By Dan Skriver
I don”t know about you, but I have to confess that I like good food. However, as I”m getting older my craving for a delicious meal is colliding with an increasing desire for a longer, healthier life.
Living forever may be too much to ask for, but I would certainly like to live a long time with the best possible quality of life. That among other things means eating healthier; And that, I”m afraid means making some changes to my eating habits.
We all know that there is food everywhere and it may be a bit of a challenge to avoid the traps - unless you have a strategy…
Actually it’’s more of a plan than a strategy and here are a few steps that I use:
* “Portion control, portion control, portion control” - I repeat this to myself whenever I sit down to eat.
* If I serve myself I take half of what I use to take, so that I can go back for seconds - I just never do.
* If I”m a guest, I gently let the host know that I prefer smaller portions. I even have a healthy snack before leaving to curb my appetite (no I don”t tell the host).
* At dinner I focus on eating more of the healthier dishes, like salads, clear soups, etc. Skipping dessert is a good thing, but if there is cheese and grapes, have the grapes.
* At a dinner party I concentrate on the conversation to take my mind away from the food. Not only is I good for your health, but it also makes you a much more interesting guest and you may see an increase in the number of invitations you get.
* Whenever I go shopping, and I love shopping, I avoid stands and stores that give out food samples.
* If I go out for dinner, or lunch for that matter, I select a restaurant rather than a fast food place, as a restaurant often has a healthier menu selection.
Well, I could go on and on, but you get the gist. Your health is in your hands, you are control. Many people say that they should loose a few pounds, but in most cases it is likely more that just a few - much more.
Clearly eating habits are not the only things affecting someone’’s health. We all know how important exercising is, but that’’s a subject for another time.
To your health!
About The Author
Dan Skriver is a wirter and assistant editor for Hello Boomers Magazine.
Click to know more about baby boomers health issues.
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By Justin Stewart
Bajan fried chicken is a Caribbean style recipe that many people find absolutely mouth watering. As with any kind of recipe, there are of course different variations of this scrumptious meal, however one thing remains the same-the need prepare your meal safely. Here are a few important tips on how to safely prepare your bajan fried chicken so that your meal is a great success.
7. Buy fresh chicken. It is important that you purchase chicken that is very fresh. This will cause a lower risk in purchasing chicken that is already spoiled or old and at risk of spoiling. Rather than look at the expiration date on the chicken, look for the packaged date and purchase the chicken that has been packaged most recently.
6. Keep chicken cold until ready to prepare. Chicken can spoil very easily, so it is important that you keep your chicken properly refrigerated until you are ready to add it to your chicken recipe. Do not leave your chicken sitting on the counter.
5. Cleanse your counter before cooking. It is very important to make sure that you properly cleanse your counter tops and working area before you start making your bajan fried chicken. Cross contamination can occur from germs that may have accumulated on your counter from other foods, so it is important that you always clean your counter top thoroughly before working with any meat.
4. Cleanse your chicken. Before adding your chicken pieces to the bajan fried chicken recipe, make sure that you properly rinse and clean your chicken. Rinse under cold running water, rubbing the chicken briskly to clean the chicken skin.
3. Take care with sharp knives. Most bajan fried chicken recipes require using a sharp knife to cut up the chicken or to score the chicken for filling. Your chicken has enough skin of its own without you adding your own skin to it from the slip of a sharp knife! When cutting up your chicken, always practice good safety measures with sharp knives.
2. Beware of flying cooking oil. One of the most common accidents that happen in the kitchen is getting burned by popping cooking grease. When you are frying your chicken, take extreme care with the hot cooking oil. Cooking oil needs to be heated to an extremely hot temperature to properly make bajan fried chicken. Make sure there are no children near the stove when you are making your chicken, and preferably you should wear an apron and long sleeves to prevent skin burns.
1. Slippery When Wet. Since cooking oil usually pops and splatters when cooking chicken, be careful of the floor area during and after making your chicken. Cooking grease can splatter onto the floor and cause a slippery surface than can pose a hazard in the kitchen.
About The Author
You are about to enter the ultimate bajan fried chicken resource….
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By Ki Gray
One of Austin’’s most sought-after neighborhoods, Clarksville offers a close-knit neighborhood feel in a European style, pedestrian-friendly setting. With small privately-owned markets and delicious restaurants all a stone’’s throw away, Clarksville residents happily enjoy the best Austin has to offer.
And while Clarksville is home to a number of distinctive shops, including award-winning locally-owned coffee shops and a drug store complete with working soda fountain, the neighborhood’’s restaurants are perhaps the largest commercial draw. West Lynn Street alone is home to no less than four unique restaurants, each offering original, delicious fare, and all contained within just three blocks.
The most notable of West Lynn’’s restaurants is likely Jeffery’’s. A high-class, high-dollar establishment, Jeffrey’’s chefs pride themselves on culinary ingenuity. The award-winning restaurant, housed in a small, bright yellow home at 1204 West Lynn, has received accolades as a Distinguished Restaurant of North America and boasts a Wine Spectator Award for Excellence. From ceviche to caviar, Jeffrey’’s offers its patrons a wide range of dishes that, while extremely unique, manage to work together surprisingly synergistically for a truly one-of-a-kind dining experience.
Catty corner to Jeffrey’’s on the Northern side, at 1213 West Lynn, you”ll find Cipollina Clarksville’’s own Italian bistro. With high ceilings, low lighting and massive mirrors adorning the walls, Cipollina offers a wonderful old-world atmosphere in addition to its traditional Italian fare. Delicious wood-fired pizzas, boasting exotic toppings like white truffles, prosciutto and arugula, and tasty items like handmade pastas and lavender me brule ensure Cipollina’’s patrons will enjoy an authentic, unforgettable culinary experience.
Just a stone’’s throw to the South at 1110 West Lynn sits Zocalo Cafe, in a striking white building with lime green accents, and a long outdoor patio, shaded by overhanging trees. With fresh ingredients, reasonable prices, and bold Mexican flavors, Zocalo’’s patrons enjoy delicious tacos, salads and other typical fare in a relaxed Cantina atmosphere the weekend brunch is also very popular. The Posole soup (a zesty concoction of pulled pork) and Mexican Totra are two notable menu items, and the frozen sangria keeps residents of Clarksville and beyond coming back again and again during the hot Texas summer.
Zocalo’’s sister restaurant, Galaxy Cafe, lies just across 11th Street at 1000 West Lynn. Offering a similarly relaxed atmosphere and budget-friendly prices, Galaxy’’s fare puts an original spin on the typical American diner menu. Clarksville’’s answer to fast food, Galaxy treats patrons to specials like grilled mahi mahi and skirt steak with chimichurri sauce, on top of the everyday menu of delicious salads, sandwiches, wraps (the fish wrap, in particular, is a local favorite) and burgers. And like Zocalo, Galaxy’’s weekend brunch always draws a crowd.
Regardless of your budget, your mood or your cravings, Clarksville’’s own little restaurant district at West Lynn literally offers something for everyone. And the success of each of the four restaurants that dot the street “despite their close proximity to one another” is a strong testament to the quality and popularity of each, and of their ability to keep both Clarksville and greater-Austin-area residents coming back for more.
About The Author
Escapeso is website focused on real estate in Austin. They have a map search of homes in the Austin Tx MLS along with information mortgage interest rates.
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By James Copper
Like Australian people, the array of Australian wines is quite fascinating. All wines, sparkling or otherwise, red, rose or white are unique to the region where it is made, and the winemaker who crafts the wine. Australian wine has come a long way from when the first wine was available for sale domestically in 1820. A wide variety of wines, sparkling reds and whites, dry and blends are produced here.
The country’’s winemakers also have many awards and gold medals to their credit. In the 1873 Vienna Exhibition the French judges, tasting blind, praised some wines from Victoria, in Australia, but withdrew in protest when the origin of the wine was revealed, on the grounds that wines of that quality must clearly be French. Australian wines continued to win high honors in French competitions and still continue to dominate the wine-world in a big way.
Australian wine is a new-world wine producing nation, whereas the European countries are considered the ”Old world” wine producing nations. Australia produces a wide array of wines, and is the fourth largest producer of wines in the world. Learning about Australian wine is easy and not complex as is the case with European wine. All Australian wines show the contents and origin clearly on their labels (often front and back), and the varieties used and the basic character of the wine. Many will also suggest the best foods to complement the wine, or the other way around!
Red wines have their deep colour due to the process in which the grapes are crushed along with their skins and seeds, allowing the pigmentation to enter to the juice, whereas white wines are made with the skins separated immediately after crushing. Australia produces superior red wine and this is attributed to the grape variety used.
A popular grape variety is Shiraz, which apart from giving consistent full-bodied wines with fascinating deep crimson colour, is famous for its rich ripe plum and pepper flavours. Other famous red wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, the classic red variety of Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be medium to full bodied, and are always well structured and elegant with pungent typically leafy like flavours. Other red wines are Merlot that is a softer with a ”rose petal” like flavor, Grearche , which is highly perfumed and soft, and Pinot Noir which is one of Australia’’s greatest sparkling wines.
Among Australia’’s white wines, the most popular is unquestionably Chardonnay, which is also the most important white grape variety around the world. Chardonnay in Australia produces sparkling and dry white wine styles with ripe melon flavours in warmer regions, and more peach and citrus like in the cooler areas. The oak flavour greatly complements the fruit flavors of Chardonnay and drunk after a maturation of 1-3 years. The other popular white varieties are Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, which is well-known for its perfumed, and delicate light bodied flavors. Like Australia, its wines seem to say, “Just enjoy!”
About The Author
James Copper is a writer for http://www.cecwine.co.uk where you can find information on australian wine
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By Mary Anne Durkee
Tomatoes, the red juicy variety makes be absolutely nostalgic. It reminds of the days when vacations meant spending time with my grandparents. My maternal grandmom had a beautiful kitchen garden and walking with her (holding her hands and listening to her experiences) in her elaborate kitchen garden was real fun. Kids today talk of generation gap in a big way. However, at the time there really did not seem any generation gap between me and my grandmom. I enjoyed every trip back in time with her. Her garden was indeed beautiful and looking back what a collection it was. From tomatoes, eggplants, green chillies, onions, potatoes to coconuts, bananas, guavas and spices like pepper she had it all.
She loved taking a mid-morning walk in the backyard. Walking alongside the varieties of plants with juicy fruits and vegetables hanging from them was a sight that is still very fresh in my mind. She had a lot of interests from gardening to stitching and was an exceptional cook. With age however, she has been restricted to a great extent in what she is able to do physically. When I see her today I really am forced to think of the effect time can have on us. How over the years things change, circumstances change and from a young energetic woman you are restricted to the confines of your home.
It makes me realize as to how important it is to take care of oneself and remain fit. Guess I have been a little carried away by emotions. It does happen to me at times when I sit to write and get a bit nostalgic then it is one thought connecting to the other and here I am on an emotional trip.
Coming back to my topic of tomatoes. The tomato is still surrounded by the many controversies of whether a fruit or vegetable. However, for all practical aspects now we do consider it a vegetable.The earliest discovered cookery book that contained recipes with the tomato dates back to the year 1692 and was found in Naples. However, the tomato definitely has come a long way since. From the pizza, burgers to ketchup and curries, the tomatoes have come to be an important part of our everyday meal. They are available in a variety of colors, sizes and types. From reds, oranges, greens to whites and tiny cherry tomatoes to the big bulky beefsteak tomatoes, they are all superb. The canned tomatoes are a little different, slightly longish, they are known as plum tomatoes.
With a high vitamin C content and rich in the antioxidant Lycopene, tomatoes sure are a must have on your menu. The antioxidant Lycopene fights against the free radicals in our body and has protective properties that prevent cancer and other diseases. It has a high fiber content too in addition to being rich in vitamin A, B, iron and phosphorus.
There are several dishes and variations possible with tomatoes. However, while cooking them you must ensure that you do not do so in an aluminum utensil. The acid content of the tomato reacts with the metal and is not really good for health.
The very thought of the many permutations and combinations that are possible with tomatoes makes me so hungry. Yummy tomato soups, Indian curries, delicious pizzas, lasagna …. can”t resist it any more. I am off to my kitchen to create a mouthwatering dish with the tomatoes lying in my refrigerator.
About The Author
Mary-Anne is a featured member and regular contributor at ifood.tv, a global food network, featuring recipes from all over the world. Other popular healthy recipes videos on ifood.tv include applerecipes, vegetable recipes and quickrecipes.
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By Joshua Drew
There are some recipes, like your cola glazed ham that you only bring out for the holiday season. There is no reason why you can”t prepare these recipes at other times. Make a Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the year, or make your Easter breads in the winter. It is a nice special treat your whole family will love.
It can be a great deal of work to create an entire Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the summer, but the work will be worth it in the end. Make sure your home is suitably air conditioned so that you don”t bake the family while you are cooking a large turkey in your oven all day. You could also bring out your cola glazed ham recipe for a nice treat for a picnic. Prepare it ahead of time and make ham sandwiches for your next trip to the beach. There is no reason to keep these recipes locked away until it is time for the holiday.
To make it extra special bring your holiday meal outside for an outdoor treat. A Thanksgiving dinner at the picnic table is a fun way to have a special meal. You will be having the dinner just like the Pilgrims and the Native Americans did originally. Your special Easter meal, complete with sweet breads and cola glazed ham is wonderful anytime of the year. Don”t save these special times just for the holiday.
You can also opt for some non traditional meals for the holidays. Try Chinese on Christmas. It”ll save you some time and it will be a unique way to celebrate the holiday. Take the stodginess out of your holiday time and try something a little different this year.
Your family might not respond well to the change in the holiday tradition, but once they get used to the idea they will see that each holiday can be a unique experience. Mix it up once in a while and see what happens. Your family will get used to it and even enjoy not knowing what is going to come every holiday.
Try something new this year, serve your cola glazed ham in the middle of the summer and try a picnic on Christmas. It’’s your holiday; you can do anything you like. Create the tradition of no tradition and get those recipes out of the recipe box and use them whenever you like.
About The Author
Joshua Drew is a worldly southern cook.
A whole world awaits the curious flavor and look of his food..
Find more information on his website at Cola Glazed Ham
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By Joshua Drew
Guaranteed no one knows how you get your ham so sweet and delectable. Keep them guessing and no one will be able to figure it out. Your holiday dinner will be the hit of the season and no one will know how you do it. Cola glazed ham is one of those recipes that people would be shocked to know you use. It’’s like putting beer in your chili. There is a unique taste but no one can pinpoint exactly what it is.
Ham is best when it is glazed with a sweet glaze that balances the saltiness of the ham perfectly. There are many different glazes that can be prepared for ham. Most of them make use of a sweet ingredient like honey. Cola glazed ham makes the list of top recipes. But very often it’’s the honey and the clove glazed ham that makes the holiday table. It is your secret what sweet ingredient you used on your sweetly glazed ham. Many people add a bit of mustard to the glaze to give it an extra added kick. This compliments the glaze nicely and won”t be overpoweringly sweet. For a unique cola glazed ham, try cherry cola and add some pineapple and cherries to your ham.
A sweet glazed ham like a cola glazed ham is the traditional way to glaze a ham. However, some people choose to glaze a ham with a spicy mustard or chili. It all depends on your family’’s preference.
For the perfect side dish to your cola glazed ham, try some fried apples to make a nice accompaniment to the ham. Asparagus and potatoes prepared with a cheese sauce go very nicely with ham. Remember you will probably have plenty of leftovers so your ham should be nicely glazed for sandwiches.
There are many casseroles that you can prepare when your holiday meal is over. Ham that is married with baked macaroni and cheese and peas is a wonderful way to use up some of your leftover ham. The sweetness of the ham is a nice way to kick up some simple foods like macaroni and cheese. You can also add your ham to a potato casserole and it will be equally delicious. Try making some ham salad from your leftovers and your ham salad will be sweet and yummy in a ham salad sandwich.
There are many uses for the leftover cola glazed ham after the holiday is over. Try mixing them up with some unique ingredients for a holiday flair for days after.
About The Author
Joshua Drew is a worldly southern cook.
A whole world awaits the curious flavor and look of his food..
Find more information on his website at Cola Glazed Ham
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By Cindy Heller
There are many places offering cooking classes, however it would make good sense to choose the one that benefits you most. To begin with, it is significant to look at the size of the class. Classes that have about ten to twelve students would be an ideal for your class. Too many students would lead to difficulties in hearing and seeing what is going on during the class, while too few would mean less camaraderie with the other students.
The perfect cooking class should also be one that has a proper room setup in which every student has a clear view of what is going on, as rooms with conventional setups may cause a student to miss out on what is being taught. It would be better to have a room in a half circle with seating circa to the instructor that will keep each student at an equal distance from the teacher, and as a result promote better learning.
One more important aspect to enrolling in a good cooking class is that there should be enough food offered in the class in order that every student gets a chance to sample the menu. It would also be valuable trying out a cooking class that allows its students to prepare meals in the class given that they will get the advantage of having the instructor help out on many matters relating to preparing good food.
Basic Cooking Tips On Weight Reducing
Cooking low fat is becoming a slogan in the 21st century. Learning how to put into practice these fundamental basic cooking tips, ideas and practices could save your life.
Reducing those fat calories in your baking can be done with just a few simple substitutions. It is possible to substitute 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce for the oil in my banana bread recipe. Astoundingly, the banana bread is moist, flavorful and no one could taste the difference. I was amazed to discover that applesauce can also be used in place of butter for most recipes. Matching the measurement precisely, for example 1/4 cup butter to 1/4 cup applesauce does not change a recipe with the exception of providing less fat in the final product.
Another discovery is that 1/2 cup evaporated fat free milk can be used as a substitution for 1/2 cup of heavy cream. This is one more calorie saver and healthy substitution that saves my family from eating too many unhealthy calories.
Taking the time to study low-fat substitution in daily cooking recipes can make a huge difference in the fat intake consumed by you and your family. If you want to eliminate yourself and your family from the high-risk weight gain issues that are plaguing the United States today, retraining and rethinking the way you cook could make all the difference. Taking some time to learn a few low-fat basic cooking tips could be all it takes to build up your health and live longer.
About The Author
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit Basic Cooking Tips to learn more about low fat cooking.
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By Cindy Heller
Learning to read and cook a recipe is an enormous way to process how to blend the different flavors found in food. Learning to read a recipe is a very beneficial household skill that many people take for granted. The most important thing to remember is to read the recipe entirely from beginning to end. Many people do not perform this initial step and often have a provoking time in the kitchen because of this oversight.
Basic cooking techniques are very essential to learn as possessing this knowledge not only increases the easiness in which cooking projects are completed but also increases the generally enjoyment of cooking.
Basic cooking techniques have specific names that are worldwide among cookbook authors, cooking schools and chefs. Learning these basic cooking methods and techniques are essential to successfully learning to cook.
Blanching or parboiling is two names that refer to one important cooking technique that is used to make softer a vegetable. This step is usually done before moving forward with another cooking step, usually to ease the removal of vegetable skins or to leach out bitterness of certain vegetables. Regularly, the vegetables are soaked into a bowl of ice water to stop the vegetables from cooking any further.
Broiling refers to using high heat to brown food under direct heat. Some foods for instance like eggplant, croutons and tofu can be fully cooked under a broiler but for most others, it is a less important cooking method used to brown or toast the tops of the foods. When through a broiler, it is important to keep foods between 4-6 inches from the heat source.
Steaming is a well-liked method of food preparation that promotes the healthy retention of nutrients. Steaming in general refers to the cooking of vegetables over a small amount of water
Sauteing is a term that is used to explain the cooking of vegetables over high heat in a specially designed pan. Saute is a term that is used to refer to the cooking method, an exclusively designed pan and as a name or fashion of preparation such as “sauteed mushrooms”.
Simmering and Boiling are two common terms used in daily cooking terminology, both are very important forms of everyday cooking. There are many foods that required a cooking process that includes jointly boiling and simmering. It is important when cooking that the instructions following these two methods of cooking are followed accurately to assure that the food is prepared properly.
Cooking techniques are a very important part of learning to cook effectively. Lastly, don”t forget to familiarize yourself with cooking temperatures, preparation time, cooking time and any other particulars that are important to the successful cooking experience of your recipe.
About The Author
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit Basic Cooking Tips to learn more about cooking techniques.
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