Saturday, March 5, 2011

Best Slow Cooker - Programmable Slow Cooker With Meat Thermometer

Of the best 6 quart programmable slow cookers on the market, one of them has a unique feature that makes it the best slow cooker for many families.

The special unique feature the Hamilton Beach 33967 Set 'n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, that makes it the best slow cooker in this category, is the meat thermometer.

Meat Casseroles

If your family would like to regularly enjoy a moist slow cooker roast, tender turkey breast, pork tenderloin, or slow cooker chicken, the meat thermometer probe gives you peace of mind and worry-free results. When you use your Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker with meat thermometer to help you make dinner, the meat portion of your meal will always be cooked to perfection when you are ready to serve. If you are concerned a programmable slow cooker might be hard to use, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Cooking with the Meat Thermometer Probe

You simply insert the meat thermometer probe into the middle or thickest part of the meat, through a tiny hole in the lid. Select high or low and set the temperature. The probe monitors the cooking process until the meat has reached the set temperature. Once the desired internal temperature is reached, as per the food safety guidelines, the meat is cooked and the unit automatically switches to warm mode. Warm mode will keep your meal warm until you are ready to start serving.

If you cook chicken or turkey breast, pork chops or large pieces of meat regularly, the meat thermometer probe will be a frequently used feature, as it will ensure the meat is perfectly cooked every time. No need for you to calculate or guess how long it will take to cook, and therefore, there is no risk of under or over cooking the meat. Ingenious! In my opinion, the meat thermometer has got to be one of the best reasons to own this particular model.

To use the program cooking mode, just put your meal together in the cooker, select the cooking time, choose the heat setting, and then you can literally walk away. Which is exactly why it is called Set 'n Forget. Once the cooking time has finished, it will automatically switch to warm mode.

Hamilton Beach 33967 - More Special Features

This Hamilton Beach crock pot has some additional special features, for example, power-interrupt protection, a clip-on spoon, a clip-tight gasket lid and side handles which make it easy and safe to carry or move. I really like the clip-tight gasket lid which is designed to prevent spilling your pot luck dinner in the car on the way to the party. The gasket also prevents the lid from developing a steam pressure rattle; instead, your slow cooker will just quietly simmer away on the counter top.

A Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker is a Real Time Saver!

This good looking, generously proportioned, oval Hamilton Beach 6 quart slow cooker easily takes up to a 7 pound roast of meat, a turkey breast or whole ham; or will cook up to 9 servings of soup, creamy pasta, curry, chili, casserole or chocolate fudge pudding. It is an ideal size for a larger family or a cook that likes to have enough left over to freeze.

I also recommend smaller families and singles consider the Hamilton Beach 33967 too, as long as they are able to freeze the additional servings. Most weeks I serve one or two meals that were cooked and frozen the previous week. I find it a major time and cost saver to be able to get a meal out of the freezer to reheat for dinner that night, rather than to cook another one from scratch.

When I have the inclination, which is usually fueled by buying a quantity of discounted meat or tomatoes, I use my slow cooker to batch cook chicken casseroles, curries and spaghetti sauce etc, so I have some for now and some to freeze for later. I actually always find everything tastes even better when reheated.

I use mine nearly every day, so I know you will find owning a programmable slow cooker is a real time saver! It's amazing that just 5-10 minutes meal preparation time in the morning, gives you time and saves stress at the dinner end of the day. If you have a busy life and a hungry family to feed you will really enjoy every benefit of owning one of these Hamilton Beach slow cookers. Like me, you'll look forward to coming home to the major part of the meal ready and waiting.

Your instruction manual comes with 7 mouth-watering recipes using the meat thermometer to get you started. The recipe for "Maple Boneless Pork Roast" sounds amazing. You will find, between the recipe pages and the "Cooking Guide for Probe" page, you have all the information you need to get in and get started with using your slow cooker to make dinner for your family.

Best Slow Cooker - Programmable Slow Cooker With Meat Thermometer

Sharyn Read has been a passionate slow cooker cook for 20-plus years. Sharyn invites you to check out her latest Slow Cooker Reviews at http://www.squidoo.com/slow-cooker-reviews and visit her website at http://www.SlowCookersAndCrockPots.net where you will find easy, healthy crock pot recipes and ideas to stretch your food budget further.

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Friday, March 4, 2011

The Humble Beginnings of Chicken Casseroles

The word "casserole" is coined from the French word for saucepan, which is what is often used to create the one-dish casserole meals that we know today. Casseroles are complete meals by themselves, because they are usually made from potatoes or rice, mixed vegetables, meats and cheeses. You get a healthy and delicious combination of carbohydrates and proteins.

In the early days, people used earthenware for cooking and casseroles back then were mainly made from a mixture of pounded rice and meats. It was only in the 1950s when casseroles became popular in the US and Canada due to the mass production of affordable glass cooking ware.

Meat Casseroles

Glassware manufacturers were smart enough to include chicken casserole recipes and other chicken breast recipes in their products as marketing come-ons. Soon, homemakers all over the country were cooking chicken breast recipes regularly, which later on became traditional meals among North American families.

Besides being lured by marketing campaigns for chicken casseroles, homemakers back then and now find it more practical to serve these meals because ingredients used for casseroles are affordable. There is a wide variety of ingredients to choose from and the ingredients can easily be adjusted to feed small or large families. Chicken casseroles became the main fare especially during gatherings for family and other group celebrations because they are inexpensive, easy to prepare, healthy and tasty.

One of the most loved casserole recipes is the chicken and stuffing casserole. This type of casserole started to be quite popular during the 1950s, and has since then enjoyed interesting variations through the decades. A chicken and stuffing casserole is easy to prepare - you only need to mix the ingredients and bake them. It usually has two layers - the top layer has the stuffing or cheese and the bottom layer will have the chicken pieces and vegetables. These days, most cooks prefer to use condensed soup to enhance flavor and to make cooking time shorter.

Chicken casserole recipes have also evolved to become more health-friendly, with much emphasis on the use of more vegetables, less fat and only white chicken meat, to create a meal that is both nutritious and low in calories. Chicken casseroles are great meals for those who would want to serve nutritious and tasty meals to their families, yet avoid the hassle of spending too much time in the kitchen.

A shift to healthier recipes is the trend these days in family nutrition. Choosing the right meals to serve your family is important to their health. Chicken casseroles provide a good option for those who would want to limit their calories and yet still enjoy a nutritious and delicious meal. Today, different variations of chicken casseroles are served in homes and restaurants everyday and they will continue to be part of family traditions in the years to come.

The Humble Beginnings of Chicken Casseroles

All the best chicken casserole recipes. Make the ultimate chicken casseroles for your family and friends!

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Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Art of the Marinade

It's a sad fact that these days it has become almost essential to marinade most cuts of meat, unless you intend to casserole them.

I'll go into why that is the case a bit later on, but for the time being let's just examine why we use marinades at all.

Meat Casseroles

Principally there are two reasons. One is to add flavor, and the other is to tenderize. Usually, we are trying to do both.

It's worth bearing in mind that marinating is a cooking process, even though heat is rarely applied. The importance of recognizing this is that, like any other cooking process, you can overdo it.

It's not just a case of putting the meat or fish in a sauce and leaving it there until you are ready to use it. Many of the fruit juices we use in marinades, such as lemon and pineapple, contain enzymes that break down proteins. In essence, what they do is digest them.

Leaving meat in them for too long would result in an unpalatable mush. If you want to try this for yourself, leave a piece of pork in fresh pineapple juice overnight and then see what happens when you cook it.

You probably won't like the result.

Why is meat tough?

It's a tragedy that although we are killing our animals at an earlier age in order to satisfy the demand for fresh meat, the end product still tends to be tough.

There are good reasons for this and it is useful to have a working knowledge of them if only to avoid potential disasters.

It is not, as some cooks would have you believe, simply a matter of finding a butcher who will take the trouble to discuss your needs with you, if indeed such a person still exists outside of the more fanciful cookbooks.

Our meat is tough because it started out that way. And here's why (if you are squeamish, skip this section):

When an animal is killed its muscles (protein) go into spasm caused by the injection of the well-known fight or flight chemicals released by the brain.

Under normal conditions, that is to say in the natural world, this would be followed by rigor mortis setting in, followed by a gradual relaxing of the proteins back to their normal state.

However because of the speed at which the slaughter and preparation of carcasses is carried out, this vital, natural step is rarely if ever completed. The animal is killed, cooled and frozen in one continuous process.

The result is toughened proteins.

A butcher who hangs his meat can, to some extent, reverse this effect. If you ever find one, hang on to him for dear life. You have found a rapidly disappearing treasure.

The alternative is to use marinades.

Basic principles

Marinades can be wet or dry and you can add just about any flavor you desire to them.

When a marinade is liquid, the base is usually acidic. As I said earlier, this may be fruit juice, but wine, vinegar or even beer may also be used. As a matter of fact I know of one cook who uses Coca-Cola.

If it marinades meat, just think what it's doing to your insides.

Steeping in the marinade may take anything from a few minutes to several hours, and even overnight in the refrigerator.

The more delicate the proteins, though, the more chance there is of overdoing things. Fish, for example, should rarely be in a marinade for more than 30 minutes, particularly if lemon juice is involved (which it usually is).

Red meat, on the other hand, can sit in the refrigerator all night without coming to any harm. So can pork and chicken, providing there are no enzymes present of the type described above.

In other words, if you are using fresh fruit juice, keep the marinating time to a minimum. That is to say, no more than an hour at the outside.

Come to think of it, if either of those meats needs longer than that to tenderize it, it's definitely time to change your supplier.

Caution

Whatever marinade you use, throw away any uncooked portion once you have finished with it. Do not taste it after the meat has been put in it, and do not use it for anything else.

If you want to heat it through to use it as an accompanying sauce, by all means do so, but ensure that it comes to the boil and that it cooks for at least 10 minutes.

Alternatively, heat it in the microwave, which will achieve the same thing in a shorter space of time.

Marinades are the perfect medium for food poisoning bugs to take their vacations in, and when bugs are on holiday they are happy. And when they are happy, they multiply. A bit like us, really.

If in doubt, throw it away.

Copyright © Tingira Publishing 2004 All Rights Reserved

The Art of the Marinade

Michael Sheridan is an acknowledged authority and published writer on cooking matters. His website at http://thecoolcook.com contains a wealth of information, hints, tips and recipes for busy home cooks.

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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Sacrifice Of Losing Weight

Visions of endless days of tasteless meals and gnawing hunger pangs loom large. Depressing isn't it? But it needn't be.

Slimming pulls no punches. You have to eat less and sensibly if you are to be slim, healthy and vital and we don't hesitate to tell you so, but I offer lots of help. The hardest part is sticking to a diet. This section of the A-Z Household Tips is armed with the facts about food value; you lose weight and learn how to keep it that way. Many of your present attitudes to food were established when you were a child. You may now for example have aversions to certain foods, and when you think back, you may find that these foods were missing in your diet.

Meat Casseroles

The same principle works in reverse, with the foods you particularly like you may associate with happy, sad, joys of all seasons, and friendly dinner parties. Between meals snacking can become damaging to your calorie intake. Some will put on weight if they give up smoking, but this is usually based on the assumption that he will start sucking sweets to replace the oral stimulation supplied by the cigarettes. This attitude is often a clear symptom of a stress situation, periods of boredom and distress, tension and worry are the most common stress situations.

Simply stated, overweight means an excessive accumulation of body fat. Some fat, is essential as a reserve of food for the body, which can be, utilized at any time when the output of energy exceeds the intake.

Prevention: -

There is one other major factor in overweight, and that is age. We all know there is a marked tendency to put on weight as middle-age approaches. But contrary to what people believe, the process is far from inevitable. The chances are that once we reach middle age we will eat well, get little or no exercise and often have a job where expenditure of physical energy is not very high. There is no reason why, the weight that we had when we were 25 should not be the same weight when we reach 40.

The Grapefruit Myth: - Rumours state that the grapefruit has magical properties that burn up fat. Grapefruit is unquestionably an excellent fruit to include in a calorie-controlled diet; it gives fewer calories than most other fruits. The only way that fat gets burned up in the body is when it is used as fuel for energy. This can only be brought about by so reducing the intake of calories that fat stores in the body have to be mobilized to make up the basic needs for energy. Grapefruit helps you to eat fewer calories. The hard fact that all would-be slimmers have to face is that burning up fat comes about only from eating fewer calories. You must plan a diet of food that gives you balance to your energy expenditure.

Bananas and milk are excellent foods and tighter provide a good selection of the nutrients the body requires. But the chances are that you will tire of it long before you reach your target weight.
A reasonable rate at which to lose weight is 1kg a week. There are more likely to be depressing plateaus in the weight-loss graph when nothing seem to happen and that is the point at which many people give up. Just reduce your calorie intake a bit more, until you start to lose again.

There are 2 important things to be said in favour of a slower weight loss.

It is much less likely to cause damage to your health

Is that you have to re-train your appetite to a permanent pattern of eating less.

Once you have lost your surplus weight and settled sown on a maintenance diet, you will be amazed at how little food you really need to maintain that weight and sty healthy.

A well-balanced slimming diet can include bread and potatoes. There are good low-calorie diets including both these foods. No foods is fattening unless you eat too much of it. Eat less high-calorie foods such as sugar, cakes, pastry, rich desserts, fats, fried foods including potato crisps and doughnuts, chocolate and alcohol,

The quantity of food eaten daily has to be reducing enough to allow you to lose weight.
To lose weight over a long tem and holding on to it an average adult woman needs between 1,000 and 1,250 calories per day. And men needs between 1,250 and 1,500 calories per day.
There are no foods, not even grapefruit with magical properties. Slimming requires will power and perseverance, but the rewards in improved heath and looks certainly mike it worthwhile.

Healthy Mind & Body: - Find an exercise plan you enjoy. Feeling good about yourself helps give you the confidence to communicate clearly at home or work Choose a routine:

Fitness Video

Exercise equipment

Work at a Gym, you will benefit from the tailor made program and experts guidance

Aerobic / Aqua Aerobics the goal is 2x60 minute classes a week.

Take up a sport.

Women should aim to reach from 75 to 85% of the average minimum hear rate for their age group in aerobics. You calculate the rate by deducting your age from 220. So if you are 45 your maximum rate should be 195 beats per minute. Start slowly and gradually increase frequently. Do not attempt too much too soon. Always warm up by gentle stretching mussels that are not used to exercise or that can be easily strained or damaged.

· Your body learning and lifestyle will provide a strong base for your future health and achievements.

· Swimming calms the mind as well as toning the body.

· Provide yourself with energy by eating more pasta, rice, bread & cereal foods high in carbohydrates.

To reach and maintain a reasonable body weight you need a balanced diet full of nutrients and assume optional energy and psychological well being.

The Dieticians breakfast rule is based on sound sense from several aspects

The matter of digestion: -

The stomach's part of the digestive process requires from 4-6 hours to cope with an average meal. It will probably not have completed its work of digesting the last meal of the day until a few hours after bedtime.

Eating early in the day, when you are rested and feeling fresh, gives our stomach the best possible chance of digesting food easily and completely, it helps the body to eliminate waste products in the natural way without the aid of laxatives.

If you start the day without a comfortably lined stomach, you are imposing an unnecessary strain upon your nervous system and are making yourself needlessly tired, while there is still the best part of the day to get through.

If the input of energy exactly balances its output, weight will remain constant. It is when calorie intake is greater than energy output that weight increases, and this is something, which everyone should avoid.

Pushing sown half-chewed food with one eye on the clock and nerves on edge simply does not give your digestive system the chance it needs to do its job properly. Yet it only means getting up about 25minutes earlier.

Core Food Groups: - The National Australian Dietary Guidelines to healthy eating has developed the following food groups based on the nutrients they provide.

Ø Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles

Ø Legumes and vegetables

Ø Fruit

Ø Milk, yoghurt, and cheese.

Ø Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and nuts

Ø Fibre is found in plant products such as wholegrain breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Although fibre is considered to be an extra food type it needs to be included in your diet to prevent bowel disease. Fibre improves bowel function by increasing the bulk of faeces (poo) and reducing transit time in the body, which results in softer, larger stools and more frequent bowel action.

Healthy Eating Guides: -

Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods

Eat plenty of breads and cereals, vegetables, including legumes such as snow peas, green beans and chickpeas, and fruits.

Eat a diet low in fat and in particular, low in saturated fat which predominantly comes from animal fats

Maintain a healthy body weight by balancing physical activity and food intake.

Limit your intake of alcohol

Eat only a moderate amount of sugars and foods containing added sugars.

Choose low-salt foods and use salt sparingly

Eat foods containing calcium- dairy products are the best source. This is particularly important for girls and women

Eat foods containing iron. This is particularly important for girls, women, vegetarians and athletes

How much Caffeine

Most adults can handle up to 300ml of caffeine a day without ill effects, which is equal to

Ø 3 cups of instant coffee,

Ø 2-3 cups Peculated - Espresso coffee

Ø 6-8 cups of tea.

A UK study reported that there would be no problems if one limits their caffeine to 3 cups per day.

1 cup Beverage Caffeine

Coffee: -
Plunger, drip short black, cappuccino, flat white, latte = 100-150mg
Instant-------------------------------------------------------- = 80-100mg
Decaffeinated ----------------------------------------------- = 2-5mg
Tea: - Leaf or bag------------------------------------------- = 10-50mg
Green -------------------------------------------------------- = 30-50mg
Herbal infusions-------------------------------------------- = 0 mg
Hot cocoa---------------------------------------------------- = 2-20mg
Cola soft drink 375ml ------------------------------------- = 30-45mg
Energy drink ------------------------------------------------ = 30-80

Diabetics: -

Having diabetes doesn't mean you need to buy special food. A healthy diet for diabetes is much the same as a healthy diet.

Such a diet would be that is high in: -

Ø Fibre

Ø Wholegrain

Ø Low-GI Carbohydrates

Ø Moderate in salt

Ø Moderate in Sugar

Ø Low in Saturated fats.

Ø A wide range of: Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts, Legumes, Lean meats, Fish and low-fat dairy foods.

Alcohol

Basic guidance for alcohol intake

Ø Limit your intake to 2 standard drinks a day.

Ø Have 2 alcohol-free days each week. Alcohol is high in kilojoules and will slow down your weight-loss efforts

Sugar

Eating modest amounts of sugar in healthy foods such as breakfast cereal, yoghurt, custard and low-fat ice cream should not upset blood glucose levels. The sugar found in baked beans, tomato sauce and other cooing sauces also has little effect on blood glucose levels.

GI

GI stands for glycaemia index, which is a ranking from 0-100 that tells you whether a carbohydrate food will raise blood sugar levels dramatically, moderately or just a little. It gives you a measure of how a carbohydrate will affect your blood sugar.

Oil

Choose poly or mono-unsaturated spreads and wherever possible, look for salt-reduced varieties. If you are trying to loose weight a reduced-fat spread with only 50% fat will help. If you have high cholesterol, consider a sterol spread such as logical or Pro-active. If eaten in the quantity recommended, they can help reduce your cholesterol levels.

Saturated Fats

It is best to avoid these types of fats, which are found in butter, cram, fatty meat, cheese and oils used in fast food. Instead switch to polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oil. Choose from sunflower, safflower, peanut, soybean, and olive or canola oil and avoid saturated oils such as coconut and palm (used in fast food and snack food).

Chick Peas Has low GI value. A good source of Dietary fibre and low in fat

Four Bean Mix Low GI value. Butter beans, and lima beans

Red Kidney Beans: - Low GI value. Rich texture and sweet flavour. Ideal for hearty soups, casseroles & risotto

Low GI Foods contain carbohydrates that gradually release sugar into the bloodstream. This is ideal for those loosing weight and diabetics.

Red Kidney Beans

Low GI value. Rich texture and sweet flavour. Ideal for hearty soups, casseroles & risotto

Tips to help reduce your fat intake

Grilling instead of frying

Use a rack filled with a little water when grilling, roasting or baking meat. Marinate very lean meat in a mixture of soy sauce, wine, herbs, garlic or spices. These will prevent the meat from drying out while grilling.

Steaming

Is an ideal way of cooking most vegetables? The food is quickly cook y the steam and does not need any fat.

Microwave

Microwaving is a great way to cook. The microwave allows foods to keep their flavour and moisture while they cook.

Stir Fry

Use a wok or non-stick pan. Use a spray-on oil, water, wine or stock to fry your vegetables and then quickly mix in your lean cooked meat.

Casserole

Casserole cooking is a slow, gentle moist way of cooking that can also be low fat. Before cooing, trim the fat off the meat or skin off the chicken. Do not add any extra fat to the casserole. Allow the casserole to cool and skin any extra fat off the surface. Casseroles divided into serving sizes and frozen are ready prepared meals for people in a hurry.

Baked Vegetables

First par boil vegetables, spray with vegetable oil, place in a dry pan and cook in an oven on high until crisp.

Gravy

If you use the meat pan juices to make gravy, pour the juice into a cup and place in the freezer, when it is cool but not frozen remove the solid fat layer that forms on top. The remaining juice can be use to flavour your gravy.

Mince

When using mince, brown it first in a dry pan and drain off the excess fat before adding the other ingredients.

Butter

Add low fat yoghurt or cottage or ricotta cheese to vegetables.

Cream

Substitute cream with evaporated skin milk or blend skim milk with ricotta cheese.

Sauces

Creamy sauces can be made with Skim milk powder in double strength that adds a creamy texture without the extra fat.

Mayonnaise

Try low fat natural yoghurt instead of mayonnaise in recipes.

Salad Dressing

Make a mixture of lemon juice, herbs, mustard and vinegar it makes a great and tasty dressing.

Staying Slim

Nothing is more soul-destroying than putting on weight after a concerted effort at losing it. But it can happen and it happens from other factors besides eating

A sigh of relief is the natural reaction at the end of your successful slimming campaign, but do not let your good work evaporate overnight. Achieving your target weight after weeks or months of suffering is certainly something to celebrate, but after losing so much it would be a pity to gain it again over the next 2 weeks.

Eat Regularly: - One of the great secrets of staying slim and healthy is eating small amounts but often. Scientists have shown that people who eat five or more times a day are generally slimmer than others who eat the same amount of food but in fewer meals.

The idea of eating frequently may conflict with all you have learned about not eating between meals, but the danger of eating between meals only arises when you eat sugary foods, such as cakes and chocolate biscuits. On a good maintenance diet you can eat three main meals a day with nutritious snacks as well and still keep your weight steady.

The right Foods: - In the course of planning any diet it is important to ensure that the diet provides not only the right number of calories, but also enough protein, vitamins and minerals. Of course the more food you eat the easier it becomes, but this will not make you any slimmer. One way of making certain of eating properly is to include foods out of each food group in your daily diet.

Each day you should have: -

Ø 2-3 potions from the cereal group

Ø Some from the dairy group 1 pint of milk or some cheese.

Ø 2 portions of meat, fish, or eggs.

Ø 2 portions from the fruit and vegetable group, preferably 1 citrus fruit and 1 portion of

green or yellow vegetables.

The latter group should provide not only vitamin C but also carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body.

Burning up the Calories: - To keep your weight constant you have to maintain a balance between the energy you consume in food calories and the energy you use up as heat or physical work, so you can help to stabilize your weight not only by dieting but also by making sure you keep active. In warm weather it's a good idea to take an extra ½ walk each day or if you are go swimming instead which is an excellent form of exercise.
The important thing is to increase your level of daily activity. A few minutes of formal exercises each day help to tone your muscles and improve your posture and deportment, but unless you really work quite hard for ½ hour they have no significant effect on your energy balance.

No slimming campaign is complete without the aid of exercise. It tightens up slack muscles, tones the body and leaves you feeling health and vibrant. More important, it helps you maintain that low level of weight you've worked so hard for.

Exercise: - All sporting activities, walks, yoga, even dancing will keep you trim. Choose an activity that you enjoy, and you will be more likely to adhere to it. Let moderation be your guide.

Walking benefits nearly every muscle in the body, it is rapidly disappearing from so many people's lives as a form of relaxation. You will be glad you did and so will your figure.

Fats: -

Excessive amounts of fat in the diet can cause health problems. However it is important to have small amounts of fat in your diet because your body needs essential fatty acids to function properly.

Fats are classified by their chemical structure. They can be saturated, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated and most of the fat that you eat should be monounsaturated

A diet high in saturated fats can cause your body to produce more cholesterol, which may contribute to your risk of developing heart disease and some cancers. Saturated fats are mainly found in fatty meat, butter, full-fat milk products, cream lard and many take-away and processed foods. They are also found in some plant food, such as palm or coconut oil. Choose meat that has been trimmed of and reduced fat dairy products wherever possible, especially if heart disease is common in your family

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are healthier choice. These types of fats are found in plant oils such as sunflower, olive and canola oils.

All types of fat are rich sources of energy. There are approximately 27 kilojoules of energy in each gram of fat that you eat. Your body will store any excess calories consumed as body fat, which can lead to obesity.

Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest that you should aim to have approximately 30% of your total energy intake from fat.

Warning: -

These recommendations do not apply to infants and pre-school children, underweight people.
Breastfeeding women or those engaged in an unusually heavy work. People in these special groups have a greater need for fat in their diet.

Sugars: -

Most people enjoy sweet food and apart from sugar's effect on dental health, it is not nearly as harmful to health as fat. However many foods that are high in sugar are also high in fat, so eating sweet foods can result in high fat intake.

Sugar is added in small amounts to make useful processed foods and these products should not be excluded from your diet. High fibre breakfast cereals and food such as canned baked beans are nutritious, low in fat and high in fibre and are useful foods to include in a healthy diet.

Manufactured foods often have large amounts of sugar added to them during processing. During digestion, sugars such as sucrose and lactose and other carbohydrates, such as starch, break down into simple sugar. These provide energy for body cells and are sometimes stored for future use.

Salt: -

Salt has many purposes and it intensifies the natural flavours, colour and texture of foods. Our body needs small amounts of salt to function because it is an essential nutrient that the body cannot make by itself. However when salt is eaten in excess, it can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. The National Heath and Medical research Council recommends that adults have an upper limit of 1 teaspoon of salt per day. Even if you don't add salt to your food, you might get this amount of salt from eating manufactured food like potato crisps, pies and sausages.

Caffeine: -

Many people are mildly addicted to caffeine. Tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa and some cola drinks contain caffeine.

Caffeine stimulates your brain and nervous system and the range of physical effects vary from person to person. These effects, which are temporary and reversible, include increased alertness and heartbeat, and need to urinate more often.

Some studies have shown that caffeine can slightly raise blood pressure, whilst other studies have found lower blood pressure in people that consume caffeine. In short, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that caffeine-containing drinks cause particular problems if these are consumed in moderation.

To help maintain an acceptable level of caffeine in your diet, limit your caffeine intake to less than 600mg per day, this would be 2-4 average strength cups

Drinks that help to keep you alert, such as Red Bull and V contain about 2 ½ times the amount of caffeine found in regular cola drinks. Avoid these so-called smart drinks if you are limiting your caffeine intake. There are many caffeine alternatives on the market.

Food Additives: -

Food additives are added to foods for a specific purpose and are not considered to be food themselves. For example, the artificial sweetener aspartame is added to many beverages, yoghurt, chewing gum and other food to keep the calorie content of the product low. Some additives help maintain or improve the quality, colour, taste and texture of food and prevent from spoiling.

Many convenient, nutritious processed foods contain small amounts of artificial colours and preservatives. In Australia, the Australian New Zealand Food Authority regulates food additives through the Food Standard's Code. These compulsory standards specify the quantity and type of food colours and preservatives that can be used in foods. Food additives must be listed on packaged and processed foods.

The Sacrifice Of Losing Weight

My Name is Mary C Newton

I was born on the small island of Malta. Found in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Its location is Southern Europe, islands, south of Sicily. Coastline is 140km.

The Capital City is VALLETTA.

Population 394,583 in July 2001 est.

The two official languages are Maltese and English

Malta lay on a sea of clear blue water turning into vivid green were it rimmed the island. No mountain in Malta The highest point is about 800feet No woods and no forests with Winds of different gusts and breezes

I am female, 63 years of age. I am quick minded, versatile, intelligent, and imaginative. Love the ocean and beautiful paintings, sceneries and flowers. I devote a lot of my time writing books. You may say Jack-of-all-trades and master of some. I have three grandchildren I am crazy on computers, and have taught myself to use this magnificent baby.

My passion is ... Computers & writing I am talented in many areas,actually there is very little that I am not capable of doing.

My ambition is ... To be recognised as a writer and for my talents and share my talent

Recommend : calphalon contemporary nonstick krona-7.5 quart stock pot with vented straining

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Creamed Corn Casserole

A holiday tradition in many households, the creamed corn casserole is a side dish that goes well with turkey and ham. Leftovers are delicious on their own or they can be incorporated into a number of breakfast dishes. Also referred to as cornbread casserole, this dish is really like a pudding filled with corn, eggs, sour cream, cheddar cheese, butter and cornbread muffin mix. This is not a difficult dish to make and can be prepared well in advance. Variations on the dish include adding some finely diced white onion and finely diced green chilies.

The dish needs to firm after coming out of the hot oven, and can actually sit on the countertop for quite a spell if desired, and to free up much needed oven space when baking other dishes. Simply tent the dish with foil and let it rest until ready to serve. A few sprinkles of nutmeg or cinnamon can add to the overall presentation.

Meat Casseroles

Creamed Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (15-1/4 ounces) can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
1 (14-3/4 ounces) can Cream-Style Corn
1 (8 ounces) package Cornbread Muffin Mix
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, melted
1 Large Egg, beaten
1 to 1-1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add whole kernel corn, creamed corn, cornbread muffin mix, sour cream, melted butter and beaten egg to large bowl. Stir to combine.
3. Grease a large 13-inch x 9-inch casserole dish.
4. Pour corn mixture into casserole dish.
5. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, or until golden brown.
6. Remove casserole from oven and top evenly with cheddar cheese.
7. Return to oven until cheese is melted, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Creamed Corn Casserole

Casseroles are true comfort food. We have put together a collection of delicious casserole recipes that will satisfy the hearty appetite; and that can be served for holidays, special occasions and everyday dining. Find the perfect casserole recipe from our growing selection of appetizers, side dishes, and entrees.

Thanks To : all clad stainless steel 10 piece cookware set lodge logic pre seasoned 17 inch cast iron skillet cuisinart multiclad pro stainless steel 12 piece