5 Great Nutritious Winter Foods - The Winter Blues Are Not Compulsory

By: Victoria C S Wills 

Winter's tough and not just for those that have to hibernate. In fact, from November until nearly March - when the clocks go back; there really can be an air of the downbeat about the world. Aside from causing colds and illnesses, winter can often make you want to comfort eat. The longer evenings, the colder and wetter weather and the lack of any solar powered vitamin D make heavier, starchy foods more desirable.

However, it doesn't have to be like this. There is plenty of amazing in-season foods that can offer you tasty alternatives as well as the opportunity for exploration in the kitchen.

Red Cabbage

Many of us have terrible memories of cabbage. Most of us recall over-boiled green mulch we got at school. However, cabbage is an amazingly tasty vegetable if cooked correctly provides a significant amount of nutrition and is also very versatile. We are especially fond of red cabbage - it an be truly yummy.

Red cabbage is full of antioxidants, rich in minerals, vitamins and anthocyanins - this gives it the red tone. Cabbage is beautiful braised with apples and even added to salad. It's also ideal for stir fries and coleslaws and is a tremendously healthy and versatile vegetable and we love it.

Leeks

We often find people make leek into soup. However, leeks can be added to omelettes, salads and even stir fries and are super tasty. They are high in fibre and also packed with numerous essential nutrients. Their delicate flavour makes for adaptability and they come with a range of health benefits.

Brussel Sprouts

Another often maligned food, Brussels sprouts are a fantastic food and rich in a wide range of all things good. They're packed with anti-oxidants, have a high fibre count and are even claimed to have cancer prevention qualities thanks to a high level of glucosinolate.

Kiwi

This winter fruit contains around 100mg of Vitamin C and an array of antioxidants. They're essentially a common super food and can be eaten alone or added to salads. As a matter of fact, we find that they go very well with spinach -succulent, juicy and tasty.

Kale

Winter vegetable kale is a low calorie, high fibre alternative to other greens and is known as 'the new beef' because of its nutritional benefits. It's full of everything from iron, to vitamin K and even has omega 3 fatty acids. Per calories it has a higher calcium count than milk and is also an antioxidant. Kale is wonderful in salads, stir fries and in a wide range of winter dishes and is a bit of a change from the usual. Give it a try if you haven't had it before.

These five winter foods offer you a healthy alternative and also help you ward off colds, illnesses and those winter blues, while providing the pick me up you need to enjoy this winter wonderland.

If you would like to receive your own personalised and FREE diet report from Victoria please come visit http://www.nubeginnings.co.uk and I will make your report for you.

Article Source: 5 Great Nutritious Winter Foods - The Winter Blues Are Not Compulsory

Don't Just Store, Be Prepared!

By Tiffany Atwood

Many people are setting themselves up for failure, because they are storing items that they wont be able to prepare and eat. Say that you store 200 pounds of wheat and had to get it out and use it tonight, would you know what to do? A lot of people would have no idea how to even get started. You may know how to make bread, but you may not have stored all the ingredients to produce it. You may not have realized that you would need yeast, salt, honey, etc. Even if a person had all the necessary items to make bread, they still will be ill prepared, if they did not have a grinder to make the flour. A person, who stores rice, has to cook the rice in water, but have they stored water or do they have the resources to purify water found locally? What about seasoning, herbs, spices, soups, or other items to mix with the rice? A person can only eat so many bowls of unflavored rice!

Basic foods that most preparers store are wheat, rice, beans, dried milk, honey and sugar. In order to make these items pleasing and edible, you will need a lot more things. So if you are one of these people who are storing just the basics, you are falling short of really being ready. So here are a few tips you can use to make a crisis less of a dreary time.

1. Buy a food storage cookbook or visit some food storage websites. You can even do a general internet search, by typing in food storage recipes.

2. Practice cooking with basic stored foods ahead of time. Preparing some recipes now will help you be better prepared later. You also will get you family used to the change in their diet. Make bread by grinding wheat. You can make cereal, by soaking wheat. Fix rice and beans without using any fresh or frozen products. Also use dried milk to cook with. Do all this with the idea that in the time of a serious crisis, grocery stores may no longer be an option.

3. As you test out recipes, you will learn the types of herbs, spices, flavoring, dried or freeze-dried items that you will need. You should store these items just as you would the basic foods.

4. In addition, you will want to store no-essential but desirable condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, mayo, salad dressing, and other items that will make your meal more enjoyable. Other items to add to your food storage should include powder versions of sour cream, eggs, and butter. You can also get cheese and meat in cans or freeze-dried form.

5. Alternate what you store. Wheat and rice may seemingly last forever, but use and replace your herbs spices, soups, and condiments.

6. Purchase your items in smaller quantities because you will only have a certain amount of time before the food isn't fresh anymore. So buying 10 cans of egg whites would not be a good idea, if you are not planning to use them quickly. Freeze-dried fruits and vegetables don't last long once exposed to the humidity. So plan and buy smaller cans, so that your food won't go to waste.

In troubled times a person who is truly ready, will be better off than someone who only stored the basic food items. So stock up you food storage with these tips in mind and remember there is a difference in storing food and actually being ready.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tiffany_Atwood
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New Years Party Punch!

This punch has been a huge hit every time I’ve ever served it! When I take it to parties, there’s never any left over, and it’s enjoyed by kids and adults alike! It’s fast and easy to make, too, which is always a bonus! The recipe easily doubles, and the base can stay frozen for a few months before serving! For a fun, festive New Year’s Eve party drink, you can’t go wrong here! Enjoy!

Perfect Alcoholic Party Punch

Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 3-ounce package strawberry gelatin mix
24 ounces pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup citrus flavored vodka
2-liter bottle of clear soda, or 2 to 3 bottles champagne

Perfect Non-alcoholic Party Punch

Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 3-ounce package strawberry gelatin mix
24 ounces pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 2-liter bottle clear soda (lemon lime or ginger ale), or 2 to 3 bottles sparkling apple cider

**If you use the champagne for adults, you can make the punch without the vodka, if you like. just replace it with another cup of orange juice. Furthermore, the directions are the same for both recipes up until the addition of alcohol.**

How to:

In a large sauce pan, combine the sugar, water, and gelatin mix. Bring to a boil and cook for two or three minutes, until all of the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemon juice. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, pour the mixture into a freezer safe container. I like to use gallon zip top bags, then sit them into a larger bowl. Freeze the mixture until almost completely frozen. If it freezes solid, just allow to thaw in the sink for a couple of hours.

Place the frozen punch in a large bowl. If it’s still very frozen, use a large wooden spoon to gently break up the pieces. Try to break down the biggest chunks.

Next, add about two liters of clear carbonated beverage. You can use lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, but my personal favorites are sparkling apple cider (for non-alcoholic) or champagne! That’s right, champagne! Yummmm! When I use champagne, I typically skip any other alcohol additions, though, but that’s your call-the punch tastes great either way!

I dressed my punch glasses up with some little homemade cocktail picks too! These were super easy and make the drinks look a little more festive!

All I did was make a little “Happy New Year” banner (and one that says “2011″) and print them out. I made them so that they could be double-sided, too.

Next I just cut each banner out with pinking shears (they give that pointed edge), folded them in half so the two sides lined up, and trimmed close to the edges with the pinking shears. Next, I wrapped them around a wooden skewers and secured them with a little craft glue. I also added some little streamers at the top, for a little extra punch, but these are still very cute without them.

To make the streamers, I just cut a 2-inch by 1.5-inch strip of tissue paper. Next, I cut thin strips, lengthwise, into the tissue, leaving about three eighths of an inch of uncut paper at the bottom. I spread a small amount of craft glue on the uncut section and wrapped it tightly around the top of the skewer, then glued the banner on normally. Voila! Fun, elegant, and festive cocktail picks!

The streamers add just a little extra something, but the ones I made without them are still adorable! I think these would be fantastic as cupcake toppers too! Plus, you can give them even more pizazz if you want, by adding a little glitter here and there! The links for these free printable picks are at the end of the post! Print away, my friends!

Don’t they create just the right festiveness for NYE celebrations?! I made them on a whim, and I seriously love how they turned out! I’m so glad I decided not to be lazy!

Recipe by Darla
Cocktail pick banners created by Darla

Click on the link(s) below to download, then print on heavy white paper:
2012″ Cocktail Banners
Happy New Year! Cocktail Banners




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Typical English Food and Dishes

English cuisine is known worldwide for its simplicity and minimalism. It usually uses fresh produce, and you will notice that most English recipes don't really need master chef skills to do. These dishes are usually simply boiled, baked, roasted, or fried.

Despite its simplicity, English cuisine's appeal lies in the heartiness it offers in every meal. Here are some of the delicious and filling dishes you can look forward to when visiting the UK:

Fish and chips. This is one of the most common, best loved, and most well-known of all English street food. Fish and chips is simply fish rolled in batter and deep fried then served together with chips or French fries. It is eaten with your fingers.

This snack is usually served in a rolled-up plain or brown paper, which is then rolled up again in more paper to serve as insulation so that your snack doesn't quickly go cold.

Fish and chips is often served either with plain salt and pepper or a sprinkling of malt vinegar. This most famous English food is so delectable that it can, in fact, be found all over the world with different variations.

The first fish and chips were served in London during the 19th century. By the mid 1930s, this tasty snack had conquered all of England.

Yorkshire pudding. Yorkshire pudding is a savoury pudding eaten as a starter or as part of the main course. It is made using a simple batter mixture of milk, eggs, and flour, baked under a shoulder of mutton so that it catches the drippings. The pudding is then served hot with the mutton, gravy, and vegetables.

You can also serve Yorkshire pudding with jam and ice cream for dessert.

Bangers and mash. Bangers are traditional pork or beef English sausages. The term "bangers" started back in the World War II, when the sausages rationed to the soldiers had such high water content that if you were not very careful while cooking them, they exploded with a "bang" in the high heat. (Modern bangers are much better behaved, though.)

Mash, of course, is mashed potatoes. The two are served together for a quick, tasty, hearty working-man's meal or pub grub. They are often served with jellied eels, another dish to look forward to in your English culinary escapade.

Toad-in-the-hole. People used to thinking of the English as a stiff, staid people would be very much surprised to hear of this exotic-sounding dish. The exoticness ends with the sound, though, as toad-in-the-hole is merely bangers cooked in Yorkshire pudding batter. The person who named it toad-in-the-hole must have had quite an imagination.

Incidentally, the bangers can be replaced by different kinds of meat. During wartime, it was common to make toad-in-the-hole with pieces of Spam.

Trifle. It's not a meal if there's no dessert. To wrap things up, try this classic English sweet called the trifle.

While the word trifle is usually used to describe "a thing of little value or importance," the dish is hefty, sumptuous, and certainly nothing to be trifled with (pun completely intended).

This dessert is made up of sponge cake spread with jam and soaked in sherry, then topped with fruits such as raspberries and bananas, topped with thick custard, and garnished with whipped cream!

Learn to speak English.

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Bodum Hot Chocolate Maker & Frother

Our deep love of coffee is nearly matched by our long-standing adoration of chocolate: Hot summer days perforated by cool, frothy chocolate milk and windy, freezing nights soothed by a fireside brew of steaming hot cocoa. If you love chocolate as much as we do, you'll add Bodum's Hot Chocolate Maker and Frother to your kitchen -- stat!

Tech Specs
Color: Clear with silver and black accents
Power: N/A
Size: 40oz - 8.8" H x 4.1" D
Body Material: Glass, stainless steel, plastic and silicone

How it Works
Add your desired amount of grounds/leaves into the cup
Put chocolate powder or syrup into the jug
Add cold or warm milk
Put on the lid
Turn the fluted spout towards the handle to securely seal it (no squirting!)
To manually blend, press the spiral rod down and then pull it back up
Continue until powder and syrup are fully blended and a froth is formed
Unseal by putting the fluted spout in place
Pour - Savor - Indulge

Features & Accessories
Get your cocoa fix the new-fangled way with this hot little number from classic press maker, Bodum.

Components & Functionality
Classy like Grandma: While the actual functionality is significantly different, the form hearkens back to Grandma's milk bottle and is multi-functional once the manual blender is removed. Use it to serve your favorite frothed chocolate drink or other anything else, like lemonade or a pitcher of margaritas.
Clever Blender: With a propeller attached to a spiral rod, the manual blender is as fun to use as it is functional. Your chocolate milk will be rich and frothy -- and if you're using powdered chocolate, you won't find any unfortunate lumps in the mix.
Heat-Resistant Glass: Highly durable and heat resistant, borosilicate glass is clear, thin and stronger than traditional glass, plus it won't cloud over time.
Stainless Steel Lid: The lid is manufactured with plastic and a silicone gasket for a tight seal.

Review written by seattlecoffeegear.com




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Vegetarianism; Is It Good For You?

Vegetarianism has grown in popularity in the last few years with greater numbers following it part time or full time. Restaurants and food stores have expanded their selection of meatless dishes and products. The range of Commensal and Yves Veggie products available at Metro shows the impact of vegetarianism on our eating habits. No matter how we feel about vegetarianism, we've all eaten "vegetarian" dishes like salads, cheese sandwiches or pasta with tomato sauce.

Why Do People Become Vegetarians?
There are many reasons and everybody has their own. Some are vegetarians because of their religious beliefs, others for ethical, moral, ecological or economic reasons. Still others become vegetarians to protect or improve their health. But is vegetarianism really better for you than a diet that includes meat? You be the judge.

Basic Principles
Depending on the school of vegetarianism, different foods are stressed: whole grains (wheat, rice, corn) or grain products (pasta, bread, whole grain cereals) and fresh fruits and vegetables. Legumes, nuts, dairy products and eggs are allowed in moderation. Finally, consumption of some foods like sugar, honey, butter, alcohol, coffee is minimal.


Types of Vegetarianism
People practice various degrees of vegetarianism depending on their beliefs and willpower. Here is a summary of the various types of vegetarians.

Semi-vegetarians - Eat no read meat, but will occasionally eat poultry and fish.

pescatarian - Eat no red meat or chicken, only fish and seafood.

Lacto vegetarians - Eat dairy products, but no meat or eggs.

Ovo vegetarians - Eat eggs, but no meat or dairy products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians - Eat eggs and dairy products, but no meat.

Vegans or strict vegetarians - Eat absolutely no animal products, including honey! Their diet consists mainly of vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, sees and fresh or dried fruits.

Macrobiotics - An oriental-style vegetarian diet based on elements of ancient Chinese philosophy.

Fruitarians - Eat only fresh or dried fruits, although some also eat seeds and nuts.

Vegetarianism's Benefits
First, an essential truth that cannot be stressed enough-a poorly balanced vegetarian diet can be just as injurious to your health as a heavily meat-centred diet. Just because a food is labelled "vegetarian" doesn't mean that it's healthy. Vegetarian foods swimming in oil are anything but "healthy"!

Eating a balanced vegetarian diet however can have definite health benefits. Because it stresses fruits, vegetables and grain products, a vegetarian diet ensures significant quantities of dietary fibre and antioxidants like vitamin C, which are known to help fight various diseases, such as heart disease and certain cancers. However, a balanced regular diet (i.e. non-vegetarian) that includes fruit, vegetable and whole grain products every day can be just as helpful in fighting disease.

Some people believe that it's easier to control one's fat intake, especially of saturated fatty acids, with a vegetarian diet because it's meat-free. This is true if the diet includes only limited quantities of eggs and dairy products since they are high in fat. The chief rule to a healthy, balanced diet; whether vegetarian or regular, is to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation.

Isolating the benefits resulting solely from a vegetarian diet is difficult because most vegetarians have a very healthy lifestyle, shunning alcohol, tobacco, sometimes even coffee and tea. So the benefits noted in various studies of vegetarianism cannot be attributed solely to a meat-free diet but to the overall lifestyle

Vegetarianism's Risks
Practising vegetarianism wisely requires a reasonable knowledge of the subject. Becoming a vegetarian doesn't just mean eliminating meat from one's diet but changing one's eating habits. Simply replacing meat with eggs and cheese isn't enough. Some people mistakenly believe that they've got fat beat because they avoid meat completely while eating large quantities of pastries, cakes and oil.

Vegetarianism doesn't guarantee good nutrition. Even vegetarians can suffer dietary deficiencies. For example, vegetarians run a greater risk of iron, vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin A and D deficiencies, especially vegans and others who eat no dairy products. These deficiencies can lead to various health problems such as anemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency can even result in developmental delay in children. So knowledge of nutritional needs is essential to ensure a well-balanced diet, especially for children and pregnant women. These two groups may need to take dietary supplements to guard against such deficiencies.

Put Tofu on the Menu!
When people think of vegetarianism, they think of tofu. Made from soymilk, tofu is rich in high-quality protein. But compared to meat, tofu has two times less protein, less fat and no cholesterol. Tofu is a good source however of essential fatty acids. There is a lot of talk about tofu's benefits from the phytoestrogens it contains, inactive substances similar to estrogens produced by the ovaries and that intestinal flora turn into active estrogens. They are found in linseed as well as in soybeans, where they are present as isoflavones. According to various studies, isoflavones could reduce menopausal hot flashes and help keep bones and arteries strong and healthy. These benefits can be obtained only through regular consumption of soybean products (tofu, soymilk). Enriched soymilk (calcium, zinc, vitamins B2 and B12) and tofu with calcium (calcium sulphate) deliver maximum nutrients.

Meat delivers complete protein, so foods containing vegetable proteins, such as tofu, are a vegetarian's best friends. Nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy products and eggs are excellent sources of protein.

Combining Proteins
Unlike animal protein, no vegetable protein contains all 8 essential amino acids, so-called because they cannot be produced by the body but have to be obtained from the food we eat. That is why the theory of "protein complementarity" was developed, whereby various foods from plant sources are combined to complete amino acids. It is widely accepted nowadays, with the proviso that it does not have to be strictly applied to each meal, except for children and pregnant women. People who eat a balanced and varied diet will automatically get their recommended daily allowance of protein. Proteins from dairy products, seeds and nuts, legumes and grains are complementary. Two examples of complementary combinations are a slice of bread (grain) spread with peanut butter (legume) or pasta (grain) with cheese (dairy product).

Conclusion
Eating more fruit, vegetable, complete grains and legumes is good for everyone, not just vegetarians. These foods provide many vitamins and minerals that help maintain good health. Variety is the key to a healthy diet. So even meat-eaters should consider adding lentils, tofu or chickpeas to their diet as a great way to increase their intake of dietary fibre and reduce their fat intake.

There are good vegetarian diets just as there are bad ones. Whatever a person's diet, the important thing is to get enough food energy, proteins, carbohydrates and fat.

Article courtesy of Metro.ca

Picture from clemsonimpulse.com



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You Really Are What You Eat

Recent dietary research has uncovered 14 different nutrient-dense foods that time and again promote good overall health. Coined "superfoods," they tend to have fewer calories, higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and many disease-fighting antioxidants.

Beans (legumes), berries (especially blueberries), broccoli, green tea, nuts (especially walnuts), oranges, pumpkin, salmon. soy, spinach, tomatoes, turkey, whole grains and oats, and yogurt can all help stop and even reverse diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and some forms of cancer. And where one might have an effect on a certain part of the body, it can also affect the health of other body functions and performance, since the whole body is connected. With these 14 foods as the base of a balanced, solid diet, weight loss gimmicks and other fly-by-night programs can become a thing of the past in your life.

Conversely, the ill-effects of an unbalanced diet are several and varied. Low energy levels, mood swings, tired all the time, weight change, uncomfortable with body are just a few signs that your diet is unbalanced. An unbalanced diet can cause problems with maintenance of body tissues, growth and development, brain and nervous system function, as well as problems with bone and muscle systems.
Symptoms of malnutrition include lack of energy, irritability, a weakened immune system leading to frequent colds or allergies, and mineral depletion that can trigger a variety of health concerns including anemia.

And since the body is connected, realizing that an unhealthy body will result in an unhealthy spirit only makes sense. When we nourish our body with these superfoods and complement them with other nutrient-dense and healthy fresh foods, our spirit will be vitalized and healthy as a direct result.

Many modern diets based on prepackaged convenience foods are sorely lacking in many vitamins and minerals, which can affect our mental capacities as well, and cause irritability, confusion, and the feeling of 'being in a fog' all the time.

Superfoods can be the basis of a sound, healthy, nutritious solution to curing many of these ailments and more.Lastly don't forget to drink plenty of water. That is also very important since the human body is made up of nearly 90% water. Most of the time we get hunger pains, its because our bodies crave water not food at the time. It is especially important when you lose water such as sweating and urination, you must put that water back in to stay hydrated.

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