Changing the way we cook our food can have a dramatic effect on our health. If we make wiser choices with our food and the way we cook it, we can significantly reduce our risk of contracting cancer and heart disease.
Here are some top tips for healthy cooking:-
1. Invest in non stick pans - With quality non-stick pans you can get away with not using oil at all or by using a low fat cooking spray. You can also 'fry' some foods in a little water to prevent them sticking. If you have to use oil, use olive oil and pat food with kitchen roll after cooking to remove excess oil.
2. Look through your recipes collection for diet recipes and low fat recipes. Cook them in batches and freeze so that you always have a healthy meal option available.
3. Steam or stir-fry vegetables - Cooking them using these methods will help the vegetables to retain their nutrients, color and taste. Look for healthy recipes like Chinese stir-fries and invest in a wok and steamer. You can buy Chinese bamboo steamers, which just sit on top of a pan of boiling water, or you can buy electric steamers. You can get a good electric steamer for less than the cost of one meal out and the ease of use is a real time saver.
4. Use olive oil - Replace other oils or a fat with olive oil which is mono-unsaturated oil and actually helps to reduce cholesterol. You must visit at www.dishadvice.com. Make your own salad dressings from olive oil and balsamic vinegar to give your salad a Mediterranean taste and this will be lower in fat than commercial salad dressings. Search online for free recipes using olive oil. Some muffin recipes use olive oil or corn oil instead of solid fats.
5. Use fat free milk in cooking and baking to cut the fat content of your healthy recipes.
6. Replace fat in baking - Look for low fat recipes for cakes and biscuits or replace half the fat in recipes with pureed prunes, yogurt or mashed banana. Search for diet recipes for sweet treats.
7. Use fat-free yogurt or crème fraise instead of using cream for pouring on dessert recipes or fruit.
8. Add more vegetables to casseroles and soups and use fresh or frozen vegetables rather than canned.
9. Don't add salt to food - Season food with herbs, spices, and garlic and lemon juice instead of salt.
10. Trim visible fat off meat and use lean meat in your low fat recipes. Cut down on how much red meat you consume and replace with fish and chicken or turkey.
Remember, cooking and eating healthy food is not hard work and definitely not expensive. If you play your cards right you can change you whole family's diet and they won't suspect a thing.
That isn't to say that they won't notice anything though, because they will - they may well notice that they are losing weight, feeling better and getting fewer minor illnesses.
If that isn't reason enough to try out a few of these tips, I don't know what is!
Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Recipes and Tips for a Seasonal Buffet with a Taste of Paradise
ARA) - Hospitality, aloha (love or the spirit of giving) and ohana (family) are some of the key values in Hawaiian culture. These values also play an important role in the celebration of holidays as they are a special time of gift-giving, visiting with loved ones and feasting. A perfect way to incorporate these elements into your next holiday gathering is to create a lunch or dinner buffet. Using buffet service allows guests to relax, reflect and celebrate the seasons, much like the Hawaiian culture does with a luau.
The following are some hiwahiwa (festive) and ono (delicious) recipes and tips provided by King's Hawaiian for adding a touch of paradise to your holiday buffet.
Buffets allow for an impressive and festive setting in a limited dining space and can accommodate service for large groups of people. Remember that because the food is all presented at the same time, your table should be arranged with artistry and care.
Tips for hosting a holiday buffet:
* Position plates at the beginning of the buffet table and napkins/silverware at the end for convenience.
* Placemats, table runners and lace can take the place of time-honored heavy linen tablecloths.
* Arrange food logically in the order that guests would serve themselves, place appropriate condiments next to that menu item.
* Bring interest to a specific dish or add dimension to your table by placing foods at different heights, using inverted bowls or boxes covered with linens/tablecloths, etc.
* Use candles in various shapes and sizes to add ambiance to the table.
* Silverware can be wrapped in paper or cloth napkins and placed in a basket for easy access. In place of napkin rings, silk flower leis can be cut and tied to napkins to hold them together.
* Flowers play an integral role on the buffet table, whether used as the centerpiece or as additional décor. Arrangements made of traditional holiday flowers and plants such as poinsettias, holly, ivy and berries will enhance the decor.
* Pineapples are the universal symbol for hospitality and what better way to welcome guests into your home than with pineapple decorations on the table!
* Bamboo placemats can be placed under hot dishes to serve as hot pads.
Food: Bread plays a major role in most holiday meals, and King's Hawaiian has prepared a menu guaranteed to sweep your family and guests away to the islands for the La nui (holidays).
King's Hawaiian Islander Artichoke & Spinach Dip
2 loaves (16 ounces) King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 package (1 ounce) Ranch-style dip mix
1 can (13 to15 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
Carefully hollow one loaf, leaving 1 inch on sides and bottom. Cube removed bread and additional loaf. Place bowl and cubes on baking sheets and bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Blend mayo, sour cream and dip; mix together in a large bowl. Add artichoke hearts, spinach and water chestnuts; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Transfer to bread bowl and serve with toasted bread cubes.
King's Hawaiian Cranberry Macadamia Nut Stuffing
6 cups (8 ounces) 1/2 loaf - King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/2 teaspoon.dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 to 2 tbsp. chicken broth (optional)
Cook celery and onion in margarine or butter in a small saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, thyme, and pepper. Place dry bread cubes in a mixing bowl. Add celery mixture, macadamia nuts, and cranberries. Add the 1/2 cup chicken broth, tossing to moisten. Use to stuff one 6 to 8-pound turkey. (Transfer any remaining stuffing to a casserole, adding the 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if desired, for extra moistness; cover and chill casserole until ready to bake. Bake the casserole, covered, in a 325-degree oven during the last 30 to 45 minutes of turkey roasting until stuffing is heated through. Serves 6 to 8.
***Tip: To make 6 cups dry bread cubes, cut ¾ loaf of bread into 1/2-inch square pieces. Spread in a single layer in a shallow pan at room temperature, loosely covered, for 8 to 12 hours.
King's Hawaiian Rocky Road Bars
1 16-ounce loaf King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
1 10.8-ounce package non-dairy whipped topping
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Lightly coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place into an extra large mixing bowl. Set both aside. In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat; stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Reserve 1/2 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup pecans for garnish. Stir in whipped topping, and remaining marshmallows and nuts. Combine chocolate mixture with yogurt. Blend well. Fold chocolate mixture into bread until all chunks are well coated. Spoon into baking dish until evenly spread. Garnish with reserved marshmallows and nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Makes 12 to16 servings. Preparation time: 20 minutes
King's Hawaiian Bread Sandwich Platter
A time-honored tradition practiced during the holidays is to serve turkey, ham, or other types of meat as the main course at family meals. King's Hawaiian suggests taking a different approach to the traditional main course by allowing guests to make their own King's Hawaiian sandwiches. Or for a post-holiday buffet substitute the sandwich platter with King's Hawaiian Turkey Sandwich Supreme using leftover turkey.
Prepare the meat of your choice to your liking, slice it and arrange it on a platter, serve hot or cold. On an additional platter arrange various cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and any other topping that you feel your guests may enjoy. Conventional condiments can accompany seasonal ones such as cranberry sauce and gravy. Arrange King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (12-pack, account for 2 per person) near the platters of meat and cheese.
Turkey Sandwich Supreme
1 16-ounce loaf King's Hawaiian Bread
1/4 cup Ranch-style dressing
10-ounce deli-sliced turkey breast
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 fresh plum tomatoes, diced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare bread for sandwich filling, slice off top. Set aside. Carefully hollow out loaf within 1 inch of sides and bottom. Reserve removed bread for other use. Brush inside and top of bread with dressing. Line bottom of shell with turkey. Toss together 1/2 cup of cheese, spinach, onion and tomatoes. Spoon over meat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Replace top. Wrap loaf in foil. Bake 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Remove foil and slice into wedges. Can be served hot or cold. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Author : Vipul
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Recipes-and-Tips-for-a-Seasonal-Buffet-with-a-Taste-of-Paradise/981439
The following are some hiwahiwa (festive) and ono (delicious) recipes and tips provided by King's Hawaiian for adding a touch of paradise to your holiday buffet.
Buffets allow for an impressive and festive setting in a limited dining space and can accommodate service for large groups of people. Remember that because the food is all presented at the same time, your table should be arranged with artistry and care.
Tips for hosting a holiday buffet:
* Position plates at the beginning of the buffet table and napkins/silverware at the end for convenience.
* Placemats, table runners and lace can take the place of time-honored heavy linen tablecloths.
* Arrange food logically in the order that guests would serve themselves, place appropriate condiments next to that menu item.
* Bring interest to a specific dish or add dimension to your table by placing foods at different heights, using inverted bowls or boxes covered with linens/tablecloths, etc.
* Use candles in various shapes and sizes to add ambiance to the table.
* Silverware can be wrapped in paper or cloth napkins and placed in a basket for easy access. In place of napkin rings, silk flower leis can be cut and tied to napkins to hold them together.
* Flowers play an integral role on the buffet table, whether used as the centerpiece or as additional décor. Arrangements made of traditional holiday flowers and plants such as poinsettias, holly, ivy and berries will enhance the decor.
* Pineapples are the universal symbol for hospitality and what better way to welcome guests into your home than with pineapple decorations on the table!
* Bamboo placemats can be placed under hot dishes to serve as hot pads.
Food: Bread plays a major role in most holiday meals, and King's Hawaiian has prepared a menu guaranteed to sweep your family and guests away to the islands for the La nui (holidays).
King's Hawaiian Islander Artichoke & Spinach Dip
2 loaves (16 ounces) King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 package (1 ounce) Ranch-style dip mix
1 can (13 to15 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
Carefully hollow one loaf, leaving 1 inch on sides and bottom. Cube removed bread and additional loaf. Place bowl and cubes on baking sheets and bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Blend mayo, sour cream and dip; mix together in a large bowl. Add artichoke hearts, spinach and water chestnuts; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Transfer to bread bowl and serve with toasted bread cubes.
King's Hawaiian Cranberry Macadamia Nut Stuffing
6 cups (8 ounces) 1/2 loaf - King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/2 teaspoon.dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 to 2 tbsp. chicken broth (optional)
Cook celery and onion in margarine or butter in a small saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, thyme, and pepper. Place dry bread cubes in a mixing bowl. Add celery mixture, macadamia nuts, and cranberries. Add the 1/2 cup chicken broth, tossing to moisten. Use to stuff one 6 to 8-pound turkey. (Transfer any remaining stuffing to a casserole, adding the 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if desired, for extra moistness; cover and chill casserole until ready to bake. Bake the casserole, covered, in a 325-degree oven during the last 30 to 45 minutes of turkey roasting until stuffing is heated through. Serves 6 to 8.
***Tip: To make 6 cups dry bread cubes, cut ¾ loaf of bread into 1/2-inch square pieces. Spread in a single layer in a shallow pan at room temperature, loosely covered, for 8 to 12 hours.
King's Hawaiian Rocky Road Bars
1 16-ounce loaf King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
1 10.8-ounce package non-dairy whipped topping
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Lightly coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place into an extra large mixing bowl. Set both aside. In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat; stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Reserve 1/2 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup pecans for garnish. Stir in whipped topping, and remaining marshmallows and nuts. Combine chocolate mixture with yogurt. Blend well. Fold chocolate mixture into bread until all chunks are well coated. Spoon into baking dish until evenly spread. Garnish with reserved marshmallows and nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Makes 12 to16 servings. Preparation time: 20 minutes
King's Hawaiian Bread Sandwich Platter
A time-honored tradition practiced during the holidays is to serve turkey, ham, or other types of meat as the main course at family meals. King's Hawaiian suggests taking a different approach to the traditional main course by allowing guests to make their own King's Hawaiian sandwiches. Or for a post-holiday buffet substitute the sandwich platter with King's Hawaiian Turkey Sandwich Supreme using leftover turkey.
Prepare the meat of your choice to your liking, slice it and arrange it on a platter, serve hot or cold. On an additional platter arrange various cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and any other topping that you feel your guests may enjoy. Conventional condiments can accompany seasonal ones such as cranberry sauce and gravy. Arrange King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (12-pack, account for 2 per person) near the platters of meat and cheese.
Turkey Sandwich Supreme
1 16-ounce loaf King's Hawaiian Bread
1/4 cup Ranch-style dressing
10-ounce deli-sliced turkey breast
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 fresh plum tomatoes, diced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare bread for sandwich filling, slice off top. Set aside. Carefully hollow out loaf within 1 inch of sides and bottom. Reserve removed bread for other use. Brush inside and top of bread with dressing. Line bottom of shell with turkey. Toss together 1/2 cup of cheese, spinach, onion and tomatoes. Spoon over meat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Replace top. Wrap loaf in foil. Bake 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Remove foil and slice into wedges. Can be served hot or cold. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Author : Vipul
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Recipes-and-Tips-for-a-Seasonal-Buffet-with-a-Taste-of-Paradise/981439
Make It Hobby ,Cooking for Pleasure
Fire was discovered and cooking closely followed to be known to man. With this discovery was the advent of different foods. They bloomed and paved the way to a more delicious human life. Menus are even cultural replica of different countries. Nowadays, cooking has grown into a hobby as well.
Cooking may be a profession for some people. With this, they earn a living. Others pursue it as a lifetime career and travel distances because of their strength in cooking. Cooking may just mean as the act of preparing food in a raw phase and use heat in order for humans to digest it easily. However, it may mean a lot to some people especially those who consider it a form of living. And, those who take it as a good form of hobby regard it of value.
Cooking as to income made a lot of lives better. All over the world restaurant businesses make it big. Even small eateries and ordinary sellers of cheap cooked food in public markets earn income through it. For most countries, people are fond of eating out and that makes the rise of fast-food restaurant industry very fast. Franchising enters the scene and the income of a country is somehow being helped out.
Many people now are cooking for pleasure. They consider this act as a hobby. There are these individuals, who, at the end of a tiring day, find relaxation in cooking. They feel relieved when cooking because it serves as their form of expression and stress release. Moreover, they love to cook for others like the family and friends.
The kitchen is the best place for cooking enthusiasts. They even give out what they cook as their present for special people.
Those who find cooking as more than a pastime and as a serious hobby even enroll in cooking classes. If you have the same interest, you have to consider taking a whole course or just some few sessions in cooking. The most important thing is that you flaunt that skill and polish it for the better.
Maximizing your strength would not only give you the benefits you want to attain or have but as well as the fulfillment you need will be achieved in due time. Who knows, you could be the next restaurant owner in your place or if not the next world-known chef?
Sandra Lovelace is a freelance writer for the Cooking Times. She writes a regular column which is published every Thursday.
Author : Sonam
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Make-It-Hobby-Cooking-for-Pleasure/1015124
Cooking may be a profession for some people. With this, they earn a living. Others pursue it as a lifetime career and travel distances because of their strength in cooking. Cooking may just mean as the act of preparing food in a raw phase and use heat in order for humans to digest it easily. However, it may mean a lot to some people especially those who consider it a form of living. And, those who take it as a good form of hobby regard it of value.
Cooking as to income made a lot of lives better. All over the world restaurant businesses make it big. Even small eateries and ordinary sellers of cheap cooked food in public markets earn income through it. For most countries, people are fond of eating out and that makes the rise of fast-food restaurant industry very fast. Franchising enters the scene and the income of a country is somehow being helped out.
Many people now are cooking for pleasure. They consider this act as a hobby. There are these individuals, who, at the end of a tiring day, find relaxation in cooking. They feel relieved when cooking because it serves as their form of expression and stress release. Moreover, they love to cook for others like the family and friends.
The kitchen is the best place for cooking enthusiasts. They even give out what they cook as their present for special people.
Those who find cooking as more than a pastime and as a serious hobby even enroll in cooking classes. If you have the same interest, you have to consider taking a whole course or just some few sessions in cooking. The most important thing is that you flaunt that skill and polish it for the better.
Maximizing your strength would not only give you the benefits you want to attain or have but as well as the fulfillment you need will be achieved in due time. Who knows, you could be the next restaurant owner in your place or if not the next world-known chef?
Sandra Lovelace is a freelance writer for the Cooking Times. She writes a regular column which is published every Thursday.
Author : Sonam
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Make-It-Hobby-Cooking-for-Pleasure/1015124
Health Benefits Of Cooking With Artificial Sweeteners
Americans consume an average of 20 teaspoons of sugar a day. That sugar contributes to myriad health problems ranging from diabetes to tooth decay. Nearly every health organization in the world has condemned the high amounts of sugar that we consume in our modern day diets and encourages reducing common table sugar - sucrose - in any way possible. One of the key tools for reducing sucrose in the diet is the wide array of "artificial sweeteners" available on the market.
"Artificial sweeteners" is a misnomer. Like sucrose, most so-called artificial sweeteners are derived from all natural sources. Many of them are even less refined than table sugar. Sucrose is made from sugar cane or sugar beets, highly refined and processed. Most other sweeteners are also made from plant sources. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), saccharin (Sweet 'n' Low, Sugar Twin and Necta Sweet) and sucralose (Splenda) have a number of health advantages over sucrose.
Artificial Sweeteners are Lower in Calories
The most important thing that you can do for your health is to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity has been implicated in diabetes, heart disease, strokes, arthritis and many other health conditions. The American Diabetes Association says that people can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by reducing their body weight by just 10%.
One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to reduce calories, and one of the easiest ways to cut out excess calories is to substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar in your everyday foods. How many calories can you cut out by using sugar substitutes in your food instead of sugar? It depends on the sweetener that you choose. The five artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA can cut out a lot of calories, as they are essentially calorie-free.
In addition to those approved sugar substitutes, there are a number of other sugar substitutes in foods that are called 'sugar alcohols' even though they are neither sugar nor alcohol. The most commonly known of these is xylitol, used in Orbit gum and other sugar free products. Others include sorbitol and malitol.
Artificial Sweeteners do not promote tooth decay
One of the issues with sugar is that it promotes tooth decay. Poor dental health can contribute to a multitude of other problems with your health. Dental caries are an avenue for gum infection, which can seriously compromise your health. When you reduce sugar by cooking with sugar substitutes, you are helping to reduce tooth decay and all of its attendant problems.
Artificial sweeteners can help diabetics control blood sugar levels
Type 2 diabetes is becoming epidemic in the United States. Diabetics must control the level of sugar in their blood in order to prevent damage to their organs and bodily systems like circulation. Artificial sweeteners are an important tool in helping diabetics control the level of sugar and carbohydrates in their blood. By sweetening foods without sucrose, you can cook delicious meals for yourself or diabetics in your family without compromising their health.
Artificial sweeteners can reduce the glycemic index of foods that you cook
The glycemic index of foods indicates the different ways that carbohydrates are used in our bodies. Foods with a high glycemic index tend to cause dramatic changes in your blood sugar levels, which can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. Foods with low GI's are healthier in a number of ways.
The easiest way to switch to a healthier, low GI diet is to substitute low GI foods for the high GI foods that you normally enjoy. That means making little changes like eating brown rice instead of white, whole grain breads instead of bread made with white flour, and substituting natural sweeteners for sucrose and glucose.
In short, using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar when you bake and cook can help your family eat a healthier diet and reduce their risk of developing serious health conditions like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. It is an easy way to start your family on a lifetime of eating healthy.
Author : Stephanie Larkin
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Health-Benefits-Of-Cooking-With-Artificial-Sweeteners/1033195
"Artificial sweeteners" is a misnomer. Like sucrose, most so-called artificial sweeteners are derived from all natural sources. Many of them are even less refined than table sugar. Sucrose is made from sugar cane or sugar beets, highly refined and processed. Most other sweeteners are also made from plant sources. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), saccharin (Sweet 'n' Low, Sugar Twin and Necta Sweet) and sucralose (Splenda) have a number of health advantages over sucrose.
Artificial Sweeteners are Lower in Calories
The most important thing that you can do for your health is to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity has been implicated in diabetes, heart disease, strokes, arthritis and many other health conditions. The American Diabetes Association says that people can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by reducing their body weight by just 10%.
One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to reduce calories, and one of the easiest ways to cut out excess calories is to substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar in your everyday foods. How many calories can you cut out by using sugar substitutes in your food instead of sugar? It depends on the sweetener that you choose. The five artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA can cut out a lot of calories, as they are essentially calorie-free.
In addition to those approved sugar substitutes, there are a number of other sugar substitutes in foods that are called 'sugar alcohols' even though they are neither sugar nor alcohol. The most commonly known of these is xylitol, used in Orbit gum and other sugar free products. Others include sorbitol and malitol.
Artificial Sweeteners do not promote tooth decay
One of the issues with sugar is that it promotes tooth decay. Poor dental health can contribute to a multitude of other problems with your health. Dental caries are an avenue for gum infection, which can seriously compromise your health. When you reduce sugar by cooking with sugar substitutes, you are helping to reduce tooth decay and all of its attendant problems.
Artificial sweeteners can help diabetics control blood sugar levels
Type 2 diabetes is becoming epidemic in the United States. Diabetics must control the level of sugar in their blood in order to prevent damage to their organs and bodily systems like circulation. Artificial sweeteners are an important tool in helping diabetics control the level of sugar and carbohydrates in their blood. By sweetening foods without sucrose, you can cook delicious meals for yourself or diabetics in your family without compromising their health.
Artificial sweeteners can reduce the glycemic index of foods that you cook
The glycemic index of foods indicates the different ways that carbohydrates are used in our bodies. Foods with a high glycemic index tend to cause dramatic changes in your blood sugar levels, which can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. Foods with low GI's are healthier in a number of ways.
- A low GI diet helps you lose and control your weight. Losing weight will improve your overall health and activity level.
- A low GI diet increases your body's sensitivity to insulin. Low sensitivity to insulin means that your body doesn't metabolize foods well, and can lead to many other health problems.
- Low GI sugar substitutes can help you reduce your risk of heart disease, lower blood cholesterol and improve diabetes control.
- Because low GI foods are used more slowly by the body, you feel full longer and eat less often. That's a great aid in losing weight.
The easiest way to switch to a healthier, low GI diet is to substitute low GI foods for the high GI foods that you normally enjoy. That means making little changes like eating brown rice instead of white, whole grain breads instead of bread made with white flour, and substituting natural sweeteners for sucrose and glucose.
In short, using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar when you bake and cook can help your family eat a healthier diet and reduce their risk of developing serious health conditions like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. It is an easy way to start your family on a lifetime of eating healthy.
Author : Stephanie Larkin
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Health-Benefits-Of-Cooking-With-Artificial-Sweeteners/1033195
The Principles of Scientific Cooking.
Proper cookery renders good food material more digestible. When scientifically done, cooking changes each of the food elements, with the exception of fats, in much the same manner as do the digestive juices, and at the same time it breaks up the food by dissolving the soluble portions, so that its elements are more readily acted upon by the digestive fluids. Cookery, however, often fails to attain the desired end; and the best material is rendered useless and unwholesome by a improper preparation.
It is rare to find a table, some portion of the food upon which is not rendered unwholesome either by improper preparatory treatment, or by the addition of some deleterious substance. This is doubtless due to the fact that the preparation of food being such a commonplace matter, its important relations to health, mind, and body have been overlooked, and it has been regarded as a menial service which might be undertaken with little or no preparation, and without attention to matters other than those which relate to the pleasure of the eye and the palate. With taste only as a criterion, it is so easy to disguise the results of careless and improper cookery of food by the use of flavors and condiments, as well as to palm off upon the digestive organs all sorts of inferior material, that poor cookery has come to be the rule rather than the exception.
Methods of cooking.
Cookery is the art of preparing food for the table by dressing, or by the application of heat in some manner. A proper source of heat having been secured, the next step is to apply it to the food in some manner. The principal methods commonly employed are roasting, broiling, baking, boiling, stewing, simmering, steaming, and frying.
Roasting is cooking food in its own juices before an open fire. Broiling, or grilling, is cooking by radiant heat. This method is only adapted to thin pieces of food with a considerable amount of surface. Larger and more compact foods should be roasted or baked. Roasting and broiling are allied in principle. In both, the work is chiefly done by the radiation of heat directly upon the surface of the food, although some heat is communicated by the hot air surrounding the food. The intense heat applied to the food soon sears its outer surfaces, and thus prevents the escape of its juices. If care be taken frequently to turn the food so that its entire surface will be thus acted upon, the interior of the mass is cooked by its own juices.
Baking is the cooking of food by dry heat in a closed oven. Only foods containing a considerable degree of moisture are adapted for cooking by this method. The hot, dry air which fills the oven is always thirsting for moisture, and will take from every moist substance to which it has access a quantity of water proportionate to its degree of heat. Foods containing but a small amount of moisture, unless protected in some manner from the action of the heated air, or in some way supplied with moisture during the cooking process, come from the oven dry, hard, and unpalatable.
Boiling is the cooking of food in a boiling liquid. Water is the usual medium employed for this purpose. When water is heated, as its temperature is increased, minute bubbles of air which have been dissolved by it are given off. As the temperature rises, bubbles of steam will begin to form at the bottom of the vessel. At first these will be condensed as they rise into the cooler water above, causing a simmering sound; but as the heat increases, the bubbles will rise higher and higher before collapsing, and in a short time will pass entirely through the water, escaping from its surface, causing more or less agitation, according to the rapidity with which they are formed. Water boils when the bubbles thus rise to the surface, and steam is thrown off. The mechanical action of the water is increased by rapid bubbling, but not the heat; and to boil anything violently does not expedite the cooking process, save that by the mechanical action of the water the food is broken into smaller pieces, which are for this reason more readily softened. But violent boiling occasions an enormous waste of fuel, and by driving away in the steam the volatile and savory elements of the food, renders it much less palatable, if not altogether tasteless. The solvent properties of water are so increased by heat that it permeates the food, rendering its hard and tough constituents soft and easy of digestion.
The liquids mostly employed in the cooking of foods are water and milk. Water is best suited for the cooking of most foods, but for such farinaceous foods as rice, macaroni, and farina, milk, or at least part milk, is preferable, as it adds to their nutritive value. In using milk for cooking purposes, it should be remembered that being more dense than water, when heated, less steam escapes, and consequently it boils sooner than does water. Then, too, milk being more dense, when it is used alone for cooking, a little larger quantity of fluid will be required than when water is used.
Steaming, as its name implies, is the cooking of food by the use of steam. There are several ways of steaming, the most common of which is by placing the food in a perforated dish over a vessel of boiling water. For foods not needing the solvent powers of water, or which already contain a large amount of moisture, this method is preferable to boiling. Another form of cooking, which is usually termed steaming, is that of placing the food, with or without water, as needed, in a closed vessel which is placed inside another vessel containing boiling water. Such an apparatus is termed a double boiler. Food cooked in its own juices in a covered dish in a hot oven, is sometimes spoken of as being steamed or smothered.
Stewing is the prolonged cooking of food in a small quantity of liquid, the temperature of which is just below the boiling point. Stewing should not be confounded with simmering, which is slow, steady boiling. The proper temperature for stewing is most easily secured by the use of the double boiler. The water in the outer vessel boils, while that in the inner vessel does not, being kept a little below the temperature of the water from which its heat is obtained, by the constant evaporation at a temperature a little below the boiling point.
Frying, which is the cooking of food in hot fat, is a method not to be recommended Unlike all the other food elements, fat is rendered less digestible by cooking. Doubtless it is for this reason that nature has provided those foods which require the most prolonged cooking to fit them for use with only a small proportion of fat, and it would seem to indicate that any food to be subjected to a high degree of heat should not be mixed and compounded largely of fats.
Author : Paul
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/The-Principles-of-Scientific-Cooking./969314
It is rare to find a table, some portion of the food upon which is not rendered unwholesome either by improper preparatory treatment, or by the addition of some deleterious substance. This is doubtless due to the fact that the preparation of food being such a commonplace matter, its important relations to health, mind, and body have been overlooked, and it has been regarded as a menial service which might be undertaken with little or no preparation, and without attention to matters other than those which relate to the pleasure of the eye and the palate. With taste only as a criterion, it is so easy to disguise the results of careless and improper cookery of food by the use of flavors and condiments, as well as to palm off upon the digestive organs all sorts of inferior material, that poor cookery has come to be the rule rather than the exception.
Methods of cooking.
Cookery is the art of preparing food for the table by dressing, or by the application of heat in some manner. A proper source of heat having been secured, the next step is to apply it to the food in some manner. The principal methods commonly employed are roasting, broiling, baking, boiling, stewing, simmering, steaming, and frying.
Roasting is cooking food in its own juices before an open fire. Broiling, or grilling, is cooking by radiant heat. This method is only adapted to thin pieces of food with a considerable amount of surface. Larger and more compact foods should be roasted or baked. Roasting and broiling are allied in principle. In both, the work is chiefly done by the radiation of heat directly upon the surface of the food, although some heat is communicated by the hot air surrounding the food. The intense heat applied to the food soon sears its outer surfaces, and thus prevents the escape of its juices. If care be taken frequently to turn the food so that its entire surface will be thus acted upon, the interior of the mass is cooked by its own juices.
Baking is the cooking of food by dry heat in a closed oven. Only foods containing a considerable degree of moisture are adapted for cooking by this method. The hot, dry air which fills the oven is always thirsting for moisture, and will take from every moist substance to which it has access a quantity of water proportionate to its degree of heat. Foods containing but a small amount of moisture, unless protected in some manner from the action of the heated air, or in some way supplied with moisture during the cooking process, come from the oven dry, hard, and unpalatable.
Boiling is the cooking of food in a boiling liquid. Water is the usual medium employed for this purpose. When water is heated, as its temperature is increased, minute bubbles of air which have been dissolved by it are given off. As the temperature rises, bubbles of steam will begin to form at the bottom of the vessel. At first these will be condensed as they rise into the cooler water above, causing a simmering sound; but as the heat increases, the bubbles will rise higher and higher before collapsing, and in a short time will pass entirely through the water, escaping from its surface, causing more or less agitation, according to the rapidity with which they are formed. Water boils when the bubbles thus rise to the surface, and steam is thrown off. The mechanical action of the water is increased by rapid bubbling, but not the heat; and to boil anything violently does not expedite the cooking process, save that by the mechanical action of the water the food is broken into smaller pieces, which are for this reason more readily softened. But violent boiling occasions an enormous waste of fuel, and by driving away in the steam the volatile and savory elements of the food, renders it much less palatable, if not altogether tasteless. The solvent properties of water are so increased by heat that it permeates the food, rendering its hard and tough constituents soft and easy of digestion.
The liquids mostly employed in the cooking of foods are water and milk. Water is best suited for the cooking of most foods, but for such farinaceous foods as rice, macaroni, and farina, milk, or at least part milk, is preferable, as it adds to their nutritive value. In using milk for cooking purposes, it should be remembered that being more dense than water, when heated, less steam escapes, and consequently it boils sooner than does water. Then, too, milk being more dense, when it is used alone for cooking, a little larger quantity of fluid will be required than when water is used.
Steaming, as its name implies, is the cooking of food by the use of steam. There are several ways of steaming, the most common of which is by placing the food in a perforated dish over a vessel of boiling water. For foods not needing the solvent powers of water, or which already contain a large amount of moisture, this method is preferable to boiling. Another form of cooking, which is usually termed steaming, is that of placing the food, with or without water, as needed, in a closed vessel which is placed inside another vessel containing boiling water. Such an apparatus is termed a double boiler. Food cooked in its own juices in a covered dish in a hot oven, is sometimes spoken of as being steamed or smothered.
Stewing is the prolonged cooking of food in a small quantity of liquid, the temperature of which is just below the boiling point. Stewing should not be confounded with simmering, which is slow, steady boiling. The proper temperature for stewing is most easily secured by the use of the double boiler. The water in the outer vessel boils, while that in the inner vessel does not, being kept a little below the temperature of the water from which its heat is obtained, by the constant evaporation at a temperature a little below the boiling point.
Frying, which is the cooking of food in hot fat, is a method not to be recommended Unlike all the other food elements, fat is rendered less digestible by cooking. Doubtless it is for this reason that nature has provided those foods which require the most prolonged cooking to fit them for use with only a small proportion of fat, and it would seem to indicate that any food to be subjected to a high degree of heat should not be mixed and compounded largely of fats.
Author : Paul
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/The-Principles-of-Scientific-Cooking./969314
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