if you are unsure, talk to your doctor first.

Braised and Stir-Fried dishes

In many cases it's not just what you eat, but how you prepare it.  Building a balanced diet around plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is an excellent start, but to continue on the road to healthy eating and living proper cooking techniques need to be applied as well, green beans and spinach are obviously healthier than a candy bar, but if you deep-fry them, they'll provide an equal amount of saturated fat and lose a good deal of their healthful vitamins. Luckily, there are plenty of healthy cooking techniques that are easily utilized, and can lend plenty of flavor and tenderness to healthy ingredients.
 
Braising
 
Braising is the practice of cooking an item in liquid in a closed vessel, such as a pot or Dutch oven. The technique is most often used in preparing meats and fish, but can also be applied to vegetables. The most well-known examples of braised dishes would be pot-roast, stew, or the famed French dish Coq a Vin (chicken cooked in wine). The term probably originated in the late 1800's, but the practice has been used for centuries; it was a central technique in the colonial era cooking of Europe and America, when many homes had a single fire, rather than a range of burners like in modern kitchens, to cook on.
 
As food scientist Harold McGee explains, braising is effective largely because water is such an excellent distributor of heat: it transmits heat quickly and evenly, and its own temperature can be adjusted easily. Additionally, it carries flavors well and allows them to be absorbed into the items being braised, which is good, since braised dishes pack a one-two punch of flavor - the meat is cooked in a broth of added aromatics and essences as well as its own natural juice. The slow, moist process also transforms tough, stubborn cuts into mouthwateringly tender and palatable meal items. The method can be used on both small and large cuts of meat.
 
Braising begins, generally, by browning items like chicken, pork, beef, or fish in fat (butter or oil), then finishing the cooking process in a closed pot with a water based liquid that is brought to a boil, usually on the stovetop or in an oven. Health-minded chefs can skip the first step, or use healthier fats like olive oil for browning.
 
Wine, meat stock, vegetable stock, beer, and pureed vegetables are excellent liquids for braising, as they add plenty of flavors with negligible fat and calories. Smaller, tender cuts of meat, like chicken breasts and fish, will typically cook quickly; larger cuts, like whole chickens, beef, or pork, will take more time, but will be exceptionally tender and moist. Look for recipes that utilize veggies and herbs for extra flavor, and that omit the addition of butter or milk to the braising liquid. Serve with brown rice, whole grain bread, or salad.
 
Stir-frying
Despite the word "frying" in its title, stir-frying is actually a healthful alternative to its original namesake. Frying, aka sauteing, is an effective cooking method because oils (or fats) heat relatively quickly, conduct heat well, and coat food items so they do not stick and become burned. Frying also quickly browns the outside of meats, giving them plenty of flavor and visual appeal.  
 
Stir-frying, a staple of Asian cuisine, involves a wok (a round bottomed pan with high, sloped sides), oil, and very high heat. The wok is generally first heated over a high flame.  A small amount of oil is then added to the pan by being poured down the side, and is followed by seasonings like garlic, ginger, or onion. Once the seasonings have grown aromatic, meat is added and stirred rapidly, followed by vegetables, and then cooked rice. Additional flavor enhancers, like soy sauce or wine, are finally added and stirred with the ingredients before transferring the dish from the wok to your plate. Despite the presence of oil, stir-frying is still a healthy means of preparation as it utilizes less oil than traditional frying and deep-frying, and because food items are cooked in combination very quickly (sometimes no more than a minute or two) and do not absorb as much of the oil. Stir-frying also uses healthier fats, like sunflower or nut oils, rather than butter, margarine, or lard.  The technique can also be used to quickly sear meats, vegetables, and seasonings for flavor before adding a quantity of liquid, like wine or water, to the wok; the wok can then be covered, which steams the items until they are done.
 
Stir-frying is a quick and surprisingly easy way to produce a complete and balanced meal in just minutes. Try heating 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil; add ginger and/or garlic, stir, then toss in cut chicken or salmon. Stir until slightly browned, then add veggies like broccoli, carrot, mushroom, peppers, and baby bok choy. Agitate until veggies begin softening.  Throw in a cup of pre-cooked brown rice, followed by a splash of rice vinegar or soy sauce. Stir rapidly until items are cooked through, and serve immediately. You'll have a healthy, flavorful meal with plenty of lean protein, nutrient-dense vegetables, and hearty whole grains.

Chicken and Poultry

Poultry and chicken have been staples of most human diets ever since the building blocks of modern cookery (namely fire) were laid. With the exception of some vegetarian cultures, like the Buddhists and devout Rastafarians, fowl is generally not subject to religious dietary restrictions and is an affordable item in many parts of the world. Chicken and poultry, a term which applies to most birds but is most commonly associated with turkey, duck, goose, squab, ostrich or emu, are popular parts of healthy, balanced diets and are excellent sources of lean protein.
 
Why Poultry?
 
Poultry most notably provides the essential nutrient protein, a vital part of a balanced diet. An important nutrient which helps to build healthy muscle, tissue, hair and nails, protein cannot be stored by the body the way fat is, meaning that it must be eaten daily to replenish levels within the body. While some plants and legumes provide protein, the best sources are animal based: milk, cheese, yogurt, and, of course, meat. However, with the protein found in animal sources comes the addition of fat, some of which (specifically the saturated variety) can clog arteries and lead to heart disease (untrimmed beef is one example). Lean protein (protein that has reasonable or negligible fat content) is therefore a building block of a healthy diet, and chicken/poultry are reliable sources. White meat is the leanest part of the bird; dark meat has more fat, but can be a good source of iron. Additionally, chicken and other fowl have a low cholesterol content, making them a particularly functional option for those combating or preventing heart disease with diet.
 
Chicken
 
While some argue that chicken can be bland, boring or simply common, the bird has a celebrated history in the food world and is part of some of the most famous dishes in history. Chicken Marengo, fried and cooked with wine, tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms, was allegedly prepared for Napoleon after his victory at Marengo; Coronation chicken (a combination of cold chicken, apricots, and curried mayonnaise), a dish created for the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950's, and still appears on menus in Western cuisine; southern fried chicken is arguably one of the most definitive symbols of American cuisine on record, and is wildly popular even beyond US borders.
 
Chicken, along with fish, is considered a top alternative to fattier meats. 3 oz. of skinless white-meat chicken provides 120 calories, 1.5grams of fat, .5 grams of saturated fat, 70mg of cholesterol, and 24 grams of protein; ground beef, by comparison, has 210 calories, 11 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 85mg of cholesterol, and 27 grams of protein. Chicken can also provide additional nutrients like B vitamins, niacin, and zinc.
 
Cooking
 
While it is true that chicken can be bland, the meat and skin respond well to marinades, herbs, and flavor producing cooking methods. Battering and deep frying, popular in Southern cooking and fast food chains, does produce a remarkably juicy and tasty piece of meat. However, the fats and oils contributed during cooking ultimately negate the healthful properties of the lean meat. Heavy butter or cream based sauces can also make a healthy entree a dietary nightmare. Braising, baking, grilling, and roasting are better alternatives and still produce extremely palatable results. Marinating with citrus juices or liquids like soy sauce or balsamic vinegar can also enhance flavors.
 
· Note: Skinless chicken has less fat and saturated fat than chicken with the skin. Trimming excess fat and removing the skin before cooking can reduce the fat content significantly. Skinned chicken, however, is less juicy and more prone to dryness. Try cooking with the skin on, then removing the layer before eating.
 
Other Poultry
 
Duck, goose, and turkey meat is most often associated with the term "poultry". However, the word seems to apply more broadly to most of the winged/feathered fowl that play a role in food, including more exotic varieties like squab, quail, pheasant, and ostrich. These birds are also good sources of lean protein, and can be rotated with chicken or fish to keep healthy diets from becoming boring. Turkey serves up B vitamins, iron, zinc, and potassium, and has approx. 140 calories per 3 oz. serving. Duck, a good source of iron, B vitamins and niacin, has roughly 170 calories per 3 oz. serving. The tender meat, which cooks up redder than chicken and can be an impressive entree visually, is fattier than some other fowl, be sure to remove the skin if eating as part of a lower calorie/low fat diet. Goose is similar, providing B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and potassium, and offering approx. 200 calories per 3oz. serving. Because of the higher fat and calorie content, pay close attention to portion size when eating goose.
 
Again, the healthy preparation rules for chicken apply to other fowl. Stick with marinades and herbs for flavor rather than heavy sauces and try roasting, baking, grilling and braising as opposed to frying. Goose, which can be tougher than other birds, lends itself particularly well to both brining and braising techniques, which produce juicy, tender meats.

Curry Dishes

What is Curry?
 
Curry, one of the defining dishes of both Indian and Thai cuisine, is a complicated topic. Complicated, and spicy.
 
Taken from the Indian word kari, meaning a spiced, soup-like sauce, the term was assimilated into the English language with some minor mistranslation by the Europeans. In India, there are a wide variety of these spicy and sauce based dishes, all with distinguishing characteristics and flavor. Early travelers mistook all such dishes to be included within the term, and so the word became an English reference to this, eventually becoming a terminology mistake so widespread that it currently shows no signs of correction. In actuality, though it appears on countless Western restaurant menus and packaged "Indian" products, the term "curry" is not used in any of the languages of India.
 
That being said, curries are now widely known as being soup/stew-like dishes of Indian decent, though Thailand has a wealth of celebrated curry dishes as well, and are characterized by their unique and pungent blend of spices. These stews usually contain meat, fish, or vegetables, and are served with rice and/or traditional flatbreads. While the original South Indian kari typically is a mix of curry leaf, coriander, pepper, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek and turmeric, many curry dishes prepared in Western restaurant cuisine (and listed in cookbooks) contain garlic, ginger, onion, chili, turmeric, and oil; variations on these core ingredients, as well the addition of other spices and ingredients, create the different varieties of curry dishes we see today.
 
Making Curries
 
Curry dishes can be excellent choices for the health-conscious, as the powerful, calorie-free blends of seasonings can make up for flavors lost when reducing fat and sodium intakes. Heavy spices open the pores and increase circulation throughout the body, and lean protein like chicken or turkey avoid becoming "boring" under their influence. It is important to watch out for some Thai curry dishes using coconut milk; though delicious, coconut milk has a high fat and calorie content.
 
True curry making can be a long and involved process. It is widely recognized that authentic curry blends/pastes, possessing the true depth flavor for which they are applauded, cannot be bought pre-made. A truly perfect curry must be made from scratch, with the complete combination of spices being ground by hand using a stone mortar and pestle. This process can take hours; in Thailand, it is said that more of the cook's time revolves around hand grinding the proper flavorings for their meals than actually cooking them. Modern blenders and coffee grinders can be used, but the results will not be the same as doing it by hand.
 
Curries can be wet or dry. The dry are made from herbs pounded or ground by hand, and tend to keep quite well when stored properly and kept away from moisture. Wet curries are prepared in the same fashion, but added to with water, lime juice, coconut milk, or vinegar to create a paste, and have a shorter shelf life than dry varieties. Store-bought curry powders are widely recognized as being sub-par and inauthentic in most cases; they tend to display the same ignorance embraced in the term "curry", and can be nothing more than a bunch of poorly selected dried herbs ground into a fine powder.
 
Types of Curry
 
There is a vast array of so-called curry dishes out there, whether authentic Indian sub-continent preparations, Thai variations, or the restaurant versions many Western fans have grown familiar with. There are too many to list, but some of the better known and recognized include
 
Garam Masala : Masala is the Indian term for a spice mixture, perhaps the closest thing to a "curry" dish, by our standards, in the Indian language. The masala mixture is the foundation of cooking in India, and garam is the best known outside of the area. Usually hot, the core ingredients tend to be cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, and cloves; this foundation base is subject to constant variation based on the location and the cook, and is mostly used with meat or sometimes rice.
 
Kashmiri Masala : a close variation of Garam Masala, and made milder than garam by the addition of cardamom
 
Mussaman Curry Paste : a Muslim curry paste; cloves, coriander, cinnamon, white pepper, cumin, star anise, cardamom, red chilies, peanut oil, shallots, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste
 
Nam Prik Kaeng Khiao wan or Gaeng khieo wan (Thai Green Curry Paste) : possibly the spiciest of Thai curries; blend of green chillies, garlic, lemongrass, coriander seeds, shrimp paste, galangal, cumin, coriander root, white pepper corns, kaffir lime, used with meat and vegetable dishes (*note: Thai dishes often add lemongrass and coconut milk to their curries)
 
Nam Prik Kaeng Phet Daeng or Gaeng ped (Thai Red Curry Paste) : generally milder than Thai green curry, though measurement depends on amount of chillies used; same ingredients as green curry, utilizing dried red chilies instead of fresh green
 
Taaza Masala (Indian green curry) : literally a green blend made up of garlic, ginger, coriander, and mint, and used in stews
 
Tikka : most commonly used in meat dishes; garlic, ginger, red chile, coriander, black pepper, and often plain yogurt

Desserts

Sweets, tarts, pies, puddings, pastries - we all know what's coming at the end of any good meal. For most diners it is an anticipated and celebrated indulgence, a sweet treat that triggers the pleasure centers of the brain and leaves its patrons sighing with happiness. But for dieters and healthy eaters it can be another obstacle on the road to healthful living.
 
It's nearly impossible to resist at least one bite of a perfect pie or chocolate torte, no matter how dedicated you are to a healthy lifestyle, but what starts as a single bite can often lead to an empty plate. Some strict schools of dieting recommend beefing up meals with extra fruits and veggies and avoiding dessert altogether, and in theory, that's a good plan, but only in theory. The reality is that dessert is the course that contains some of the greatest culinary pleasures a diner can experience, and a true meal without it is incomplete.
 
Sweet things play a role in society, and have, at the very least, a symbolic value in meals. They welcome people into the home, express gratitude, and are the centerpieces of many cultural celebrations (cutting into a wedding salad just isn't as romantic). In many cultures, sending guests off into the night without a little treat is considered downright rude; additionally, deprivation in dieting has been proven to lead to damaging binges later down the road. So while keeping sweet things around your home on a daily basis should be avoided, you'll be faced with dessert eventually if you ever plan on leaving the house. Luckily, there are many ways to navigate these deliciously treacherous waters:
 
Keep the nutrients. Dessert doesn't have to be "unhealthy", and many of its elements (fruit, nuts, eggs) are considered healthy when utilized without the addition of excessive fats or sugar.
 
Don't peel fruits unless the recipe calls for it, most of their beneficial nutrients are in the skin.

Ditch the bad stuff. Many recipes are loaded with fats or the wrong fats (trans and saturated).

• Look for recipes that limit fats like butter, cream, or shortening and find richness from outside sources, like yogurt or pudding. Foam based cakes (angel food, chiffon, sponge, etc.), which get their airy fluffiness from beaten eggs or egg whites, often have less fat than butter based varieties, like devil's food or red velvet. And pick butter over margarine: studies have shown the spread to be loaded with damaging trans fat.
• Remember that fruit is a healthy substitute or addition to table sugar; cut back the white stuff and sweeten cookies and loaves with mashed banana, or choose recipes that feature fruits, rather than buttery dough, as toppings for pies or cakes.
• Try fruit plates, baked apples or pears with toasted nuts and cranberries, chocolate dipped strawberries, or fruit based sorbets and granitas.
• Mediterranean diets are notoriously heart healthy, take a page from their book and serve reasonable portions of high-quality plain yogurt topped with drizzled honey, chopped nuts, and fresh fruit like sour cherries or blueberries in place of sugary custards or panna cottas.

Pay attention to portions. The first few bites are usually the best, they set flavors on the palate and turn on all the little pleasure centers in the brain. Everything after those first few bites is superfluous, and in the case of many restaurant portions, just plain greedy.

• Help yourself to slivers of cake or pie, and small scoops of frozen desserts.
• When given a pre-set portion, like at banquets or restaurants, eat half of what you are given; share with a friend, or simply throw the other half away.

Be a gracious guest. Most hosts won't be offended if you take just a small taste of what they serve last, especially if you attribute being full to the success of the meal they've just served. You can also offer to bring dessert to return their hospitality, but don't offend friends by showing up with non-fat carob cookies. Search for healthier versions of classic recipes, or make small portions of the both the good and the bad, and let hosts choose for themselves.
Eat slowly. Taking the time to savor every little bite makes the most of smaller portions. Remember that the human body often doesn't register fullness immediately, and can take up to half an hour after you're full to send you the message. Slowing down your eating gives your body more time to recognize it's had enough.

Skip what's not worth it. Decide to treat yourself to slice of something that looks great but turns out disappointing? Put down the fork and let it go, and save those calories for something better. And always save the truly decadent stuff for special occasions, that's what makes it special.

Eat Greek Everyday

The Mediterranean diet is known worldwide for nourishing a population relatively free of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.  While the French have their wine and the Spanish their various tapas, Greek recipes are being integrated into the American diet more and more these days.  Knowing a few Greek recipes can help anyone incorporate parts of the Greek diet into their lifestyle.
 
Eating Greek food everyday means finding ways to incorporate the following into your diet:
 
• Olives
• Olive oil
• Bread
• Hummus
• Beans
• Melons
• Vegetables: Greek salad
 
Olives are a very unique tasting fruit that can be bought with a variety of flavors and can be used in many different ways.  Olives can be found in any large grocery store and can be incorporated into your diet easily.  Carrying olives as a snack is perfect when you’re on the go.  Adding them to your favorite pizza or salad can also help you eat Greek while out and about or even at home.  Lastly, mixing them into other vegetables can do wonders for your total veggie serving per day.  Vegetables are typically considered bland tasting so when you can add olives to them, you are more likely to eat them!  Another way Greek food proves itself to be amazing!
 
Olive oil is perhaps the one ingredient in Greek food that one can find at almost any grocery store and is the easiest to incorporate into your diet.  Olive oil has many health benefits among them including high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidative properties like vitamins A, C, and E. There are many simply ways to add olive oil into your diet.  You can add it to salad in place of the traditional salad dressings.  You can dip all your favorite whole grain breads into olive oil to give it an even more filling sensation.  You can use it as an alternative to other cooking oils like vegetable oil.  And finally, you can add olive oil as flavor to various recipes alongside herbs to give the meal that final touch.
 
Hummus can be a wonderful alternative to the traditional ranch dip we use often to enhance the taste of veggies.  The simple combination of chick peas, garlic, olive oil, and salt all blended together make hummus a very fast treat that can be eaten with crackers or any kind of bread.  My favorite is to add it to a sandwich instead of the typical miracle whip or mayonnaise.  Eating Greek can sure be scrumptious!
 
Beans are another food that provides lots of nutritional benefit to the Greek diet.  In the national Fassolatha soup, beans are the meaty substance of the taste and serve as an excellent source of fiber and protein for a filling soup.  There are many Greek recipes for this kind of soup online, but most of them include variations with tomatoes, olive oil, and onions.  You can add just about any kind of bean to this soup, so to make it part of your regular diet regiment, try making a few meals out of the week that include beans.  Not only in the form of a hearty soup, but also as part of the main dish or with a salad.
 
For something a little fruity, add various melons to your diet when they are in season.  Various melons grown in Greece include karpoozi (watermelon) and peponi (honeydew).  These are traditionally served as dessert following a meal; however, the famous Baklava dessert is a rich alternative.  This Greek recipe, though also found in Turkey, is made with phyllo dough, nuts like walnut or pistachio, and touched with a hint of honey or syrup.  You can make melons part of your diet easily during the summer months when they are in season, however, you can also find them during off months, though they will be a little more expensive.
 
Finally, we come to vegetables.  The Greeks, like most Mediterranean diets, includes vegetables as part of a healthy diet everyday.  The horiaktiki salata is Greek for their famous Greek Salad.  This Greek recipe for salad includes fresh onions, cucumbers, green peppers, feta cheese, red tomatoes, olives, and is dressed with herbs of oregano and virgin olive oil.  Sounds so delicious, right?  All of these ingredients can be found in any store so it is very possible to include this salad as part of a regular diet.  Other vegetables include the famous wild greens they serve during the summer.  These greens are called hortas and are served alone with lemon and olive oil, or as a side dish.  Very rich in nutrients like antioxidants which help clean up the by-products that your blood cells produce.
 
All of these Greek foods can be found in most stores.  By planning your meals accordingly, you could enjoy a few more meals with a Mediterranean flare.  And, why not?  These foods are a healthy and tasty way to prevent heart disease and cancer. 

Everyone’s Favorite – Sugars, Chocolate, and Confectionary

When it comes to food, people have a natural weakness to sugars to include cookies, candies, desserts, any type of confectionary food.  For some reason, sweets put a smile on our face, making us feel good.  The great thing about making sweet treats today is that in addition to using processed sugars, you can also go with natural sweeteners such as honey, spices, etc, or even artificial sugars to include brands like Sweet n’ Low, and Splenda.
 
The benefit to using natural or artificial sugars over processed is that people with diabetes can enjoy cookies, candy, and desserts without worrying about blood sugar climbing.  In addition, these sweeteners provide the sweet flavor we crave but with a huge reduction in calories.  Therefore, if you love sweets but hate the weight gain, you could switch out traditional sugar for natural or artificial sweeteners.
 
Baking has never been so good.  Over the years, various types of chocolates have been processed so they can be used in making favorite sweet foods.  Whether you love dark, semi-sweet, white, or other types of chocolates, you will have options found at your local grocery store.  You will also find literally thousands and thousands of confectionary recipes that can be made at home.  Instead of spending money on confections, you can now come up with your own beautiful creations for birthday parties, housewarming gatherings, picnics, entertaining, or whatever the occasion.
 
In this article, we wanted to provide you with information about the various types of sugars and chocolate baked with, showing you the difference in flavor each offers.  Keep in mind that sugars are also used in soda, tea, coffee, and other types of cooking.  In fact, the average person living in the United States consumes approximately 175 pounds of sugar every year, which equates to 46 teaspoons daily!  Unfortunately, sugar has zero nutritional value but it certainly tastes good.  Remember, natural sugar does contain nutrients, making it a healthier choice.
 
Processed Sugars
 
• Granulated Refined – This sugar is pure, made without moisture or dyes.  In most cases, granulated refined sugar is used for confectionary purposes.
• Amorphous Refined – This type of processed sugar has a little bit of color but real fine particles.  For that reason, you often see amorphous refined sugar used in candy, cookies, cakes, and syrups.
• Castor – More commonly called powdered or confectioner’s sugar, this is extremely fine but not refined.  Made at a plant, castor sugar is usually the choice for beverages, pastries, and even biscuits.
• Inverted Syrup – In this case, the processed sugar is made from 1/3 fructose, 1/3 glucose, and 1/3 sucrose, making it the ideal choice for ice cream, toffee, jams, liqueurs, soda, and syrup.
• Simple Syrup – This type of sugar is clear, most often used for making candy and clear drinks.
• Organic – Made without any chemicals or additives, organic sugar is a healthier choice.
 
Natural Sugars
  
• Maple Syrup
• Molasses
• Sugar Cane Juice
• Honey
• Corn Syrup
 
Artificial Sugars
 
• Splenda
• Nutrasweet
• Sweet ‘n Low
 
Chocolate
 
• Baking – A number of different chocolate types can be considered baking chocolate.  However, it is important to know the type of baking chocolate required for a recipe, whether unsweetened, bittersweet, semi-sweet, or sweetened.
• Bittersweet – This type of chocolate is made with a minimum of 35% chocolate liquor in addition to sugar and cocoa butter.  This too is a common type of chocolate used for baking.
• Cacao – Made from the cacao bean, this is crushed up into powder and of all chocolates, is the most healthy
• Chocolate Liquor – Made from ground up cacao making a paste with 53% cocoa butter added, this is the basis for all chocolates
• Cocoa – Cocoa is created by pressing out the fat such as the cocoa butter.  The leftover substance hardens, followed by a crushing process.  Because cocoa only has 10% to 20% fat, it is often the choice for baking low-fat cookies, candies, or other confectionary foods.
• Cocoa Butter – This is chocolate liquor that has had the fat pressed out
• Couverture – This type of chocolate is for coating, which is a dark chocolate that has cocoa powder added.  Typically, you would see couverture used for icing cakes, drizzling over pastries, or used as a coating for confectionary goodies.
• Dutch – Similar to cocoa, Dutch chocolate is made by having a potassium carbonate solution added to the powder, making it look black.
• Extract – If you love chocolate but hate the calories, you can add chocolate extract, which is made from cacao beans that have been soaked in alcohol
• Gianduja – With this, toasted hazelnuts are ground into chocolate powder, giving it a smooth texture and delicious taste, great for all types of baking.
• Ground – Ground chocolate is not cocoa.  Instead, it is actual eating chocolate, ground into a powder for baking or adding to drinks.
• Milk – Containing no less than 10% chocolate liquor, sugar, and cocoa butter, milk chocolate is creamy and smooth due to the 12% milk or cream added.
• Single Bean – This chocolate is made from one specific bean species grown in a particular region.
• Sweet – For this to be made, a minimum of 15% chocolate liquor mixed with sugar and cocoa butter are used.
• Unsweetened – This type of chocolate is commonly used for baking goodies in that sweetness and flavor are easily monitored and controlled.
• White – Interestingly, white chocolate contains no chocolate liquor so it is therefore, not an official type of chocolate but it still contains a minimum of 20% cocoa butter and 14% milk along with sugar, putting it into the chocolate category.

Finding and Creating Healthy Recipes

 In order to understand the basics of healthy eating, one should do a review of the new and improved Food Pyramid that the United States Department of Agriculture came up with a few years ago.  With the food pyramid you can create your own meal plans depending on whether or not you are trying to gain, maintain, or lose weight.  However, this can be time consuming between calorie counting and trying to squeeze in that last serving of vegetables.  Perhaps the easiest way to start a lifestyle that includes healthy eating is by making a list of all the recipes you want to eat, start cooking, make variations, and then save them in your own personal healthy recipes cookbook.  You can even put your family name on it and start a healthy eating tradition that you can pass on down for generations!  Here’s how to start:
 
• Make a list of your favorite fruits and vegetables. 
• Write down your favorite beverages (including sodas and flavored ones).
• Write down foods you love to snack on (including the fatty fried ones like chips).
• Write down your favorite style of foreign foods (Chinese, Greek, etc).
• Write down recipes that you may already have and love.
• Make a list of salt and sugar alternatives in addition to herbs you like.
• Think about whether or not you want organic food to be at the foundation of your healthy recipe cookbook.
 
Now, if you aren’t used to some general concepts in healthy eating, doing these seven things could take some time.  To help, it’s important to show some details about each bullet point mentioned.  First, if you don’t like many vegetables or fruits, add foods like chocolate and cake next to a particular fruit or vegetable to make them seem more appealing.  For example, I came up with apple chocolate and zucchini cake.  Another alternative is to simply add the word dessert to the end of a vegetable or fruit.  For example, I came up with carrot dessert and kiwi dessert.  Alone, kiwi and carrots may not sound that appealing.  But you can see how adding on the word dessert, a word traditionally associated with something that tastes good, makes it easier for us to include more fruits and veggies to our list.
 
Second, if you find your list of favorite beverages include soda products like Coke and alcoholic beverages like vodka or rum, you may think of giving up.  But do not give up just yet.  You can turn these things into something great.  For example, you can make alcoholic smoothies but adding things like frozen fruit, sugar-free sherbet, and lots of ice to your favorite drink.  So, instead of just drinking rum, you can add “Strawberry-Bannana-Sherbert” to the word Vodka and automatically you have added some very healthy vitamin C and potassium to what was previously just empty calories. 
 
Third, the snack foods can make it seem impossible to eat healthy.  But, imagine eating chips you baked yourself at home!  I personally love Doritos.  Doritos are pretty much cheese fried on potatoes.  So, if I find a recipe for baked chips, adding some black pepper and cheese to it, adds not only more flavor than the Doritos, but also a healthy herb and calcium to the previously recipe of pure saturated fat.
 
Fourth, most people do enjoy eating some kind of foreign meal every once and a while.  Lucky for most Americans, in moderation, a lot of foreign food has great health benefits.  But again, moderation is the key.  So if you want to eat that Sweet and Sour Chicken meal at your local Chinese restaurant, think about keeping it to just once a month.  Although other international foods from Greece and Japan are traditionally healthier, still it must be kept in moderation.
 
Fifth, regarding writing down healthy recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation isn’t for everyone.  After all, not all grandmothers spent hours in the kitchen daily feeding families of six or more in the 1950’s.  If you do not have a list of your favorite recipes, ask other relatives, friends, and neighbors to let them give you their own.  Ask them, in particular, for something you’ve had of theirs before, maybe at a birthday party or for dinner on Christmas Eve.
 
Sixth, unless you are a registered dietician with years of education in nutrition, it is highly doubtful you would know of the many alternatives of salt and sugar in the food market these days.  However, you can still make the list by asking someone in your local grocery store or even reading about it online.  This is an important part of your healthy recipe cookbook as most recipes call for some use of salt and sugar, each being a culprit in chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood sugar.
 
Lastly, think about your budget and which foods you can buy that are organic.  The science behind organic vs. highly processed foods is very clear and whenever possible you want to buy organic.  But again, let this be in moderation, so the change is gradual.  For example, next time at the store, buy one or two things that are organic.  Organic bananas are popular and pretty widespread.
 
Now, once you have completed your own personal recipes, start searching online for unlimited free access to other healthy eating recipes.  Simply type in the phrase healthy recipes and pages of FREE recipes will pop up as links!  To make the process of finding health recipes simple, try to keep each search category specific.  For example, spend one day looking for main dish recipes and another looking for desserts, otherwise you will be overwhelmed. If you want to spend money, an alternative to searching online would be to buy a healthy eating cookbook from your local bookstore.  The benefits of a cookbook would include the fact that they always traditionally have photos and provide very specific directions making it almost impossible to ruin a new healthy recipe.  However, take my advice; you should spend your money on buying ingredients for your fiesta of healthy eating instead of wasting trees and gas getting to a bookstore.  Also, these days some sites provide photos with each healthy recipe.
 
You can find more information and tools for eating healthy and the food pyramid online at www.mypyramid.gov/. 

Food Stamps

The United States Department of Agriculture created the Food Stamps program in 1969 to help an increasingly growing population with purchasing of food.  This program intends to prevent the malnutrition that we see in other countries that is frequently associated with poverty.  Food insecurity is the lack of availability of food in the house.  It refers to the inability of a family to consistently provide meals to their household members.  In addition to Food Stamps, the Women Infants and Children program (WIC), also supports households with a low socioeconomic status. 
 
Welfare programs like Food Stamps and WIC are typically utilized by families as a last resort to help pay for food and infant formula.  One recent study showed that as many as 10% of Americans use Food Stamps due to the high prices of gas and food.  Families also use it when someone loses a job, an extra member is added to the household, or when the economy beings to recess.  In these situations, families typically use the programs for a short duration until they can get back on their feet.  However, some families tend to remain on public assistance programs like Food Stamps and WIC for longer than average.  For example, some families may use a program even after securing employment.  This may be due to the fact that minimum wage does not cover the increase in food prices.
 
While Food Stamps works to allow a specific amount of money each month to be designated to a family in need to pay for groceries, often the amount given is hardly enough to cover what is truly needed to buy groceries.  For example, a family of three may receive just $200 to cover an entire month of groceries.  Families in these situations often end up buying foods that are less nutritious due to the fact that they cannot afford to buy more.  So, foods like fresh fruits and vegetables end up getting exchanged for canned vegetables and juice. 
 
The WIC program works to provide community nutrition education to help families make healthier eating decisions, however, this nutrition education is often in vain because families simply cannot afford to eat healthy.  Both Food Stamps and WIC and just supplemental programs meaning if a family cannot afford to buy groceries outside of these programs, they simply will have to face food insecurity until they can. 
 
Now, generally speaking most agree that WIC is a better program to help keep low income families relatively healthy because this program only permits the families to buy specific healthy foods for their families.  Foods like milk, eggs, cereal, juice, peanut butter, carrots, etc are all foods that provide essential nutrients for families all across the country.  Food Stamps is often disputed and praised at the same time because they allow families to buy whatever they want, which often lets them buy cheaper items.  However, families also can use that money to buy cheap unhealthy foods like chips or soda. 
 
Many people argue that people abuse the Food Stamps program due to the fact that families are allowed to stay on it for a long time.  For example, the state of Minnesota allows families to utilize public assistance programs like Food Stamps for a maximum of five consecutive years.  This argument is difficult to disagree with in recent times especially due to the fact again that minimum wage is so low.  For example, even if someone was able to secure a job at minimum wage, at the end of the day working 40 hours a week is often not worth it if you can’t afford to pay for rent, food, daycare, etc.  People in this situation often find it better to just accept public assistance and not look for another job or improve their situation because in the end it is just not worth it.
 
Food Stamps is often argued against also due to the fact that people often are kicked out of the program the minute they secure a decent paying job.  For example, if the income cut off is $2000 a month for a family of five and the family starts to make $2001 a month, this means they make too much money and therefore are automatically kicked out of the program.  This makes it difficult for families to even be motivated to get a raise.  Who would want to report that they make an extra dollar a month just to end up losing the extra $200 they usually get through Food Stamps?  No one would.
 
In light of this, the debate usually ends with people saying that Food Stamps is a valued but poorly formulated program.  Food Stamps, along with other public assistance programs often mimic this same conclusion.  Welfare programs have great value overall as far as helping families in need, but often they function to support people staying on public assistance longer than necessary due to ridiculous rules like making a penny over the income guidelines. 

Foods to Always Buy Organic

During times of economic hardship, it can be very difficult to always buy everything you eat as organic; however due to pesticides and other dangerous chemicals it is important to buy some foods always organic.  The main reason is that some fruits and vegetables in particular are always full of unsafe pesticides.  Remember, pesticides are used mainly to increase production and appearance of the food product to be sold.  Organic food is food grown by farmers who pay no attention to the popularity of mass production and “perfection” appearance often desired by most producers in this country.
 
Fruits are a very essential part of our diet in the sense that they provide us with nutrients like vitamins A, C, and potassium.  Fruits are also important because we often include them with desserts and often we teach our kids that fruits themselves are indeed nature’s dessert.  Fruits that should always be bought organic include the following:
 
1. Strawberries
2. Cherries
3. Peaches
4. Apricots
5. Apples
6. Bananas (sometimes)
7. Grapes
8. Raspberries
9. Cantaloupe
10. Nectarines
 
Vegetables, like fruits, are also an important part of our diet.  Vegetables provide us with incredibly important nutrients like vitamin A and folate.  Vegetables, even more so than fruits, should be bought organically because they are often recalled by the Department of Agriculture.  Vegetables that should always be bought organic include the following:
 
1. Spinach
2. Carrots
3. Celery
4. Corn
5. Lettuce
6. Green Beans
7. Cucumbers
8. Potatoes
9. Squash
10. Hot Peppers
 
Meats, poultry, and eggs are another group of foods that should be bought organically.  These foods above all other fruits and vegetables are foods that should ALWAYS be bought organically.  It is these foods that usually contain an abnormally high level of horrible toxins not limited to just pesticide, but also hormones.  These synthetic hormones are used in order to make the average chicken bigger.  Between the hormones and pesticides, many studies have shown that there are links to chronic diseases.  The following are foods that should always be bought organic:
 
1. Chicken
2. Milk
3. Eggs
 
Now, the decision to buy all these particular foods organically is huge, especially if things are financial tough.  With gas prices soaring higher daily and the price of food generally going up and up, you might think it is a waste of time to even consider buying more expensive food.  Some people might even think buying organic is the same as buying name brand products, it’s just a waste of time.  But before you decide no to buying organic food, think about what is behind the price of organic food. 
 
The reason why organic food is generally more expensive is because right now growing food organically is not considered mainstream; it is an alternative way of doing things.  This means farmer’s got he extra mile to produce quality products and often because of this cannot afford to produce massive quantities for millions of people to consume on a daily basis.  While it may take some time for this to change, below are some good tips that may be helpful in order to save money when it comes to buying organic food.
 
• Use your local farmer’s market – Farmer’s markets are great fun for the summertime or year round depending on where you live.  These local markets not only are environmentally friendly in the sense that all food is locally grown so you don’t have to worry about your food traveling hundreds of miles thus pumping gallons of toxic gas into the air.  Farmer’s markets are usually less expensive and you can buy healthy toxic free items in bulk.  Buying in bulk will let you save money.  This is the best deal if you have enough space in your freezer.  Another nice thing about these markets is that the farmers usually love to talk about their produce and how you can prepare it for your family.
 
• Join a Food Co-op or other community group – All over the U.S., but mainly in bigger cities, you can find a food Co-op.  Generally speaking if you can get to one of these groups, you can save a lot of money, time, and shopping is very easy since most if not all things sold in the store will be organic.
 
• Buy one food organic at a time – If you can’t afford to buy everything listed above organically, try to buy just the ones you eat the most often organically.  For example, if you eat an apple a day, always buy apples organically.  However, if you eat a banana once a month, there’s no need to make a big deal about going organic with bananas. 

Gourmet Food

What is gourmet food?  This is a topic we explore on a daily basis, even if we do not go to a fine classy uptown restaurant.  It is a topic some of us are intimately familiar and others completely clueless.  I had always considered myself in the later category for quite some time until I realized that what one person considers gourmet food, another person might consider it to be the equivalent of garbage. 
 
Take this scenario.  If you rarely have a chance to go to a fine restaurant and you are invited, you of course would expect that since it is more expensive food, the food would taste better.  However, I would argue that even “gourmet” food has its bad moments.  Expensive does not always equal amazing quality.  On the Fox show “Hell’s Kitchen” many novice chefs are competing to win the approval of a world renown chef and the many taste testers that visit their restaurant to rate the level of service.  Although most fine restaurants already established a good reputation, all it takes it for one element of the experience to change and suddenly the gourmet food turns into the main dish served at a local diner.  One element might be a tired and overworked chef.  Another element that can’t be controlled might be the fact that you like sweet versus sour foods.
 
Because of this, the term gourmet food is very relative.  It is relative because we all come from different backgrounds and what one person considers gourmet, another might consider “so-so”.  Someone from the India might believe gourmet to mean classy vegetarian style meal while someone from Kenya might believe gourmet to mean a classy meat dish.  This is not only due to cultural differences, but also how we accumulate taste preferences growing up.  Taste preference is not only learned, but also a genetic factor. On our tongue we have four types of taste buds:
 
· Fungiform papillae – which are mostly present at the tip of the tongue but some are on the sides.
· Filiform papillae – which are all over the tongue and most abundant.
· Foliate papillae – which are mostly present around the center of the tongue where grooves easily form
· Circumvallate papillae – which are found mostly on the back of the tongue
 
Because of the diversity of these taste buds, we all have unique experiences with food in our background.  Sometimes bad childhood experiences, such as burning a certain part of your tongue multiple times, might make you less sensitive to tasting foods that are sweet or sour.  Sometimes, if your family was big on salt, you might become less sensitive to foods that are lightly salted.  Everyone has a different experience and because of this it is almost impossible to say there is only one kind of gourmet food.  
 
Another way food is relative is that some people like foods cooked very well or raw.  For example, when you go to a restaurant that serves steak, the waiter may ask if you want the steak rare, medium-rare, or well done.  Rare means you hardly want it cooked at all while well done means you want it so cooked there is nothing raw about it.  If you request to have it served rare and you get well done, even though it was nicely cooked and some people would love it, there is a high chance you will be disappointed.  Rare meat tastes VERY different from well done meat.
 
Separate from our differences in opinion on good tasting meats, there are vegetables.  Some people enjoy raw vegetables.  Raw vegetables typically carry more nutrients than cooked vegetables, however, we all have our preferences.  For example, raw carrots are incredible for getting the nutrient beta carotene into your body.  However, when overly cooked so that even a baby could eat it, the nutrient seeps out of the carrot while boiling and is lost in the water.  Still, some people like the taste of carrots better when cooked versus raw. So next time you are eating with a friend and they exclaim “This is the best (blank) I have ever had” and you are thinking “I’ll never order this again”, do not feel bad.  Your food tasting background may be different from your friend’s experiences.  Your taste buds may have developed differently than your friend’s little taste buds.  Gourmet food is above anything else usually expensive.  A part from being expensive, your experiences with it are completely relative to the science behind your taste buds.

How Food Helps You Live Better

The human body is a machine that never gets a break. Even when you are sleeping, your brain and organs are working to keep you healthy. The old comparison of your body being like a car may by now seem cliched, but it remains as true as ever: if you don't fuel it properly, it's going to break down. And for humans more than cars, it is important to fill up with super-plus, rather than regular unleaded; when we break down, sometimes recovery takes a whole lot more than a simple tune-up.
 
But how does food help?
 
Fueling the Machine
 
Your body is a fascinating machine, with thousands of parts working every moment of everyday, from the tiniest cell to your beating heart. Food is the body's only source of fuel; we do not absorb our energy from the sun the way plants do, nor can we plug into an electrical outlet for a quick recharge. In order for your brain, vital organs and muscles to function properly, they must have the energy to do so. A balanced intake of calories from complex carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats provides an abundance of this energy, keeping you full of vim and vigor.

• Maintaining a Healthy Immune System
   
  A well-balanced diet keeps you healthy in two ways: by maintaining a healthy immune system and by helping you effectively fight disease.
   
  Your body houses a resident army of cells that have one purpose: to keep you healthy. Bacteria and viruses are found everywhere in everyday life: on door handles, in food, in the air, on your skin; you get the point. When these illness causing germs enter the body, they can attack healthy cells and tissue and make you sick. Your immune system is there to prevent these germs from ever gaining a foothold, killing those that are strong enough to cause illness before trouble even starts.
   
  Excessive amounts of fat, processed sugar and alcohol can weaken your body's immune system drastically. Too much of any of these substances can inhibit the body's production of white blood cells, the immune cells responsible for locating and attacking germs. Fat in particular achieves this; sugar cuts white blood cell effectiveness by almost one third. Alcohol, which is a toxin itself, can lead to nutritional deficiencies, and also keeps white blood cells from multiplying. A majority of people consume too much of all three, making themselves especially susceptible to disease.
   
  Comparatively, a healthy diet improves immune effectiveness and produces more white blood cells.
• Fighting and Preventing Disease
   
  A healthy diet is one of the strongest weapons you can give your body, and there are several foods that are particularly good to have in your arsenal.
   
  Fruits and vegetables offer vitamins like A, C, and E, which are potent disease fighters. Vitamin C promotes white blood cell production and increases levels of interferon, an antibody that protects your body from viruses by coating cells, making them harder to penetrate and infect. Vitamin E stimulates the production of natural killer cells, which patrol the body killing germs and cancer cells. Vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene (found in carrots and orange/yellow produce), stimulates immune cells that specifically target cancer and also helps produce more natural killer cells.
   
  In addition, nutrients like zinc and selenium, which are also powerful disease and cancer fighters, can be obtained through a healthy diet that includes plenty of lean meat, fish, whole grains and legumes.
• Reversing Damage Done
   
  Free radicals are harmful, unstable compounds found in the atmosphere and toxic substances (cigarette smoke, for example). Free radicals damage healthy cells, and can lead to cancer, illness, and premature aging. Luckily, free radicals can be stabilized and rendered harmless by antioxidants, compounds found in certain foods. Vitamin C and E are amongst these antioxidants, as are carotenoids like beta carotene. Flavenoids, found in teas, chocolate, citrus, berries, wine, and whole wheat, also act as antioxidants, killing carcinogens (cancer causing agents) and protecting cells.
   
  A diet rich in these nutrients is associated with lower occurrences of cancers and disease. As an added bonus, topical antioxidants applied to the skin have been shown to prevent wrinkles and reduce the physical signs of aging.
• Making you Happy
   
  A healthy diet has been shown to play a large part in a person's overall happiness. It is obviously easier to smile when you're feeling good, but studies are finding what you eat may play a large part than we thought. Diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, flaxseeds, and nuts) have recently been linked to depression and anxiety (as well as heart disease and high blood pressure). New research has shown that individuals being treated for depression and anxiety disorders showed marked signs of improvement after taking Omega-3 fatty acid supplements.
   
  Eat Well, Live Well
   
  Indeed, science is proving that what we eat has a remarkable effect on our overall quality of life. A balanced diet with an emphasis on lean proteins, fish, healthy oils, whole grains, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables may not be a magic pill, but it is a good foundation for a long, healthy and happy life.

How to Understand a Healthy Food

What is a "healthy" food?
 
Technically speaking, a healthy food is any food item that delivers a dose of macronutrients, vitamins, and/or minerals without delivering an imbalanced proportion of empty calories (energy delivered without other vital nutrients) or toxins to the body. This definition therefore applies to almost any food that is consumed in moderation, but is especially applicable to what the nutritional field refers to as functional foods. These are foods that when consumed regularly offer physiological or psychological benefits beyond simply providing nutrients to the individual, i.e. foods that have been shown to fight/prevent chronic illness.
 
What are macronutrients?
 
Macronutrients are the main components of food: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. All three nutrients are vital to a healthy and balanced diet, and while moderation must be exercised in all cases, any diet that severely restricts or omits one of these nutrients is considered dangerously unhealthy, leading to illness and possibly death.
 
Carbohydrates
 
Carbohydrates are the human body's favorite source of energy. Broken down into simple carbohydrates (sugars) and complex carbohydrates (long chains of sugars arranged to form starch or fiber), they are the fuel for all of the body's various functions. Additionally, carbohydrates are the only form of energy easily utilized by the human brain, which is why many "lo-carb" diets are associated with poor concentration, "brain fog", and irritability. Carbohydrates contribute about 4 calories (Kcal) of energy per gram.
 
Sugars, the simplest carbohydrates found in fruit, candy, and table sugar, are absorbed quickly by the body and put immediately to use. Though they provide immediate energy to our system, their simple structure means they are broken down quickly, and therefore generally provide only short bursts of energy. This is why some people experience a "crash" after consuming a quantity of simple or refined sugars without combining other macronutrients: a handful of candy eaten for lunch may provide a quick pick-me-up, but will be quickly absorbed and burned off, leaving you sluggish shortly thereafter.
 
Better options for long-term energy are complex carbohydrates in the form of starch or fiber, found in fruits, veggies, and grain/whole-grain products like rice, bread, and pasta. These are broken down less easily by the body, and are longer lasting providers of energy. Fiber also helps to keep you fuller longer, decreasing appetite and the amount of food needed to feel satiated.
 
Protein
 
Proteins are compounds that are responsible for most of the body's vital functions, such as blood clotting, immune response, and maintaining fluid/electrolyte balances that prevent dehydration; every protein has a different job. Some proteins can be created by your body, but others "the essential amino acids" can only be obtained through consumption of foods.
 
Proteins also contribute 4 Kcal of energy per gram, and are most readily found in meat, nuts, and legumes.
 
Fats
 
Fats, which can be broken down into saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, cholesterols, and fatty acids, are perhaps the most confusing and misunderstood nutrient. Fat is the body's storage form of energy (calories), meaning it is energy that the body has reserved for times when energy is low and not easily replenished (this was the body's way of surviving thousands of years ago when food could become scarce at any time); fats yield 9 Kcal per gram. Some fats also have duties within the human body, which is why a diet completely devoid of fats can lead to nutrient deficiencies and illness.
 
Now that food is more readily available and humans are less active, stored fats can go unused, leading to weight gain and obesity. But it is important to recognize not all fats are bad. Unsaturated fats, including both mono and polyunsaturated, found in fish, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and grains, have been found to be quite healthy, and can lower levels of "bad" fats in the body while making you feel full longer. Saturated fats, found in red meat and dairy, are fats associated with heart disease and illness, and should be consumed in careful moderation only.
 
Vitamins and Minerals
 
These are the additional substances needed to generate healthy activity within the body while maintaining normal body function. While the body does generate some vitamins and minerals on its own, most need to be eaten to be utilized by the body.
 
Balance and Moderation
 
The DRI (Daily Recommended Intakes) for Macronutrients are as follows:

• 40-65 percent from carbohydrates
• 15-35 percent from protein
• 15-35 percent from fat (no more than 10% in the form of saturated fats)

  These recommendations should be customized to the individual by a licensed professional to account for weight, activity level, and dietary needs.
   
  By definition, almost any food can be considered healthy when it is consumed in proper proportion to other foods. Contrary to popular belief, no one nutrient makes you fat. Too much of any nutrient leads to weight gain and obesity the same way too little leads to illness and death. Sugar, despite lo-carb claims to the contrary, is only converted into fat when excesses are not burned off; the same is true for fats/proteins. All are essential to maintain healthy function within the body.

Ingredients of a Healthy Food

We understand that food provides certain essential macronutrients, namely protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Without these nutrients in balance no diet can be completely healthy. However, some qualities of certain nutrients are healthier than others, and some foods provide these healthy items better than others. Understanding the "ingredients" of a "healthy" food will help you to build a diet that can better fuel the body and prevent disease.
 
Good Fats, Bad fats
 
Not all fats are created equal. We know that an excess of fat can lead obesity, heart disease, and chronic illnesses like cancer. However, there are several kinds of fat that are not only beneficial but essential to healthy living. They are needed for the transportation and absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, which cannot be absorbed and used by the body without fats; the regulation of cholesterol in metabolism; for the creation of certain chemicals used by the body; and for healthy skin and hair. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are actually good for cardiovascular system, lowering bad cholesterol. Additionally, some fats that exist in the form of fatty acids, like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, help prevent disease, lower bad cholesterol, control high blood pressure, and treat ailments like depression and anxiety disorder.
 
Polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, Omega-3's, and Omega-6's are elements of healthy foods; even though a serving of nuts may appear very high in fat, you'll notice that saturated fat quantities are low; the rest of come from this "good fat" category. Most ingredient labels now list poly and mono unsaturated fats, so knowing a good fatty food from a bad fatty food is as easy as checking the package. Some sources of good fats include:
  
- Olive oil
- Walnut oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Sesame and sunflower seed oils
- Avocado oil
- Nuts like walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, pistachios, and cashews
- Oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, bass, and sardines
- Whole grains like flaxseed and wheat germTry to replace bad fats, like butter and margarine, with the good oils and fats listed above. Replacing sources of saturated fats, like excessive quantities of cheese, fried food, or red meat, a few times a week with the healthier options above can add an extra nutritious edge you your diet. Sautee items in olive or walnut oils rather than frying in tradition oil and use ground nuts as flavorful sauces instead of cheese or cream, and substitute fish for red meat at least once a week.
 
Lean Protein
 
Protein makes up our hair, nails, skin, blood, hormones, enzymes...the list goes on. Suffice to say that protein is essential to the human diet. Broken down by special acids and used to perform countless functions, protein must be replenished daily through our diet, making it a very healthy ingredient in food. Good sources include: 
  
- eggs
- meat and poultry
- fish
- milk and other dairy products, like yogurt or cheese
- legumes like beans, peas, and nuts
- whole grainsThe problem with protein is that when consumed in the form of many meats and/or animal products, protein can be accompanied by saturated fat. Lean protein, or protein that is accompanied by less than 10grams of fat, is the best choice for weight and health conscious eaters. Choosing lean meats, like chicken, turkey, or lean beef (beef that has been trimmed of excess fats) provides plenty of protein without the added calories and fats.
 
Fiber
 
Fiber, though not scientifically considered an essential nutrient, plays many important roles in healthy living and nutritious foods. It lowers cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar levels, slows the digestion of carbohydrates, regulates the digestive system/prevents constipation, and slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Fiber rich diets have been linked to lower instances of heart disease and obesity.
 
Fiber, like the different fats, is also listed on all food labels. Good sources include: whole grains, unrefined grains, grains, whole grain products like bread and pasta, brans, oatmeal, wheat germ, fruits, and vegetables.
 
Vitamins
 
These food elements work together to fill in the rest of the nutritive properties of food. Deficiencies often lead to illness and death, as is often in the case in third world countries where well rounded diets are not easily accessible. The list of these elements and the roles they play is long... B vitamins alone could take up an entire page, but here is a guideline to some of the most important:
 
Vitamin A: helps build and maintain healthy skin and promotes eye health; found in dark leafy greens like spinach, and yellow/orange fruits or veggies like carrots
 
Vitamin B-complex: performs many roles, including releasing food energy, building healthy skin, aiding the development of red blood cells, and assisting metabolism; found in dairy, meat, nuts, legumes, some fruit, and vegetables (individual vitamin sources vary)
 
Vitamin C: maintains healthy blood vessels and tissues, speeds healing, and boosts the immune system; found in citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, strawberries, and green tea
 
Vitamin D: maintains healthy bones and teeth and helps them harden, aids in calcium absorption; found in dairy, eggs, some fish, and sunlight
 
Vitamin E: fights the destruction of healthy cells and vitamins like A and C by free radicals; found in dark, leafy greens, vegetable oils, whole grains, wheat germ
 
Vitamin K: helps blood to clot; found in dark, leafy greens, milk, egg yolks

Making Delicious Summer Dishes

With summertime just around the corner, finding time to make healthy meals becomes challenging.  With so many summer activities, having adequate time in the kitchen to prepare a delicious, refreshing, and health meal seems like an impossible task to many.  However, we wanted to provide you with some great tips and recipes for excellent summer dishes, meals the entire family will love.  Of course, fresh fruits and vegetables might be good in the summer, but they are also delicious any time of year.
 
One of the great things about summer dishes is that if you have time, you could start your own garden, growing your favorite fruits and vegetables.  In fact, a home garden is a great family project that would not only put fresh food on the table, but also help you save money at the grocery store and teach your children about growing foods.  Without doubt, enjoying meals made from food you grew seems to have an extra special flavor.
 
Now, if you simply do not have time or perhaps live in an apartment or home where growing a garden is not an option, you could always visit your local farmer’s market.  There, you would find all types of fresh foods and flowers, giving you the opportunity to enjoy organic foods but at a much lower price than you would spend at the store.  You will also find that foods sold at farmer’s markets offer more variety and of course, the fresh taste is unbeatable.
 
The great thing about cooking during the summer is that many dishes can be made in little time or made ahead of time.  This way, you and the family would have a chance to sit down and have a real meal together.  Summer dishes often include fresh vegetables and fruits, making them light and healthy.  Additionally, with summertime, you have foods that are simply not available during any other time of year so the possibilities are tremendous.
 
Instead of feeling stuck, we wanted to provide you with a few of our favorite summer dishes, those that are easy to make, affordable, and taste delicious.  Whether making salad, pasta, stir-fry, or other easy dishes, you can prepare summer dishes in less than 30 minutes, keeping you out of a hot kitchen while enjoying great, healthy food.
 
Summer Zucchini
 
1 stick butter
2 1/2 cups zucchini and summer squash, sliced 1/4-inch thin
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 cup mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups Italian flavored breadcrumbs
 
Parboil the zucchini and squash until just tender.  Melt the butter, mixing well with the breadcrumbs.  Place one-half of the breadcrumb mixture in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan, pressing firmly.  Place a layer of the cooked zucchini and squash on top of the breadcrumbs, sprinkle with onion, and top with carrot.  In a bowl, mix the soup, cheddar cheese, and sour cream, pouring on top of the layers.  Cover with remaining breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
 
Italian Grilled Chicken
 
1 bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
Pepper to taste
Butter
Chicken breasts
 
Marinate the chicken breasts in the salad oil for four to eight hours.  After firing up the grill, season the chicken with pepper, and dot with butter.  Place on a hot grill, cooking about 10 minutes per side or until done.  The flavor is magnificent and the recipe too easy.
 
Fresh Fruit Parfait
 
1 cup each, cut into bite-size pieces
• Watermelon
• Bananas
• Raisins
• Pineapple with juice
• Peaches
Whipped Topping or Vanilla Yogurt
 
Mix all the fruit in a bowl and then place in individual serving parfait glasses.  Top each with two tablespoons whipped topping or yogurt.  If you like, you can also sprinkle on almonds, cinnamon, or coconut.
 
Typically, summer dishes are made from fresh foods, consisting of recipes that are easy and many that can be made ahead of time.  Whether serving your family a meal, having friends over for brunch, or taking food to a child’s ballgame, you could prepare most or all the recipe, putting it together within minutes.  Finger sandwiches, potato salads, pasta salads, quick stir-fry, or even desserts are just some of the favorites.  During the summer months, be creative, taking many of your favorite fresh fruits and vegetables, coming up with some of your own recipes.  You might surprise yourself with what you create.  We also recommend that you get the kids involved, allowing them to assist with making summer dishes.  In fact, older kids could be given specific prep tasks, making the dinner process even faster!

Prevalence of Food Recalls

According to the government website www.recalls.gov/food, in the United States food recalls occur almost consistently at three times a week.  Three times a week!  This is of course on the national level, but still, three times a week is a lot.  Food recalls and safety alerts happen almost like clockwork.  In fact, they happen so often it’s almost like the idea that food safety exists is a joke. 
 
Right now the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has jurisdiction to federally demand that food or pet food be recalled in order to protect consumers.  Food recalls happen so frequently that one must wonder why the USDA doesn’t do just a tad bit more to protect consumers.  While there aren’t that many, food recall related deaths do occur. 
 
Consumers can do many things to protect themselves, but it is impossible to completely avoid all processed and fresh food altogether in this country.  While the news media has the ability to report on massive recalls, it cannot cover all the recalls happening and often does not cover any recalls unless people are getting sick from it.  So what can the average consumer do to protect themselves besides starvation?
 
The USDA has set up an e-mail subscription system that can allow people to receive all the food recalls and safety alerts electronically.  This would work well if it weren’t for the fact that at some point you might confuse the USDA with spam because they are likely to send so many recalls and alerts each week. 
 
One possibility would be to simply look at their website under food, poultry, eggs, and meat recalls as often as you would like to.  When looking for recall information, it might be useful to understand some basic USDA definitions.
 
• A Class I recall is defined as “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
• A Class II recall is defined as “a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.
• A Class III recall is defined as “a situation in which the use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.”  This kind of recall also includes improper labeling.
• Market withdrawal is defined as the result of a minor violation in which a product is removed from the market or corrected.
• Medical device safety alert is issued “in situations where a medical device may present an unreasonable risk of substantial harm.”  Sometimes these alerts may be considered recalls as well.
 
Something important for every consumer to know is that the USDA cannot force a product off the shelves unless they have a court order.  If then the manufacturer still does not want to comply, the USDA can send in the troops to remove the products from the stores and/or stop production.  In fact, the main reason a product gets recalled is because the manufacturer or distributor does not want to lose consumer business.  So they voluntarily recall items and may or may not issue a press release.  Sometimes when a manufacturer does not want to recall an item due to feared loss of revenue, the USDA can get a court order if there is substantial evidence supporting the need for the product removal.  This can take time, however.
 
So, what happens if you find out something is wrong with what you are eating?  The USDA accepts reports through mail, e-mail, and over the phone as needed regarding complaints about a product.  E-mail is definitely the most popular these days for sending in complaints, however, the USDA often must investigate through further means if the complaint is serious enough and could potentially affect a huge or vulnerable population.  Vulnerable populations obviously include infants, children, pregnant women, and the elderly.  One must follow the proper guidelines when submitting a complaint.  For example, you cannot just send a general e-mail to the federal government.  You have to go through the proper channels.  These channels include finding out which district you live in and sending it to state office from there.
 
Food recalls have been going on for a long time now so it’s nothing to be afraid of, yet definitely something to think about.  This is especially true if you’re trying to avoid food poisoning.  One thing you can do is avoid high risk foods that have been consistently recalled in the past.  For example, avoiding meat, poultry, and eggs is definitely a way to avoid salmonella while at the same time becoming a vegetarian.  But in the end, it’s almost impossible to avoid having consumed something that has or will be recalled in a lifetime. 

Rice and Bread Dishes

Rice and bread, in combination, are the foundation of life as we know it. The base starches of nearly every diet recorded worldwide, no two foods are eaten as consistently and on as wide a scale as rice and bread. They play an important role in a balanced diet, contributing fiber, B-vitamins, and brain fueling carbohydrates.
 
Rice
 
A type of grass, rice has been cultivated for thousands of years, archeological evidence supports the theory that rice has been processed in China for almost 7000 years, and recent discoveries in Southern Asian regions like Korea and Thailand may date rice cultivation even farther back. The Eastern tropical climate makes rice particularly suited for growing Asia, though it is a main agricultural crop in the United States and several other non-Asian countries. As of 2005 China, India, and Indonesia were the top rice producers in the world, with the largest exporting countries being Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States.
 
Rice isn't limited to the non-descript "white" varieties widely available in supermarkets. There are short grained or long grained choices, instant (already cooked and/or dehydrated) or converted (parboiled), brown (with the germ left intact) or white (germ and bran removed) and even glutinous (the "sticky" variety used in Asian cooking, especially in dessert dishes). There are regional rice variations, like India's Basmati, Thailand's Jasmine, and Italy's risotto, as well aromatic or fragrant varieties such as Wild Pecan, Texmati, or Popcorn.
 
Rice is the base of even the most humble subsistence diets, providing nourishment and energy. However, for the purposes of mainstream "healthy" eating, some varieties have a greater nutritional value than others. Brown rice, or rice that has been processed to leave the germ (outer covering) of the grain intact, is considered a whole grain, and is thus linked to lower levels of bad cholesterol as well as reduced instances of heart disease and some cancers. Higher in "good carbs" and fiber and lower in calories than white rice, it is also generally more satisfying as it is digested less rapidly. Brown rice tends to be recommended over white rice in "healthy" diets, and can be substituted easily in most recipes.
 
Some healthy rice dishes are as follows: 
 
- Brown rice with sauteed mixed vegetables and tahini or peanut sauce.
- Arroz con Pollo, a Spanish dish of chicken and rice flavored with sofrito.
- Jambalaya, a Cajun dish of seasoned meat, vegetables, and seafood with rice (added at the end of cooking).
- Stir-fried veggies, lean protein, and/or tofu over brown rice.
- Paella, a dish of continental Spanish origin; rice seasoned with saffron and cooked with olive oil, served with meat or seafood.
- Steamed rice with meat and vegetables.
- Coconut scented or Jasmine rice served with curried meats and vegetables. 
- Brown rice with black or red beans.
 
Bread
 
Bread is also a remarkably old meal item, dating back as far as the end of the Stone Age. It most probably began as a crudely prepared combination of ground grain and water, and was likely of a flatbread variety. This is not to say that leavened, or risen, bread is a recent invention: yeast, the microscopic organism that causes bread to rise, lives in the air and is essentially everywhere; any "dough" left uncovered in the open air, no matter how crudely made, will rise to some degree as the yeast lands on it and feeds on sugars. Bread was not intentionally raised with added substances until later in history, when beer and wine were added to dough to encourage leavening.
 
Bread has even more variations than rice, partially in thanks to the constantly changing innovations and creativity of the baking industry. There are the crusty, chewy white or wheat varieties associated with Italian and French cuisine, the pita breads of the Mediterranean, the steamed buns of Northern China, and the hearty ryes of Scandinavia and Germany, as well as a vast array of flatbreads native to India. Americans have historically preferred soft white bread rolls and slices, though whole-grain and whole wheat varieties are growing in popularity as their nutritional value is advertised to the public. Wheat breads, made with wheat flour rather than processes white, are also becoming popular with American artisan bakers looking to replicate the chewier offerings of Europe.
 
Whole grain breads are indeed a better choice for healthy eaters. They have fewer calories than white bread depending on the portion, and offer heart healthy whole grains and satisfying fiber (which keeps the digestive system running smoothly and fills you up). Diets rich in whole grains have been linked to lower instances of heart disease and cancer, and individuals who report eating diets rich in whole grains tend to weight less than individuals who choice white bread varieties. Identifying whole grain varieties isn't always easy, however. The word "wheat flour" listed on ingredients doesn't indicate a whole-grain offering, as is often assumed. The first ingredient on the list must include the term "whole-grain" or "whole" in order for the item to be counted as a healthier choice. Good options include: Whole wheat, whole grain, wheat germ, multigrain, flax, sunflower seed, or oat bran varieties.

 

Salads

We all know that salads, when made with the right components, are one of the healthiest choices you can make at meal time. Low in fat and calories, and full of vegetables and nutrients, it's a one-plate powerhouse for the health conscious. But over the years, salad has gotten a bad rap. The overwhelming opinion is that this doctor recommended plate of roughage is downright boring. And in many cases, that's true: the widespread American version of the salad, usually found as an afterthought on restaurant menus, is a bland combination of iceberg lettuce, carrot shreds, a few onion slices, and some watery tomato. Would anyone actually want to eat that? Probably not. But a salad, when made properly, can actually become a culinary masterpiece, high in flavor and low in calories.
 
Why Eat It?
 
The benefits of salads are well known: plenty of vegetables (and sometimes fruits), which contain vital vitamins and minerals that fight disease, and little fat or calories. For those seeking to cut calories for weight loss, replacing just one rich, heavy pasta or meat based meal a day with a salad can cut up to 500 calories from your daily caloric intake, an adjustment that could mean up to a pound of weight loss per week. In addition, meals supplemented with salads as an appetizer or side dish get an instant boost in nutritional value, and help you meet the 3-5 servings, or 2 ½ cups, of vegetables recommended daily by the USDA. Even better, most salads contain raw veggies, which retain more of their naturally occurring nutrients than those that have been cooked.
 
The Trouble With Salad
 
The aforementioned salad combination of iceberg lettuce and veggies is admittedly bland and mundane. Made up of garden varieties without much flavor (or nutritional value), the taste is a whole plate of nothing. To make up for this lackluster performance in flavor, many people pile on the dressing, and the calories. Salad dressing varieties like Caesar or ranch can have up to 200 calories per serving! And with serving sizes around 2 tablespoons each, which most people double or triple, that simple salad can suddenly have more fat and calories than an average cheeseburger. Even worse, the absence of vegetables high in fiber mean you'll be hungry again in under a few hours.In addition to these problems, many people are so comforted by the word "salad" that they don't stop to analyze what they're actually eating. It doesn't matter if you're eating tons of bacon and cheese, because it's in a salad, right? In reality, a "salad" is not defined as a healthy meal option, but as a combination of chopped or sliced ingredients. An entire Philly Cheese steak, oozing cheddar, beef, onions, and grease, chopped finely and placed on a plate over a piece of lettuce could technically absolutely be defined as a salad, but it most certainly wouldn't be healthy. It is easy to fall victim to this trap unless and consume an unreasonable amount of fat and calories unless you implement mindful eating and educated choices.
 
Building a Better Salad
 
All that being said, it is very easy to create a filling, flavorful, and 100% healthy salad from the ground up. And if you know what to look for, and what to avoid, it is easy to separate the healthy choices from those that are dietary disasters.

• The Foundation

  Iceberg and lettuce may have a satisfying crunch, but it is made up mostly of water, and has very little fiber, the stuff that keeps you full until the next meal. In addition, it has fairly low levels of vitamins and mineral in comparison to other leaves. You should look for dark, leafy greens like spinach or baby spinach, arugala, and mesclun greens, which offer plenty of vitamins and fiber. Blends of baby or micro-greens are also good, and are more delicate than mature leaves.

• Add Ins

  These are the items that give the salad its bulk and make it enjoyable, so choose wisely. The best "healthy" salads have a good balance of lean protein (like chicken, salmon, or turkey), nutrient dense vegetables, and one or two flavorful accents used in moderation (a handful of nuts, cooked beans, a ¼ cup of lowfat cheese) to make the dish enjoyable. You are not limited to onions, tomatoes, and carrots! You aren't even limited to vegetables, fruits can be delicious, flavorful additions to any salad. The goal should be to include at least one item from each color group found in the produce aisle:

• Red : beets, red peppers, radishes, red onion, tomatoes, cherries, cranberries, pomegranates, raspberries, red apples, red grapes, strawberries, etc.
• Orange/yellow : sweet corn, sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, yellow beets, yellow peppers, yellow summer squash, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, peaches, papayas, pineapple, yellow apples, etc.
• White : cauliflower, garlic, ginger, jicama, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, shallots, white corn, dates, white peaches, etc.
• Green : artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, celery, cucumber, endive, green beans, green pepper, okra, peas, watercress, zucchini, avocados, green grapes, green apples, kiwifruit, limes, etc.
• Blue/Purple : eggplant, purple asparagus, purple cabbage, purple corn, blackberries, blueberries, black currants, plums, figs, purple grapes, raisins, etc.

With all the options available, it shouldn't be hard to make a healthy, satisfying salad that you personally will enjoy.

• Dress it

  Here is where many healthy intentions go awry. While heavy dressings are rich in flavor, they are also heavy with calories, fat, and saturated fat. Paying attention to portion size is a must; measure quantities exactly if need be. A good rule of thumb is to avoid all cream and cheese based dressings, like ranch, Caesar, bleu cheese, Russian, and Honey Mustard (which can be packed with sugar). Lite varieties are good alternatives, but read the labels : some "healthy" varieties are actually not all that lite at all.

Look for vinaigrettes and dressings with a heart-friendly oil base, like extra-virgin olive oil or walnut oil. These options draw their flavors from vinegar, citrus juices, and seasonings rather than fats, and the fats they do contain are generally good for you in moderation. And be creative : salsas and pureed avocado or guacamole are great substitutions for traditional dressings, and add colors and flavors that make the meal interesting.

Seafood

Whether it is a bowl of bouillabaisse in France, a plate of sushi in Japan, or fried flying fish in the Caribbean, fish and seafood play an important role in nearly every world cuisine. Countries with close access to the sea have built their diets and many forms of industry around the offerings of the ocean, and even residents of landlocked regions have turned to lakes, streams, and tributaries for freshwater additions to their cultures, the Egyptians used fish as both food and a symbol in basic arithmetic.
 
A reliable source of lean protein, seafood has almost always been considered a "healthy" part of a balanced diet. However, research in the later part of the last century has confirmed that seafood is in many ways a nutritional powerhouse, offering several nutritional necessities not easily obtained through other dietary sources. Fish and seafood therefore, when prepared properly, can be an invaluable part of a healthy and rounded diet.
 

Soups and Stews

A Bowl of History
 
For something as simple as a cooked combination of ingredients in a liquid base, soup contains an almost overwhelming array of variations. Bisque, bouillabaisse, ceviche, chowder, consomme, gumbo, stew, vichyssoise... shall I continue? All these sub-categories and more exist under the broad overhead of "soup" and can be broken down even further when factoring in ingredients, texture, thickness, and the flavor base.
 
Historically a meal of bread soaked in liquid (known as "sop"), soup as a meal item eventually evolved into the liquid and its ingredients alone, though you will find it is still often served with bread or hearty crackers. Because of the dish's ability to make use of old, leftover, or less-than-quality ingredients, and its capacity for stretching ingredients farther than other preparations would, soup has roots in the poverty of the lower-classes as the foundation for many subsistence diets; a thin soup served with old bread could feed an entire family more inexpensively than other dishes. The name soup kitchen, which was given to charitable establishments who doled out food to the homeless, stems from this history and is still used today. Soup also has a legacy as an excellent food for the ill and invalid, as it can deliver many needed nutrients in one easily consumed sitting.
 
Do not, however, take these somewhat humble roots as a reference for where soup belongs in the culinary world. At the other end of this spectrum, artfully crafted soups have long been prepared as appetizers and meals for the upper-class and royalty; in France, almost every meal is started with a soup course, regardless of the social standing of the diner. And the French are on to something: recent studies have shown that people who start their meal with a warm, clear-broth soup consume less calories during their meal overall than those who go straight to the entrees. And soup as a "diet-food" or meal can easily deliver a healthful balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates (as well as vitamins and minerals) without providing too many calories in a sitting, so long as you avoid cream and cheese based varieties.
 
Making Soup
 
Though the perfection of soups can take experience, basic principles of soup-making aren't rocket science.
Most soup-making begins by preparing a stock (simple broth) by slowly simmering meat, fish, bones, and seasonings (vegetable stock can also be made by slow simmering vegetables with seasonings, then straining the liquid) for several hours. Stock can come in as many variations as there are meats: chicken, beef, turkey, veal, fish, lobster, etc.
 
The underlying flavors of a broth's foundation ingredients are enhanced by the herbs and seasonings added. In many cases, this flavor base begins by preparing a mixture of flavoring elements cooked in a little fat or oil; because of their gently alluring scent and flavors, most soups begin this phase with a combination of onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, occasionally ham, and spices, the spices used are subject to regional and cultural variation. Generally, this combination is referred to as a bouquet garni, which is literally a bouquet of herbs tied together with string and placed in the stock during preparation (in Western cooking, many recipes include thyme, parsley, and bay leaf; Asian cooking often employs ginger, soy sauce, and/or scallion).
 
The resulting broth is the foundation of all soups. From this point meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, seasonings, fats like butter or cream, and legumes, like beans, are added in countless variations to create the wealth of soups available today. Health conscious eaters should look for clear broth soups containing vegetables, beans, and lean protein like chicken, fish, or lean beef. Italian Minestrone, bouillabaisse, and Gazpacho are excellent choices, and cream based soups can often be adapted to fit a more healthful menu.
 
Types of Soups
 
Soups are as variable as those who cook them. A few terms to help sort out all the information:
 
Bisque: a very rich soup with a creamy consistency; usually made of lobster or shellfish (crab, shrimp, etc.)
 
Bouillabaisse: a Mediterranean fish soup/stew, made of multiple types of seafood, olive oil, water, and seasonings like garlic, onions tomato, and parsley
 
Ceviche: a Latin-American pseudo-soup specialty of made of raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice with olive oil and spices
 
Chowder: a hearty North American soup, usually of seafood base
 
Consomme: a definitively clear double or triple broth (broth added to with another broth) with a meat, rather than bone, base; consomme is painstakingly strained to make it clear
 
Dashi: the Japanese equivalent of consomme; made of giant seaweed, or konbu, dried bonito, and water
 
Gazpacho: a tomato-vegetable soup served ice cold
 
Minestrone: an Italian vegetable based soup
 
Potage: a French term referring to a thick soup
 
Pureed Soups: a soup of vegetable base that has been pureed in a food mill or blender; typically altered after milling with the addition of broth, cream, butter, sour cream, or coconut milk
 
Veloute: a velvety French sauce made with stock; synonymous with soup in many cases
 
Vichyssoise: a simple, flavorful pureed potato and leek soup, thickened with a bit of heavy cream and served cold

Steak Dinners

Red meat has gotten a bad rap recently, red-flagged by the media and tied with words like "heart disease", "saturated fat", and even "mad-cow disease". But you don't have to believe the hype. Unless you are on a strict diet that happens to forbid beef, or hold the cow up as a sacred animal for religious reasons, there's no reason a nice juicy steak can't be the centerpiece of a healthy, balanced diet.
 
Why Eat It?
 
Beef does come with a disclaimer: it has more fat than other meats, is a source of artery clogging cholesterol, and non-organic varieties are choc full of pesticides; it also comes with the rare, but none-the-less dangerous, threat of illnesses like those from e. coli bacteria. However, beef provides impressive amounts of vital nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, and zinc, as well as moderate quantities of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and potassium. Disease can be avoided by handling raw meat properly and cooking it through; "organic" beef varieties are available for consumers looking to avoid pesticides and additives. And while beef does have more fat and saturated fat than fish or poultry, certain cuts can be just as healthy as skinless chicken cutlet when prepared properly.
 
Cutting the Fat
 
The trick to starting off on the right foot is choosing the right cut. Beef is only fattening if you chose to work with fattier pieces like prime rib. Lean cuts like flank steak, sirloin, tenderloin, and/or rib-eye have the same satisfying flavor, but are less damaging to arteries and the waistline. Lean beef and/or extra lean beef offer the same nutrients as fattier options without the added burden of unhealthy saturated fat. "Lean" simply means that cuts have come from less fatty areas of the body, or that they have been trimmed of excess fat before being sold.
 
Lean beef is defined as any cut that provides 10grams or less of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and 95mg of cholesterol per 3.5oz. portion. Extra lean beef provides 5 grams or less of fat, 2 grams or less of saturated fat, and 95mg of cholesterol per 3.5 oz. portion.
 
Lean Beef Cuts:
  
- T-bone
- Tenderloin
- Strip steak
- Arm pot roast
- Shoulder steak
- Chuck shoulder roast
- Round steak
- 95% lean ground beef
 
Extra Lean Beef Cuts: 

- Rib-eye
- Center-cut rib-eye
- Top round steak
- Bottom round roast

- Sirloin Steak
 
These varieties are excellent additions to a balanced diet when consumed in moderation. A 3.5 center-cut rib-eye provides just over 200 calories with 9 grams of fat, a nutritional profile similar to a chicken breast of a similar size.
 
* Remember: When shopping for beef, look for the word "Select" on the packaging. Select cuts are considered the leanest; Prime or Choice are the fattest.
 
Going Lean(er)
 
The bit of white stuff you trim before cooking may not seem like much, but a single gram of fat (in addition to containing substances that can clog arteries, causing heart disease) contains 9 calories, and calories add up quickly. A 5oz. cut of untrimmed steak, for example will cost you around 475 calories; the same portion trimmed lean weighs in at only 350kcal. So to keep your beef heart-healthy cut away excess fat before cooking or eating.
 
Keep in mind that portion size is just as important as how the meat has been trimmed. Even the leanest cuts of meat can still cause problems if excessively large portions are consistently consumed. A traditional 24oz. untrimmed steak entree at a restaurant can offer roughly 1800 calories, an entire day's allotment of calories in a single sitting (not including the potatoes)! Be reasonable with portions. The general rule of thumb is to stick with portions the size of a deck of cards, or no bigger than the palm of your hand. And to ensure a balanced variety in your diet, limit steak intake to twice a week; rotate beef with other meats like chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, duck, or fish.
 
Cooking
 
How you cook is just as important as what you cook. A serving of southern "chicken-fried steak", no matter what you serve it with, will never be a "healthy" dinner.
 
Avoid adding fats by preparing your meat carefully. Never batter or fry beef in oil, lard, or butter; this adds tons of fat and tends to mask the natural flavors of the meat. Try grilling, broiling, braising, roasting, baking, or stewing instead. Here are just a few options:
 
* go BBQ style and grill lean-beef burgers and steaks

* braise tougher cuts in beer or wine with root vegetables for super-moist meat

* layer seasoned vegetables and cubed steak on wooden skewers; grill for easy shish kebabs

* marinate flank steak before grilling and slice onto salads or whole-grain rolls with steak sauce

* stew with beans, onions, peppers and herbs for hearty, fiber-rich chili

Remember than leaner cuts of beef can be tougher and less flavorful than their fattier counterparts, marinating is an excellent tool for overcoming these obstacles.

The Balance: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Creating and sticking to a balanced diet is difficult enough, then you've still got to figure out when to eat it! Research has revealed that when you eat plays an important role in appetite control, and is therefore just as important as what you eat. Turns out the best way to live healthy and control appetite is to bring a little balance to your day.

The Balancing Act

The human body needs calories for energy; without them you'll stall out like a car without gas. Even as you sleep the body pulls gas from your tank to keep your organs functioning. Eat too many calories without burning them off and the tank overflows, or in your case, calories convert to fat and leave you overweight.
 
So how big is your tank, i.e. how many calories do you need a day to keep going? The numbers vary based on height, weight, age, and activity level; talk to a doctor or nutritionist to determine your ideal intake. You can use the Harris-Benedict formula to determine your BMR, aka the minimum number of calories you need for your body to function at rest. Remember: this is only an estimate of the calories needed just to function; you must exceed this number to live an active lifestyle healthfully.
 
Formula:
 
Adult male: 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Adult female: 655 + (4.3 x weight in lbs.) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
 
The number you get is the minimum number of calories you should be eating daily.

Three square meals a day?

Americans tend to have three square meals a day but this needn't be a rule. In fact, limiting yourself to three scheduled meals alone can lead to binging and weight gain. The human body isn't programmed to eat three times a day; it is programmed to eat when it needs food. If you have problems making it from meal to meal, it might be time to think outside of the box, you won't be alone. In
Mexico the largest meal of the day is actually lunch, with mid-afternoon snacks curbing appetite before a light supper; in
Spain breakfast is eaten twice: once upon rising and again midmorning. Since natural appetite varies from person to person, listen to your body. If you are hungriest in the afternoon, make lunch your largest meal and eat lighter at night; if you aren't hungry in the afternoon, have a light snack and tuck in at dinner, just don't exceed your daily allotment of calories. P.S. - The old rule about not eating after 8pm? A wives' tale. Eating at night won't make you fat, eating too many calories overall will.
 
You can also try eating six small meals a day instead of three large ones. This regulates appetite, making sure you never go into the next meal starving. Don't cut out snacks (they help control appetite); switch to healthier choices like fruit, veggies and lo-fat dip, rolled chicken or turkey, legumes, or a handful of nuts instead.

A Note on Breakfast and Skipping Meals

The cliche that breakfast is the most important meal of the day has been preached since we were children. Unfortunately, the misguided dieter's logic tends to declare eliminating the meal altogether is a good way to lose weight. Others believe that skipping breakfast suppresses appetite throughout the day. The truth is that skipping breakfast is counter-effective to weight loss (as well as unhealthy), and ultimately leads to weight gain.
 
Skipping breakfast, or any meal, puts the body into starvation mode, a slowed metabolic state during which fewer calories are burned in order to conserve energy. Starvation mode is gift left to us by our hunter-gatherer ancestors, who sometimes went long periods of time without finding/eating food. During times of when food was scarce their metabolisms slowed, suppressing appetite as the body converted more calories into fat (stored energy). This allowed for longer periods of time before starvation set in. The physical state was useful to our ancestors but is unneeded in modern cultures where people have easy and frequent access to food. So while it's true that skipping meals can suppress appetite, the reason for the result causes weight gain because the body burns fewer calories. Even worse, skipping meals can cause dangerous dips in blood sugar (which plays a role in appetite control), leading to uncontrolled hunger and damaging binges later in the day. The BEST option is to eat a balanced breakfast comprised of complex carbohydrates (oatmeal, whole grain cereal, whole grain toast, fruit, etc.), lean protein (eggs, lo-fat yogurt, chicken, turkey), and heart-healthy fats (peanut butter, nuts, olive oil), this regulates blood sugar and kick starts the metabolism. Try a breakfast with at least 250-300 calories so you'll have enough energy to begin your day.

Not big on breakfast? Eat something "anything" small to get yourself going: half an apple or banana w/ peanut butter, a handful of nuts, string cheese, or leftovers from dinner. And if you hate breakfast food, have lunch/dinner food instead! Your body won't know the difference.

Tips for the Perfect Barbecue

Just about, everyone loves barbecue.  What makes barbecue grilling so great is that you can cook almost anything.  Some of the favorite foods to barbecue include steak, hamburgers, shrimp, chicken, and of course, even vegetables.  Additionally, with so many varieties of barbecue sauce, you can create a wide variety of flavors.  For instance, some types of sauce are sweet, some spicy, and some with a distinct flavor all their own.  In this article, we wanted to provide you with some helpful tips for making your barbecue family, or entertaining time perfect.
 
To be successful every time you barbecue out, we have provided you with some easy tips.  After all, good barbecue does not have to be a complicated process to taste incredible.  Using the right ingredients and good quality meat or vegetables is the key!  With this information, you can wow family and friends, making your home the place to spend summer time!
 
• Ribs – When barbecuing ribs, whether beef, pork, short ribs, or even brisket, you will get the best flavor and most tender meat by grilling over low heat, cooking slowly.  A common mistake is trying to speed up the process of barbecuing ribs, which does not produce very good results.  Another excellent tip for cooking ribs is to boil them for 30 to 60 minutes prior to cooking on the grills, which makes them even tenderer.
 
• Chicken – For the best, grilled chicken possible, always place the meat on the hottest part of the grill, searing each side for about three minutes.  Once that process is done, move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill, allowing it to cook for about 10 minutes on each side.  While cooking, be sure you baste and turn the chicken often.
 
• Sauce – Some people grill using a dry rub, some with herb seasoning, and others with sauce.  If you prefer to barbecue with sauce, always place the meat over a drip pan while cooking slowly on indirect heat.
 
• Lamb – For some reason, people often forget how great barbecue or grilled lamb is.  To ensure you get the most out of this meat, it should be seared two minutes on both sides and then moved to a cooler part of the grill to finish the cooking process.
 
• Kabobs – For the most tender and juiciest meat on kabobs, choose a good marinate and soak the meat overnight before grilling.  The meat will be infused with the flavors and naturally tenderized.
 
• Doneness – To ensure barbecued meat on the grill is done, you can create a small slit in the center, inserting a meat thermometer.  With this, you will know that the densest part of the meat is thoroughly done without guessing.
 
• Lower Fat Burgers – Everyone loves a good barbecued hamburger but too often, even low-fat meat tends to be too fatty.  To eliminate this problem without sacrificing on flavor mix three-fourths of meat with one-fourth of oat bran and chopped vegetables.
 
• Tools – Okay, it may not seem that important but grilling meat and vegetables with the right tools will make a difference.  For instance, to avoid being burned when flipping burgers or turning meat, we recommend you use a 12-inch wooden handled fork.  Additionally, when using tongs to handle food, you should always use one set of tongs for raw food and another set of tongs for cooked foods.  This way, you avoid cross-contamination of bacteria.
  
• Gas versus Coal – Without doubt, the gas barbecue grills on the market today are great.  These grills are more affordable than ever and easy to clean.  In addition, many gas grills can be used with different types of wood such as hickory or mesquite, giving the meat a smoky flavor.  However, if you prefer a real, outdoor taste to barbecue and grilling, it is hard to beat those that heat with coal.
  
• Keep it Safe – With barbecuing, you need to take a few precautions because of working with raw meat.  Therefore, always store raw food in a covered container, keeping it refrigerated before grilling.  Additionally, make sure you never mix raw foods.  For instance, you should not store raw chicken with raw fish, using the same sauce or marinade.  Sure, you can cook different meats on the grill but just do not store them together.  Then, anything that has been exposed to the raw meat, utensils, cutting board, and so on, should be washed with an antibacterial soap and hot water.
  
• Preparation – To ensure every barbecue experience is enjoyable, you should have everything you needed set out before you get started.  This will save time and eliminate frustration.
 
• Fish – Marinating fish is a great way to add flavor but all types of fish should never sit in marinate for longer than 30 minutes or the acid will actually cook the fish.
 
• Foil – An excellent way to grill clean is by using foil.  For example, you can wrap meat and vegetables in foil pouches, which actually gives you more of a steamed result. You can keep the foods separate or grill them together with seasoning, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan cheese, and so on.  Just be extra cautious when opening the foil pouches in that escaped steam will burn.
 
• Year Round Grilling – Wile most people grill in the warmer months, you can actually barbecue anytime of the year.  If you live in a cold region, consider placing an outdoor heater nearby, allowing you to stay warm while getting your favorite grilled foods ready.

Types and Benefits of Tropical Fruits

Along with common fruits, tropical fruits have rich vitamins and minerals.  However, the unique flavor of fruits such as these is difficult to describe.  In this article, we wanted to provide a list of some of the favorite fruits that grow in the tropics, great for diets or healthy eating.
 
• Figs – More than 600 fig cultivars exist.  This soft, sweet fruit can be eaten dried or fresh.  Most often, this type of tropical fruit is used for making jam and chutney although they are also excellent for baking and sauces.
 
• Coconut – One of best known of all tropical fruits is the coconut, which grows tall in palm trees.  This fruit has a thick meaty inside along with milk, which is white in color and slightly sweet.  Coconut is used for all types of things to include baking, beverages, and cooking with chicken, pork, and fish.
 
• Dragonfruit – Formally known as Pitaya, this tropical fruit is difficult to find but delicious although the exterior is quite unattractive.  The skin is pinkish in color but not to be eaten.  When cut in half, you find a grey colored flesh with black seeds, which are not digestible.  Instead, a spoon is used just to scoop out the flesh.
 
• Cateyes – Also known as Duku Langsat, this type of tropical fruit is about the size of grapes.  The flavor is sweet and the consistency juicy.  Some people say this fruit is similar to grapefruit but milder.
 
• Durian – This interesting fruit is either loved or hated.  The smell is unpleasant but in Malaysia especially, it is quite popular.  The fruit on the inside is yellow/white and sweet but best eaten immediately after the fruit is opened.  This fruit is huge and a greenish brown on the outside, typically sold at roadside markets.
 
• Jackfruit – Another great tropical fruit, this has a nice taste.  The flesh is slightly sticky but still sweet.  The only downside is that the unopened ripe fruit has a smell similar to rotting onions. 
 
• Mango – Of all tropical fruits, the mango is one of the best.  Interestingly, mangoes have different tastes depending on the variety chosen.  Some are extremely sweet while others are mildly sweet.  In either case, this fruit is delicious, sweet, and juicy, often used in salads, sauces, marinades, and baking.
 
• Mangosteen – This fruit also goes by the name Mangis, which unfortunately, is not well known in the western world.  For this tropical fruit to grow, hot, humid climate is required.  Inside you would find four to eight segments in a white, triangular shape.  Some fruits are seedless while some have seeds.  The flesh has a slightly acidic but mild flavor that is simply luscious.
 
• Papaya – Available around the world, the papaya has a wonderful, soft interior that is sweet and juicy.  You will also find seeds, which are not to be eaten.  Loaded with Vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, this is an excellent source to achieve health.  Papaya is perfect for salads, marinades, sauces, baking, and even cooking with chicken and rice.
 
• Pineapple – Although also a common fruit, you will find the pineapple is grown on plantations and when ripe, delicious.  The taste is sweet but slightly acidic.  Pineapple is a good, all-around tropical fruit that is excellent in salads, cooking, baking, beverages, and as a delicious snack.
 
• Pomelo – This tropical fruit is another not known well in the western world.  About the size of a football and a yellow or green in color, this tropical fruit is eaten by opening and sucking out the fruit.  In many countries, it is believed that the Pomelo helps cleanse the kidneys.
 
• Rambutan – This tropical fruit is quite interesting in appearance.  Although commonly red, you will also find this fruit orange or yellow.  The outside is covered with a type of hair where it gets the name rambut, translates in Malay to hair.  About the size of an egg, the skin is touch and leathery while the inside is juicy, soft, and somewhat sweet.
 
Although some tropical fruits are difficult to find, many are in our grocery store for the choosing.  For example, pineapple, kiwi, star fruit, mangoes, papaya, are also considered to be types of tropical fruits.  You can even visit the local farmer’s market or find a specialty store that brings various types of tropical fruits in for people to enjoy.  While some of these fruits are an acquired taste, most are delicious and juicy, making the perfect snack.  However, tropical fruits are also used commonly in cooking, such as sauces, puddings, beverages, and more.

Understanding Common Fruits

Adding fresh fruits to a diet has a number of helpful benefits.  In addition to tasting great, fruits are also loaded with nutrients that the body needs.  All common fruits provide needed vitamins and minerals to help the body function and in the case of children, grow.  Some fruits, those high in fiber, are also great snacks in that they help make a person feel full so overeating does not become a problem.  Additionally, fruit is great for cooking as well, with many types being used as a natural sweetener over refined sugar. 
 
Typically, people who are interested in losing weight or simply becoming healthier should consider adding a larger amount of common fruits to the diet.  With so many known benefits, fruit has long been considered one of the best food sources known to man.  In this article, we wanted to provide you with names of common fruits, as well as the benefits they provide.  You will notice that both avocado and tomato make this list because these foods are actually fruits, not vegetables, as many believe.
 
• Apple – Vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium
• Avocado – Vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium
• Banana – Vitamins A, B6, and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Blackberries – Vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Cantaloupe – Vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc
• Grapes – Vitamins A, B6, and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Kiwi – Vitamins A, B2, B6, C, and E, calcium, copper, iron, niacin, selenium, and zinc
• Lemon – Vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Lime – Vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Mango – Vitamins A, B2, B6, C, and E, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Orange – Vitamins A, B1, and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, panthothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Peach – Vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Strawberry – Vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Tomato – Vitamins A, B6, and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium, Niacin, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
• Watermelon – Vitamins A, B1, B6, and C, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc
 
Again, the above-mentioned information is based on common fruits and as you can see, they offer tremendous nutritional value.  Other interesting information pertaining to common fruit includes:
 
• You will gain more benefit from eating common fruit on an empty stomach, allowing it to burn properly and not ferment in the body
• Fruit high in vitamin C is actually beneficial to smokers since this vitamin helps by compensating for the damage done to vitamin C levels in the body caused by smoking
• Apples are an outstanding source of fiber
• For melons, avoid eating the seeds, which actually contain slight amounts of cyanide
• Some apples contain higher levels of vitamin C than others do
• When choosing peaches or nectarines, always get the freshest available in that they do not ripen once off the tree
 
By adding up to three servings of fruit a day, you will find that you have more energy, are not as hungry, and of course, your body benefits overall.  Remember, common fruit can be eaten as a snack, used in cooking, added to salads, and baked with so the options of incorporating fruit into the diet are easy.  Of course, this list is a partial one in that other common fruits to consider include cherries, plums, grapefruit, and limes.
 
When shopping for common fruits, keep in mind that different fruits are better in particular seasons.  For instance, the summer months are great for fresh strawberries and melons whereas in the winter, they simply do not have the same great, juicy flavor.  The same is true in that some common fruits are riper and better in the winter.
 
Therefore, for the most flavors we recommend you choose fruits that are in season.  Then, for the freshest fruits, try to shop at your local farmer’s markets.  Most often, these fruits are organic, grown without the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals.  As a result, you get a healthier and more delicious fruit or vegetable.

Using Flavorings from Plants, Herbs, and Spices

With literally thousands of flavorings that come from plants, herbs, and spices, you can create mouth-watering food that has exceptional taste.  This means you no longer have to eat bland food but can enhance it with natural ingredients.  Because there are so many choices, the possibilities of what you can create are endless.  We wanted to provide you with some great options for each of these three categories, showing you options that are affordable, easy to find, and with unmatched flavor.
 
Remember, while some rules follow ethnic cuisine, there is nothing to say that you cannot mix and match your own creations.  If you love spending time in the kitchen, you might use various plants, herbs, and spices to come up with your own, signature dish.  With so many choices, you might just surprise yourself, coming up with a meal that the entire family enjoys.
 
Plants
 
Now, when we say “plants”, we are referencing various types of fruits and vegetables, anything that is produced on a plant, or the actual plant itself.  As you can imagine, this covers tremendous territory when it comes to food flavoring.  The following are just a few plant options to consider when wanting to season foods.
 
• Citrus – Lemons, Oranges, Limes
• Pineapple
• Mushrooms
• Edible Flowers
• Asparagus
• Potatoes
• Ginger
• Lemon Grass
• Coconut
 
Herbs and Spices
 
Of all food flavorings, herbs are one of the most popular.  Typically, herbs can be purchased fresh or in dried form, with both options working well.  Again, the possibilities when it comes to seasoning food with herbs are unbelievable.
 
• Basil – The stems and leaves are used, which is a great flavoring for beef, fish, chicken, vegetables, and soups
• Coriander – This herb has a unique flavor resembling sage and orange peel
• Cilantro – To make cilantro, the fresh leaves of coriander are used
• Curry Powder – This herb is the result of using coriander seed
• Dill – Everything associated with the dill plant can be used to include the stem, seeds, and leaves.  Great for meats, breads, and desserts, dill has a distinct flavor.
• Marjoram – The leaves of this herb are sweet, making it a favorite choice for vegetables, eggs, soups, stews, meat, and fish.
• Mint – This fresh, aromatic herb is often used when making desserts, meats, salads, vegetables, soups, and even salad dressing.
• Oregano – The flavor of oregano is sharp, making it the perfect choice for Italian or Mexican foods.
• Parsley – With a peppery type flavor, parsley is often used as a garnish although it also makes a great flavoring for traditional and Italian dishes.
• Rosemary – Perfect for creating sauces or stuffing, as well as seasoning meat, fish, and vegetables, the pungent herb goes a long way in flavoring.
• Sage – This musky flavor is quite strong but perfect for veal, poultry, pork, lamb, and game dishes.
• Savory – Another herb with a peppery flavor, most people use savory for enhancing the flavor of lamb, veal, seafood, chicken, and even boiled meats.  Other benefits to using savory are in the flavor it adds to soups, stews, and gravies.
• Tarragon – This herb is quite interesting with an anise flavor.  With this, tarragon creates wonderful flavors in veal, seafood, lamb and poultry although it is also great for vegetables and sauces.
• Thyme – With a pungent taste, thyme adds strong flavor to bread, soups, vegetables, meats, and seafood.
 
Remember, you can use dried herbs for many things such as rubs, sauces, and marinades since the flavor develops over time.  For that reason, most marinades and sauces are made using the appropriate herb and then allowed to sit over night before being used to soak meat.
 
Keep in mind that spices are often used in ethnic foods, giving dishes a robust, complex, and unique flavor.  For this reason, we have provided you with some spice combinations specific to ethnic foods.
 
• Italian – Common spices used include parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, and of course, garlic!  Perfect for meat and vegetables, these spices give Italian its wonderful flavors.
 
• Thai – The flavors of Thai food are incredible.  Spices used for this type of cuisine include curry, basil, cilantro and mint.
 
• Chinese – Most people love the flavors associated with Chinese.  To create these flavors, spices such as ginger, garlic, chili, and peppercorn are used.
 
• French – Considered romantic food, French cuisine is created with wonderful spices that include thyme, parsley, chives, marjoram, tarragon, rosemary, mint, and chervil.
 
• Middle Eastern – Although for many people, Middle Eastern food is an acquired taste, it is addicting.  Some of the more popular spices used are cilantro, garlic, mint, rosemary, parsley, and curry.

What the Bible Says About Food

In this article, we will provide information about what the Bible says about food.  You might be surprised, finding the food healthy and abundant.  Food mentioned in the Bible is so precise that a diet was developed from it.  This diet, known as the Maker’s Diet, is quite extensive and people who have tried it, lost weight and gained better health.
 
This particular diet goes off what the Bible says about food, taking a holistic approach to health and wellness.  The Maker’s Diet is completely based on concepts found in the Bible, using four distinct components of health to include physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.  All of these combined help a person reach good health and then maintain it.
 
As you will discover in this article, what the Bible says about food is detailed and informative.  First, we will go over chapter one, verse 29 in the book of Genesis, which says, “Behold, I have given you ever herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat.”  With this, we can see that the Bible encouraged fresh fruit.
 
Another part of Genesis comes from chapter nine, verses two and three when God spoke to Noah.  “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
 
From what the Bible says about food in the above versus, we can see that until that time, man had not yet eaten meat and since animals were living among the people, they were not afraid.  However, as the animals became meat to humans, they became afraid.  As you can see, the eating of meet was said to okay, but the blood, which represents cruelty, indicates that animals should not be mistreated until the day they sacrifice their lives for food.
 
Now, what the Bible says about food in the area of not worrying about where the next meal would come from, the following is provided.  In Luke, chapter 12, versus 22 through 24, God talked to his disciples.  “Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.  The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouses nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the flows?”
 
What the Bible says about food specifically to not offending anyone, you would find a phrase “You could now eat anything but, if what you eat offends anyone, then don’t eat it.”  You will even find verses that talk about gluttony.  In today’s world of obesity, we could easily take what the Bible says about food pertaining to overeating and apply it.  As you will see from the following, the risks associated with eating too much were clear even back in Biblical times.
 
Proverbs, chapter 25, verse 27 says “It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search their own glory is not glory.”  Then in Deuteronomy, chapter 21, verse 20, you see, “And they shall say unto the elders of the city.  This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.”  Proverbs goes on in chapter twenty-three, verse 21, “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”
 
What the Bible says about food and the types we should eat, you will see it mentioned grains, bread, nuts, fruit, vegetables, milk, and meat in numerous places.  Going back to the Maker’s Diet, this program is based on these foods, choosing whole grains, which are the healthier choice, fresh fruits and vegetables, and even lean meats.
 
By eating better, choosing healthier foods, cutting back on quantity, and eating smaller meals more often, you will begin to lose weight and improve health.  Instead of fighting sickness or worrying about increased health risks, you can consider going to what the Bible says about food.  People in this country are out of shape and too heavy.  Major changes need to be made, and made soon.

Why Do We Eat Junk Food?

With the rise of obesity in our society, it is not hard to imagine see that the consumer use of junk food is part of the blame.  Though the obesity epidemic is obvious, it is not clear why we continue to eat junk food.  By examining factors like marketing, lifestyle, and education, one can quickly target those areas in our own lives and move quickly to make changes to improve the health of our nation.  The three are connected in various ways, but it is helpful to examine them separately at first.
 
• Marketing plays a huge role in the access and distribution of junk food in our society. 
• American lifestyle embraces a culture of eating junk food as part of normal recreational activity.
• The education system has failed to adequately promote nutrition education alongside physical education.
 
Marketing
 
When traveling across major cities like New York, Minneapolis, San Diego, Chicago, and Atlanta, literally around every major street corner is a fast food restaurant.   Fast food is readily available for those of us who understand that time itself is money.  In our society, time is valuable.  When we all have to do lists and planners to help maximize our time, fast food seems to be the easiest way to get more accomplished.
 
In addition to the fact that fast food is readily available, the heavy use of commercial ads on all major stations makes it impossible to watch your favorite show on television without seeing a friendly ad with chipper addicting music and cute children.  Important to note, one thing missing from those ads are obese people.  I wonder, if these ads showed obese people enjoying an over-sized hamburger, would they have the same appeal?
 
Lifestyle
 
Besides marketing, the typical American lifestyle and culture has also played an important role in the obesity epidemic.  When going to the movie theatre or a sports event, it is acceptable for us to buy some of the unhealthiest food available.  Between the high levels of saturated fat and salt, we seem to think we’re invincible against hypertension and high cholesterol. Also part of our culture is the donating to charity by accepting something in return, like chocolate or cookies.  Sure, we all love the Girl Scout cause, but do we really have to indulge in 3 boxes of peanut butter cookies?
 
So, what about the poor in our society?  Not everyone in our society can afford to take part in recreational activities and accept cookies for donating to a good cause, yet we still see obese people.  For them, junk food is fast food and fast food is readily available and generally the cheapest in the sense that it does not require the use of a well stocked kitchen and fills you up in little time.  It is, shall we say, “cost efficient” for a poor person or family.  Why pay a few dollars for soup in a restaurant when you can buy chips, donuts, and pop for the same price and be full for longer?
 
Education
 
Finally, we examine education, or shall we say the LACK of education.  Despite being seen as global leaders, nutrition education is not valued as much as math or English.  It is very rare to find a school that requires all students to take nutrition or cooking classes.  Even physical education, which at a minimum encourages water over soda, doesn’t receive as much funding as the science or math departments.
 
Then there’s the lack of education children receive at home.  Just like parents explain in grave detail the importance of avoiding drugs and violence, they need to teach their children how to make positive eating choices like eating fruits more often than candy and buying a salad meal w/ milk instead of a double hamburger meal w/ fries.
 
Solution
 
Now it is clear how marketing, lifestyle, and education affect our ability to choose healthy food over junk food.  They are connected in many complex ways, but the most important thing to remember is that if you want to eat healthy, you have to address all of these areas.  Take the following steps to avoiding junk food:
 
• Try to plan your meals when going out.  Bring your own lunch, but if you can’t, buy a salad instead of hamburger.  You can add chicken to the salad for protein to help fill you up.
• Try donating to charities and good causes without accepting cookies in return.  If you want something back for your effort, try a tax deduction instead.
• Try to read about why junk food is so unhealthy and ways to add more healthy foods to your diet.  There are lots of free healthy recipes online.  Take advantages of a few.
 
These three steps can help you change your lifestyle to the point where you avoid junk food on a subconscious level, which is more ideal than counting calories.

Wine Types

While there are literally hundreds of different wine types available in the consumer market these days in almost every city, there are a few basic wine types that can help the wine novice understand and choose his or her perfect wine type.  The easiest way to understand the different wine types is to separate the basic wine types into two categories: red grapes and white grapes.  Once the novice understands the basic wine types, it will be easier to start choosing wines based on flavors and consistencies that seem the most appealing.
 
Types of red wine grapes
 
• Barbera – fruity flavors like plum and black cherry taste that can go with a variety of dishes.  While this wine is originally from Italy, you can also find it locally in California.
• Cabernet sauvignon – assorted tastes including flavors like green pepper, olive, black cherry, and cedar oak.  This wine typically goes well with red meat.  This particular grape can be found in France, Germany, Chile, USA (California), and Australia.
• Merlot – This wine is a very soft wine and probably the most famous among novice wine drinkers.  The smooth taste of this grape originated in a variety of countries including Italy, Romania, California, Washington (USA), Chile, and Australia.
• Pinot Noir – This wine has a variety of fruity flavors including strawberry, cherry, and plum.  This wine can taste horrible if not grown correctly so it is found in fewer places including just France, Austria, California (USA).
• Sangiovese – This wine is found primarily in Italy but recently you can find it being made in California (USA).  This wine typically goes well with Mediterranean dishes but wine types really know no limits when it comes to food.  This wine typically taste like fresh berries and ripe plums.
• Shiraz – This wine is perfect with a variety of meats including steak and beef.  Although this wine like many wines are typically grown in France, Italy, and California, Shiraz in particular has a very unique spicy red taste.  This is typically what makes it go so well with meats.  It is a very dark red wine and one thing to keep in mind is that it is also possible to cook with this wine due to its rich spicy flavors.
• Zinfandel – this wine type is found only in California.  While being very versatile, this wine carries a stimulating flavor mixing berries and peppers.
 
Types of white wine grapes
 
• Riesling – This wine goes well with chicken, pork, and fish when meal planning.  This type of wine has flavors including fruity apples.  While primarily grown in Germany, other countries have attempted to produce this great wine, but with little success.
• Gewürztraminer – This type of wine goes well with Asian dishes and is typically grown in Germany and the USA (New York and California).  This wine includes a variety of tastes including peach, allspice, and rose petals.
• Chardonnay – This wine can be made into a sparkling beverage and taste splendid.  Flavors include citrus fruits with a touch of vanilla and coconut.  It goes well with chicken and fish meals and can be found in France.
• Sauvignon blanc – This wine is grown in New Zealand, Australia, and France.  This wine has a unique taste in the sense that it offers flavors like the smell of fresh grass and bell peppers.  This wine goes well with seafood and salads. 
• Muscat – This wine carries a flavor of grapefruit and is typically grown anywhere that has a warm climate year round.  Although traditionally it is better to avoid eating food with this wine, if you want to experiment, you can try to eat a food that you would eat with a grapefruit.
 
As you can see, wine types are very diverse and the flavors even more varied.  Understanding where wine is grown, the typically flavors, and the which foods a wine goes well with can help you feel a little less like a novice when going into a wine cellar or store.  You can attempt to choose a wine at first that would go well with a certain meal, but after a while you can start mixing and matching because everyone has their own unique taste buds and what works well for one person, might not work well with another.  The choice is entirely yours.  Also, depending on your budget, you could explore all the wine “subtypes” shall we say in each category.  For example, there are a variety of Chardonnays in existence.  The variance in flavor can be huge so it is well worth exploring all of your options.

Why Family Meals are Important

The typical American family has a lot going on these days.  Between the likelihood that both parents work full-time, the kids are involved in more than one extracurricular activity, and the accessibility of technology, it would seem that family meals are a pastime only observed on special holidays like Thanksgiving and Kwanzaa.  Family meals have become a pastime because we have forgotten all the benefits they hold for our fast paced culture. 
 
Family meals are difficult to uphold because they are seen as not being worth the energy and effort it takes to get the whole family together every single day of the week.  In fact, the more there is a range in age of the children; it can be even more difficult to convince the oldest child to be patient with the youngest child.  This reason, among others, makes family meals not so appealing.  After all, who wants to beg the family to do what they don’t want to do.
 
Family meals are essential to the health of a family like education is essential to finding a good job, the two cannot be separated.  In other words, you cannot have a truly healthy family without having family meals.  If you are considering what family meals have done or CAN do for your family, check out the following things we know to be true about them:
 
• Family meals support good parenting – Children always do better when there is structure so when meals are planned and around the same time each evening, they usually start expecting them and enjoy being under the guidance of their family.  It makes them feel safe.
 
• Family meals remind everyone they are part of a loving family – During a family meal, one can make a habit out of asking how the day went for everyone.  This reminds children and adults that they are loved and cared for and how their day went is important to someone.  This is crucial in child development.
 
• Family meals support healthy eating and proper growth for children – when a family has structured meals for everyone, kids are not allowed to graze on food all day snacking on whatever they please.  Family meals allow them to look forward to spending time with family thus also providing a wonderful excuse for not being in the kitchen all day preparing snacks for them.
 
• Family meals teach children to like different foods – Often kids will want to snack on the same food again and again.  Family meals can’t be the same food again and again because not everyone will want to eat macaroni and cheese everyday for a week, so this way kids are exposed to a variety of foods and with practice start to eat them all.
 
• Family meals connect us back to our culture – All of our ancestors organized their entire lives around hunting and gathering, thus whenever meal took place, it was with the whole family.  During meals our ancestors would share stories and information about the dealings of the day.  This is the same for today.  Family meals are a time where members can reconnect about what happened during the day.  Even small children can get involved.
 
• Family meals teach children manners and conversation skills – Children watch their parents interact during meals positively and so they also want to talk and be listened to.  Also, they will see there parents treat each other with respect and not “play” at the table.  This will teach children to behave and not play at the table.
 
• Family meals provide children with social support – Children admire their parents and want to spend time with them.  Sometimes in our busy lifestyles, the family meal may be all we truly have to spend with our children.  Structuring this time and being consistent will guarantee we always spend time with our children no matter how busy we become.  The time they share with us reinforces positive social interaction.
 
• Family meals support good eating habits – Children watch their parents eat healthy foods and enjoy the meal therefore they too will want to mimic this behavior.  Although you may not believe that at first, especially when they are very little and for the teenagers who verbally test their limits, at the end of the day when they go to sleep at night, they have learned something and you should be proud of that.
 
Family meals have proven all these things to be possible with the consistency, structure, and loving environment they provide.  In addition to these benefits, family meals also have other positive implications including better grades, social skills, prevention of obesity, etc.  So next time you think about avoiding a family meal due to all the energy it will take to plan one, think again.  Think about all these benefits.  Who can say no to them?

How to have family meals

Although we all know the benefits of having family meals, not everyone knows how to successfully start the tradition of getting together for a meal.  Can newborn babies be at the table for a meal?  Does it have to be every single night?  Can you have a family meal while watching your favorite TV show?  These questions are honest and it’s important to know the answers before trying to start having family meals.
 
The most important concept about family meals is the fact that it may be the only time in the day that family is together and do to the fact that everyone enjoys a meal.  Similar to the traditional “Family Game Night” which encourages family to get together for some kind of board game or other game that everyone can play, family meals bring the same closeness and fun except it is done as often as you have a meal.  In fact, as long as no one feels forced or pressured to “finish” their plate and there’s at least one food they like, meals are usually so pleasurable that everyone looks forward to them.  But, in order to make family meals a successful tradition, there are various things you should take into consideration when starting to plan for the morning and nightly family get together. 
 
Below are some tips to get you started on your family meal tradition successfully.  As you read through them, remember that most of the tips can be bent a little to meet your own family’s circumstances.
 
• Family meals start with two adults eating together.  So if it is just you and your partner, be sure to make time to always eat together no matter how busy you become.  Even if both of you have a lot of office work to do, go ahead and go to the office together and type away while eating and chatting on occasion.  Try not to make it a habit, but do your best to eat together no matter what.
 
• Babies absolutely love family meals and you should get them involved as early as the first month of life.  Although they cannot eat the food you are eating, at some point their vision becomes clearer and they benefit from watching you and others eat.  Babies learning earlier on make feeding them as toddlers a lot easier.  Even if you are breastfeeding, you can hold the baby in one hand nursing while using your other hand to eat.  Anything is possible when you are creative!
 
• Always offer new and different foods alongside the ones everyone is familiar with and likes.  For example, if you know your child is a picky eater, be sure to have something he does like at the meal for everyone in addition to all the other food or food groups.  You will have to watch your judgment on this one because if your child’s favorite food is cereal, you may have to set limits on having cereal with dinner.
 
• Be sure to offer desserts on occasion to please the sweet tooth family member.  In fact, as a way to get your oldest child to come have dinner period you can explain that there will be a dessert that they can enjoy afterwards.  This works really well children of all ages.  After all, who doesn’t like to be rewarded for good behavior at a family meal with a special treat?
 
• Remember, if your child or children do not eat like you expect them to, just be patient.  Focus on making the family meal pleasant and enjoyable for everyone.  Ignore any behavior like only eating bread and drinking milk before the folding of the arms.  Instead, ask the child how everything is going and what they did today.  At some point the child will start realizing that bread and milk aren’t enough to be truly full in addition to the fact that their behavior is out of place at the family table.
 
• Family meals do not ALWAYS have to be at the same time each night and morning, but you should try to.  For younger children having an irregular time of breakfast and dinner makes them more likely to overeat and feel insecure about eating.  As for teenagers, the older they get, the more they have make plans of their own so it’s important to establish mealtimes regularly so that they know to plan around it.
Now, this advice works perfect if you are starting from scratch.  However, if you already have a family and haven’t established meal times, it is important to allow everyone to get adjusted at their own pace.  Toddlers can accept change rather quickly if you are consistent.  In fact, usually in less than a week a toddler will get the picture of how family meals are starting to work now.  Older children take a few months because they will carry more memories of the days when there was no organization to meals.  And finally, teens may take even up to a whole year because everything they have learned must be unlearned, but it is possible and in the end they will appreciate your efforts.

Tofu Dishes

What is that?
 
To diners unfamiliar with the vegetarian world of bean-based and meat replacement items, tofu can seem foreign, intimidating, and downright scary. Spongy, bizarre, and devoid of color or flavor it its uncooked state, tofu is not an item typically considered appetizing by the Western palate (would you like to sit down to a plate of what essentially appeared to be Styrofoam?). However, when prepared properly, tofu can be a delicate and flavorful meal item with a variety of healthful offerings.
 
Tofu itself is a product of the versatile legume the soybean. It is the name we have given bean curd, a mass of protein and oil given off by curdled soy milk (sounds tasty, doesn't it?), and only one of the various forms that soy beans have taken in world cuisine. Domesticated and utilized in Northern China over 3,000 years ago, soybeans have since enjoyed a myriad of uses in Eastern cooking. Within the last century and a half, Western culture has adopted them not as a staple of our own cuisine, but in industry, using them to feed livestock, create oils, and produce industrial materials. It has only been relatively recently that soybeans have grown in popularity as additions to mainstream cooking, due largely in part to a better understanding of the healthy properties of this humble bean.
 
Tofu comes in a staggering number of varieties. Generally whitish-grey in color, the consistency and shape are where most of these variations occur. Textures range from silken, which is too soft to be cut and is generally eaten with a spoon, all the way up to extra-firm, which can be cut with a knife and handled similarly to meat. It can be baked, smoked, fried, toasted, fermented, pickled, eaten from the package, or processed further to resemble familiar animal products.
 
How healthy is it?
 
Beans in general are nutritional powerhouses, delivering solid doses of plant-based protein, iron, B vitamins, fiber, folic acid, and antioxidants with comparatively low amounts of fat. Soybeans offer almost double the protein of other bean varieties, as well as a healthy amount of amino acids and fiber. They also possess several compounds that may offer additional health benefits, namely phytoestrogens and saponins. These compounds are still controversial in the nutrition world, as research is young and varied. Phytoestrogens have shown promise in preventing bone loss and slowing the progression of certain cancers. However, its hormone-like effects within the human body may worsen other hormone influenced cancers, like breast cancer; more research needs to be done before a conclusion can be reached.
 
Saponins are chemicals that can bind to cholesterol in the human body and make it less easy to absorb, potentially lowering blood cholesterol. This may in part explain why some studies show nations with a diet high in soybeans have lower national rates of heart disease. Again, while preliminary research is promising, more must be done to determine how beneficial this finding ultimately will be for humans; some recent results have raised questions over whether the health claims surrounding soybeans are valid or not. While they have yet to be determined as a cure-all "wonderbean", soybeans and their products do offer the health-minded eater a great source of heart-healthy protein with little fat or saturated fat.
 
Why should I eat it, and how can I use it?
 
For dieters looking to incorporate legumes into their meals, or to maintain a healthy intake of protein while avoiding the fats associated with beef and other meats, tofu is a particularly good substitute and/or addition to meals. Available in strips, blocks, sheets, shreds, and noodles, all of assorted size, it is a surprisingly versatile item; variations in texture and density make it easier to tailor to specific menus and palates. In addition, tofu's neutral base easily absorbs the tastes and aromas of spices, making it easy to flavor. Tofu goes especially well in Thai and Indian curry dishes, whose rich and aromatic spices are easily absorbed and distributed throughout the item (noodles and rectangular blocks work well in this instance).
 
The vegetarian lifestyle also fully embraces tofu as an all-purpose stand in for meat and animal based products; cultures that practice vegetarianism for religious reasons have artfully mastered this practice, and can be looked to for both demonstration and inspiration. Tofu based versions of cheese, cold-cuts, bacon, chicken tenders, burgers, ice cream, and other assorted animal products are now widely available in Western supermarkets.
 
Using tofu as a tasty part of a healthy diet only takes trial and error.  Extra-firm tofu can be layered and baked in casserole dishes, or fried quickly and tossed in with stews, curries, salads, and rice dishes. Noodles and strips are wonderful additions to soups, and silken tofu can be thrown in a blender with ice, fresh fruit, honey, and fruit juice for a nutrient-dense smoothie. You can also try marinating or battering the blocks before cooking for additional flavor; ginger, coconut milk, toasted coconut, soy sauce, and spice blends are good options. Do your research - flip through Asian and vegetarian cookbooks to find fool-proof recipes from tofu masters, and visit vegetarian/vegan restaurants to discover dishes popular with the masses. And remember than not all varieties will be good to you specifically; open-mindedness and creativity are key in enjoying any food.

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