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breakfast

Its the first meal of the morning and its important.

We are often far too busy. We don’t often do not like breakfast foods or were not hungry.

OR, We are trying to lose some weight it is sad to say, but really none of those reasons are valid.

There are many healthy breakfasts that can either be bought or made that are fast an…

There is no law that says you have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast. You legitimately might not feel hungry in the morning, particularly if you aren’t accustomed to eating breakfast. But you should eat something, even if you make a fairly light choice, like fruit and yogurt. Trying to lose weight is the worst excuse of all.

Some believe that study after study shows that people who skip breakfast end up eating more the rest of the day than people who eat a solid breakfast every morning.

So how do you get the magical mix of the right nutrients that will give you energy and send you healthfully into your day?

It’s not that hard, really. Spend a little bit of time thinking about what you like and then plan some healthy breakfasts. Here are some ideas to get you started:

* If you need something portable, the ever-popular smoothie is a good choice. Be careful when you purchase a smoothie at a shop, however, as some can have as many as 600 calories. You can purchase a good blender or smoothie maker to have at home and whip up your own smoothie in less time than it takes to stop at a smoothie store, and you’ll know exactly what’s in it.

* For an even faster breakfast, try making some breakfast burritos and keeping them in the freezer. You can use regular or whole-wheat tortillas, scrambled eggs (either whole, all whites, a mix, or an egg product), some veggies like peppers and onions, and soy sausage. These freeze beautifully. Pull one out, and while you’re pouring your coffee, it can be heating in the microwave. Add a banana or apple for on-the-go dining.

* Cereal is a fine breakfast, as long as its not the only thing you eat. Consider adding some banana or blueberries on top, or fixing it with soy milk for a healthy dairy addition. Otherwise, stick to skim milk.

* If you don’t like breakfast, consider making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread. Grab a banana on the way out the door. Have some leftover vegetarian pizza from dinner? That is a fine breakfast, though you will want to add a glass of milk or some fruit to round it out.

* Trying to lose weight? Breakfast might be the easiest meal to fill up without using a lot of calories or fat. Have oatmeal with soy milk, or a high-fiber cold cereal. Consider a homemade version of a fast-food sandwich. You can fry up an egg, add a slice of Canadian bacon and put the two into a toasted English muffin for a 200-calorie, filling breakfast.

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Posted by manager - May 12, 2012 at 12:30 am

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Banana Bread recipe

Don’t tell them its healthy, because they might not think it is as good as it is.

Imagine what you could do with healthy breads like this?
Now, plan on it for this holiday season.

They will never realize that they are eating some really healthy fiber…

Learn to make the best Banana Bread

Perfect Banana Bread

This bread is Fantastic, and it is even healthy, (depending on how you prepare it)

(if you use real butter) well you know what you want right.

So, here is Grannies, special Banana Bread Recipe.

Ingredients
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tea spoon vanilla extract
4 cups of all purpose flour
2 tea spoons baking soda
1 tea spoon salt
2 cups of Mashed ripe bananas
2 cups of finely grated carrots.
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries.

 

 

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Posted by manager - May 7, 2012 at 2:34 pm

Categories: banana bread, healthy choices, healthy cooking, healthy cooking America, healthy fiber rich food, Healthy food, healty food, high fiber foods   Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MACARONI RECIPES.

Ok, now you know how good it is to dig into a cheesy slightly crusty gooey goodness of a an amazing MAC and Cheese dish…

 

Good food can really make your day brighter, try this out for a great day.

 

 

Home-made macaroni.
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To four cupfuls of flour, add one egg well beaten, and enough water to make a dough that can be rolled. Roll thin on a breadboard and cut into strips. Dry in the sun. The best arrangement for this purpose is a wooden frame to which a square of cheese-cloth has been tightly tacked, upon which the macaroni may be laid in such a way as not to touch, and afterwards covered with a cheese-cloth to keep off the dust during the drying.

Boiled macaroni.
—————

Put a large cup of macaroni into boiling water and cook until tender. When done, drained thoroughly, then add a pint of milk, part cream if it can be afforded, a little salt and one well-beaten egg; stir over the fire until it thickens, and serve hot.

Macaroni with cream sauce.
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Cook the macaroni as directed in the proceeding, and serve with a cream sauce prepared by heating a scant pint of rich milk to boiling, in a double boiler. When boiling, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smoothed in a little milk and one fourth teaspoonful of salt. If desired, the sauce may be flavored by steeping in the milk before thickening for ten or fifteen minutes, a slice of onion or a few bits of celery, and then removing with a fork.

Macaroni with tomato sauce.
————————–

Drop a cup of macaroni into boiling milk and water, equal parts. Let it boil for an hour, or until perfectly tender. In the meantime prepare the sauce by rubbing a pint of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander to remove all seeds and fragments. Heat to boiling, thicken with a little flour; a tablespoonful to the pint will be about the requisite proportion. Add salt and if desired, a half cup of very thin sweet cream. Dish the macaroni into individual dishes, and serve with a small quantity of the sauce poured over each dish.

Macaroni baked with granola.
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Cook a large cup of macaroni until tender in boiling milk and water. When done, drain and put a layer of the macaroni in the bottom of a pudding dish, and sprinkle over it a scant teaspoonful of granola. Add a second and third layer and sprinkle each with granola; then turn over the whole a custard sauce prepared by mixing together a pint of milk, the well beaten yolks of two eggs or one whole egg, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. Care should be taken to arrange the macaroni in layers loosely, so that the sauce will readily permeate the whole. Bake for a few minutes only, until the custard has well set, and serve.

Eggs and macaroni.
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Cook a cup of macaroni in boiling water. While the macaroni is cooking, boil the yolks of four eggs until mealy. The whole egg may be used if caught so the yolks are mealy in the whites simply jellied, not hardened. When the macaroni is done, drain and put a layer of it arranged loosely in the bottom of a pudding dish. Slice the cooked egg yolks and spread a layer of them over the macaroni. Fill the dish with alternate layers of macaroni and egg, taking care to have the top layer of macaroni. Pour over the whole a cream sauce prepared as follows: Heat one and three fourths cup of rich milk to boiling, add one fourth teaspoonful of salt and one heaping spoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. Cook until thickened, then turn over the macaroni. Sprinkle the top with grated bread crumbs, and brown in a hot oven for eight or ten minutes. Serve hot.

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Posted by manager - May 7, 2012 at 12:27 pm

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Healthy Food Choices

Eating healthy is something we all would like to do, although it can be hard.  In order to eat healthy, you must first make the right food choices.

Eating healthy is all about what you eat, which means that the choices you make today can effect your bodies health for up to 90 days from the date you eat that fat laden fast food hamburger…

Grains
You should consume 6 ounces of grains per day.  To do this, you can eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, rice,
crackers, or pasta.  You can get an ounce of grains in a single slice of bread, or 1 cut of cereal.

Vegetables
These should be varied, as you should eat 2 1/2 cups of them each day.  You should start eating more of the dark
vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach.  Carrots and sweet potatoes are good as well.  You should also eat
more dry beans such as peas, pinto beans, and even kidney beans.

Fruits
Fruits are very important.  You should try to eat 2 cups of them each day.  Focus on eating a variety, such as
fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried fruit.  You can drink fruit juices as well, although you should use
moderation when doing so.

Milk
Milk is your calcium rich friend.  For adults, 3 cups is the ideal goal.  For kids 2 – 8, 2 cups is where you
want to be.  When choosing milk products or yogurt, you should go for fat-free or low-fat.  Those of you who
don’t like milk or can’t have it, should go for lactose free products or other sources of calcium such as fortified
foods and beverages.

Meat and beans
Eating 5 ounces a day is the ideal goal, as you should go lean with your protein.  When eating meat, always bake it,
grill it, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from adding to the equation.  You should vary your protein
as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

When cooking your food, you should also limit solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard.  These
foods may add flavor to your dishes, although they can also help raise your cholesterol as well.  Therefore, you
should try to add these foods and any foods that happen to contain them.

To help keep your saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium low, you can check the nutrition facts label.  This label can
be found on the food package and will tell you all the information you need to know about the food item.

By picking your foods wisely and watching what you eat,you’ll help control your lifestyle.  Exercise is great as
well, as it goes along perfect with a healthy eating lifestyle.  No matter what your age may be, eating healthy
will help you keep your active lifestyle for years and years – even help you and your health in the long run
as well.

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Posted by manager - May 7, 2012 at 12:16 pm

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cooking

 

Saving money, that may be the single most motivating factor in the latest popularity of learning to cook. 

Cooking and learning how to cook is not only a great way to impress the person you love, but it can taste twice as nice when you save money.

Whether you are a seasoned pro when it comes to the fine art of cooking or an utter novice there should be some cooking classes or resources in your area that can help you learn and improve your existing skills. Surprisingly few people manage to utilize the many wonderful opportunities that are available to them when it comes to cooking classes.

If you are considering a cooking class you should be glad to know that many communities offer them for a nominal fee at night and sometimes on the weekend. These classes are rather basic and often designed to help women learn the basics of a few economical and healthy meals to prepare for their beginning families. If you fit the bill for this, then you should check out your local library for possible leads for these sorts of classes in your area. Even if they do not have the information available it is quite likely that they can point you in the right direction.

If you are looking for cooking classes that you can take with your children, check out your library once again for the first resource. There are also many gourmet food shops that offer cooking classes for parents to take with their children. This is a great opportunity to bond with your child while you both learn to prepare a new dish or two together. It is quite likely that you will be quite surprised by the things you can learn from your child as well as the things you can learn by simply taking the class.

For those among us who are seeking culinary experience with very specific cuisines you will have to search a little more for the perfect cooking classes in which you can achieve your goal. They do exist however, though your chances of learning Thai cooking are much greater in a larger city than in smaller towns throughout the country. If you are really interested in learning some exotic cooking techniques perhaps you should consider a vacation in which you can try out a few new cooking classes while you are there. If you prefer other things on your vacation to cooking you could make a point of attempting one basic class in the cuisine of your choice for each vacation you take. This will give you a little more than the same old souvenir to bring back from your trip and an experience that in many cases is quite memorable.

Finally, if you are looking for a romantic idea, how about signing up to take a couples cooking class? Believe it or not, these classes are often offered in both big and smaller cities. They seem to be all the rage around Valentine’s day, perhaps the hint is that the other partner in a relationship can share some of the cooking responsibility or perhaps the idea is that there is more than one way to steam up the kitchen.

Regardless of the reason for taking cooking classes they can bring not only a great deal of enjoyment to your dining room, but also increase your ease in your kitchen. If you’ve never taken a cooking class, there is no time like the present to do so. No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen there is always something that can be learned.

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Posted by manager - May 3, 2012 at 10:39 pm

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Vegatable gardening

There is nothing quite like the taste of a fresh tomato sandwich, with a little mayo, salt pepper to taste.

 

The thing is, if you really want that perfect garden taste you just have to do it yourself.

 

The great thing about that is you can do it with just a few feet of space.

 

Some are calling it vertical growing, it requires a little less sunlight, but more water.

 

Find the joys of natural cooking when you grow it yourself.

 

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Posted by manager - April 30, 2012 at 10:50 pm

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Great breakfast begins at home.

good breakfast as they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day…

Because mornings are often hectic, some families try to get by with skimpy breakfasts or skip the meal entirely. You and your children, though, have already gone without food for 8 to 9 hours. Without a good breakfast, your bodies and your brains – which have no blood-glucose reserves, the brain’s main energy source – have even longer to wait for an energy boost. It’s much better to get up a little earlier to have a complete breakfast.

Studies over the last 30 years have confirmed again and again that children who eat a balanced breakfast score significantly higher on tests and are less depressed, anxious and hyperactive than children who eat an unbalanced breakfast or skip the meal.

Breakfast eaters also have improved strength and endurance and are not as susceptible to gnawing hunger pains in the late morning. By making you feel full longer, a good breakfast can also help you avoid overeating. In adult research, overweight women ate fewer calories the rest of the day when they had a protein-based breakfast of eggs, toast and fruit spread than women who had a calorically equal breakfast of a bagel, cream cheese and yogurt.

For either adults or children, a good breakfast should include a grain food, a protein source, a low-fat milk food and your choice of a fruit or vegetable or juice.

For the protein food, nutritious eggs are quick and easy to prepare and go well with other foods to complete a balanced meal. Pile-It-On Egg Toast, for example, can help you wake up taste buds with either a comforting or more exciting flavor combination.

Pile-It-On Egg Toast

3 servings

Cooking spray

3 slices bread

3 eggs

Topping ingredients (see variations)

Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil. Evenly coat with spray. Place bread slices on foil-lined sheet. With 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter or inverted drinking glass, cut out center of each bread slice. OR, pull out center of bread slice with fingers, leaving 2 1/2- to 3-inch diameter hole. Place cutouts and bread slices on baking sheet. For extra crispness, lightly coat both sides with spray, if desired. Break and slip 1 egg into hole in each bread slice. Evenly spread or spoon topping ingredients over bread slice and egg white. Avoid covering egg yolk completely.

Place baking sheet on middle rack of preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake until whites are set and yolks begin to thicken and cloud over, but are not hard, about 12 to 15 minutes. (Baking time may vary depending on temperature, amount and thickness of topping foods and exact diameter of hole in bread slice.)

Nutrition information per serving of 1/3 recipe using pumpernickel rye bread, ham, spinach and 2% cottage cheese: 200 calories, 8 gm total fat, 228 mg cholesterol, 743 mg sodium, 229 mg potassium, 14 gm carbohydrate, 17 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, iron, phosphorus, zinc

Topping Variations: Each variation makes 3 servings.

Ham & Cheese: Use pumpernickel rye bread. In small bowl, stir together 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves (about 1 1/2 oz.), 1/2 cup chopped lean cooked ham (about 3 oz.) and 1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese. Spoon about 1/3 cup spinach mixture evenly onto each egg-and-bread slice. Bake.

Mushroom Pizza: Use Italian bread, at least 4-inches in diameter, sliced 3/4- to 1-inch thick. In small bowl, stir together 1 cup sliced mushrooms (about 3 1/2 oz.) and 1/2 cup prepared pizza or spaghetti sauce or salsa. Spoon about 1/3 cup mushroom mixture onto each egg-and-bread slice. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon per slice. Bake.

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Posted by manager - April 21, 2012 at 12:34 pm

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cooking oils

Cooking with Oils, believe it or not the choice of oil you use makes a big difference in the way your food tastes.

Everyone knows the foods to eat that improve health, 
although how we cook the food can be just as important.
With there being so many oils and butter products claiming to be the best, it can be quite difficult
to know which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

1.  Canola oil
Canola oil is a popular oil, with many physicians claiming
 that it has the ability to lower the risk
of heart disease.  The oil is low in saturated fat, high in monounsaturated fat, and offers the best
fatty acid composition when compared to other oils.

You can use canola oil in sautéing, as a marinade and even in low temperature stir frying.  It has
a bland flavor, which makes it a great oil for foods that contain many spices.  Unlike other oils, this
one won’t interfere with the taste of your meal.

2.  Olive oil
olive oil offers a very distinct flavor with plenty of heart healthy ingredients.  The oil is rich in
monounsaturated fat, helps to lower cholesterol levels and reduce risk of cancer.  It’s also rich
in antioxidants and has a very long storage life.

Even though it can be used in cooking, it’s the healthiest when uncooked, such as with a salad or
dipping sauce.  When you use it with cooking, you should heat it on low to medium temperatures, making
sure to avoid high heat.

3.  Butter
Butter is one food that has been around for many, many years.  Butter tastes good, and offers sources
of Vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins such as E, K, and even D.  Butter is also made from natural
ingredients and not chemically or artificially processed.

You can use butter with cooking, baking, or even as a spread.  You can also pair it with creamy sauces,
marinades, baked dishes, or even bread.

4.  Margarine
Margarine was first introduced as an alternative to high fat butter.  When it was first created however,
it was loaded with trans fat, a substance that we now know raises bad cholesterol.

As a cooking oil, margarine tastes good, it’s lower in fat than most oils and butter, and it’s quite
easy to spread.  It’s available in a variety of different products and a good source of vitamin E.

When it comes to cooking with oils, there are several at your disposal.  There are many more than
what is mentioned here, although the ones above are the most popular.  Eating healthy involves cooking
healthy food – which is where your cooking oil really takes center stage.

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Posted by manager - April 12, 2012 at 3:50 pm

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Apples in season

I love Macintosh Apples, that Tart Crisp Flavor is just unbeatable, if you like the tart acidity and the crispness of that taste the Macintosh is the best, sadly though its not easy to get where we are and so when we do find them we try to get as many as we can eat…

 

With Apples just now coming into season…

There are a lot of things you can do with dehydrating fruit.

One of the problems facing anyone trying to eat healthier, especially for someone trying to move towards eating more raw foods is the convenience factor. Raw and natural foods are so much healthier for you, but it’s not as if there are drive-through raw foods restaurants on every street corner in the country.

And of course, there’s no such thing as a raw foods snack machine, is there? So if you get hungry during the day, you’re going to have a challenge of finding something appropriate to eat if you haven’t packed any raw fruits and vegetables. And when you’re rushing around in the morning, sometimes it’s next to impossible to find the time to put together a selection of healthy snacks to take with you.

One thing to try so that you have healthy snacks available quickly is to dehydrate your fruits or make fruit leathers. Those fruit roll-ups you see in the grocery store are derived from a pretty good idea – fruit leathers. But it’s better to make your own – commercial fruit leathers are going to be loaded with preservatives and sugars – just the things you want to avoid.

When you’re switching to a raw foods diet, that doesn’t always have to mean fresh off the farm. It means not cooking foods with processes that strip all the essential vitamins, amino acids and enzymes from them. Drying fruit is a great way to add variety to your diet and make yourself tasty snacks of dried fruit or fruit leathers. It’s not hard to do. There are recipes and inexpensive food dehydrators on the Web. These are also great snacks to pack for your kids’ lunches!

You get all the benefit of the raw fruit, just packaged and preserved in a healthy, nutritious way!

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Posted by manager - April 8, 2012 at 1:31 pm

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Easter Holidays

As Easter gets closer, were often left scrambling trying to find the right ham recipe for Easter dinner, or even the right glaze to make that ham look so good your family will not want to wait.

 

What about dessert?

Surely you’re going to need a great dessert recipe, right?

Well, Iíve included a couple of my own for your own use. Please feel free to use these recipes for your next family gathering and enjoy the feast that is sure to come.

1) Cinnamon Pork Roast

Serves 6 or double for more great guests.

Ingredients:

  •  3-1/2 to 4 pounds boneless center-cut pork loin roast
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 onion (about 1/2 cup), finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves (about 2 tablespoons), minced
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Recipe Properties:

Combine cinnamon, salt pepper, sugar, onion, and garlic. Blend in 1 tablespoon soy sauce. If not spreadable, add another tablespoon of soy sauce. Rub mixture into loin. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight. Grill pork over medium-low indirect fire 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 155 degrees F. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into thin slices.

2) Raspberry Glazed Ham
Ingredients:
1 (4-5 lb.) fully cooked boneless smoked ham
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. seedless red raspberry jam
1/4 c. dry white wine
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. butter

Recipe Properties:
Score ham in diamond pattern, if desired. Place on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, in 325 degree oven for 1-3/4 hours. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, blend wine and lemon juice into cornstarch. Add about half of the jam. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in remaining jam and butter. Heat and stir until butter is melted. Brush ham with raspberry glaze. Bake 10 minutes more. Spoon remaining glaze over ham. Garnish with watercress, if desired.

3) Scalloped Zucchini

Ingredients:
ï    2 small zucchini, cut up and peeled
ï    1 egg, beaten with one fourth cup whole milk
ï    1 ounce pepper cheese
ï    1 small onion, chopped
ï    1 to 2 slices white bread, torn in pieces
ï    1-4 ounce can mushrooms or 4 ounces fresh, sliced if large
ï    1 ounce smoked sausage
Recipe Properties:

Mix all ingredients in a buttered dish.

Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.

Since all ovens cook differently be sure to keep an eye out and make any adjustment you need to make.

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Posted by manager - March 24, 2012 at 8:59 pm

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