Make a Yummy Low Fat Pizza

There was this line in a movie (I can't quite recall which) that said "Fatless, salt-less, sugarless… and tasteless" or something to the same effect. This actually reflects a quite popular sentiment in this day and age of health consciousness. People who wish to be healthy or who want to lose a few pounds are of the belief that they have to sacrifice taste if they wish to achieve their desired weight or health goals. Naturally, tasteless yet healthy foods don't lend itself well as a substitute for tasty yet rich foods to which we have been accustomed. As a result, people who go on a low fat diet usually find themselves reverting to old habits sooner or later.



Nevertheless, while it is true that majority of health and low fat foods being sold in the market do tend to be bland, this is not applicable in all cases. If nothing else, there is such a thing as a yummy, low fat pizza. Yup, a delicious low fat pizza is definitely possible. In fact this article will instruct you on how to make one. All you need is a proper understanding of what constitutes healthy, low fat food and how to apply such principles into making your pizza.



The Principles of a Low Fat Diet



Understand one thing: low fat doesn't mean non-fat. These two are entirely different things. Low fat means you reduce the amount of fat in your diet. This means that less than thirty percent of your daily calorie intake should come from fat.



A low fat diet also means a reduction in the amount of unhealthy fats in your diet. By unhealthy fats, we are referring to saturated fats (which are unhealthy because they raise bad cholesterol levels) and polyunsaturated fats (which are unhealthy because they reduce the amount of ALL types of cholesterol and do not discriminate between good and bad cholesterol). Each of these two types of fat must consist less than ten percent of your daily calorie intake. Monounsaturated fats, on the other hand, are the "healthy fats" because they promote good cholesterol levels and reduce bad cholesterol levels. Such healthy fats, however, should still only comprise less than fifteen percent of your daily calorie intake.



Reduction in the amount of fat and reduction in the amount of unhealthy fats are the basic principles of a healthy, low fat diet. If you reduce the amount of fat intake but consumes only or mostly unhealthy fats, then you are, technically, on a low fat yet generally unhealthy diet.



A low carb diet is not the same as a low fat diet. A low fat diet can be one that has high carbohydrate content whereas a low carb diet can have a high fat content. With careful planning, however, it is possible to combine a low fat diet with a low carb diet.



There are debates as to which of these two types of diet is healthier. Definitely, a low fat diet that reduces the intake of unhealthy fats is healthy. However, if your goal is to reduce weight, a low carb diet is more effective in the short run. Nevertheless, a low carb diet can lead to more side effects and can be unhealthy in the long run whereas the low fat diet, although apparently not as effective as a weight reduction measure in the short term, is more effective as a weight maintenance measure in the long run.



Now that the definition of a low fat diet has been discussed, and the low carb and low fat diet have been sufficiently differentiated, it is time to apply such tenets. Get your pizza pan and wooden spoon ready. It's time to make our yummy, low fat pizza. Take note that we are going to make real, homemade pizza - not something that simply looks and tastes like pizza.





How to Make a Yummy Low Fat Pizza



The secret to making a low fat pizza is finding out the fat content of your usual pizza ingredients, finding a low fat substitute, reducing overall fat content, and adjusting the other ingredients and the cooking procedures to reflect the changes. You need not compute the calories in pizza to make a low fat pizza.



Low fat pizza dough



The change should start with the pizza crust. Whether you are making a thin crust or a thick crust, you should always focus on how much fat content your pizza crust recipe has. For instance, the basic pizza dough recipe has the following ingredients: flour, yeast, water, oil/shortening, milk, salt, and sugar. To make pizza crust relatively low in fat content, therefore, you must check each of the ingredients and find substitutes when applicable.



In the easy pizza crust recipe indicated above, it is easy enough to find low fat substitutes. First, you should use vegetable oil instead of animal fat or butter as your shortening in your pizza recipe. Of all vegetable oils, however, it is best to use olive oil which has the highest amount of monounsaturated fat content. Avoid palm and coconut oil as these have higher saturated fat content. Next, you should use dry, non-fat milk solids to replace regular milk.



Aside from replacing the ingredients that you can with their low or non-fat substitutes, you should also reduce the total amount of fat in your pizza dough recipes. Use as little oil as possible in your pizza dough. Moreover, do not use egg yolks even if your traditional homemade pizza recipe calls for it.



Substituting olive oil for butter or shortening should not result in any drastic changes. In fact, you can use extra virgin olive oil for a stronger olive flavor. If you prefer your crust to be creamy, you shouldn't worry since you are using milk on your dough anyway. The above ingredients should therefore give you great-tasting, low fat pizza.



Now, if you want to make an even healthier pizza dough, increase fiber content by using whole wheat flour instead of the usual white flour; reduce the amount of salt and sugar, too. Then, you can decrease carbohydrate content by opting for a thin crust pizza (less carb per slice) or reducing the amount of flour. To compensate for the less flour, you can use egg whites as binder (of course, amount of water must be reduced in proportion to the amount of egg white used).



Pizza Toppings and Pizza Sauce Low Fat Pizza



It is much easier to choose pizza toppings for a low fat pizza recipe. You should primarily choose vegetable toppings. Thus, a vegetable pizza is preferable. For variety, you can add fruit and make it a vegetable-and-fruit pizza. You can find a vegetable pizza recipe or a fruit vegetable recipe online; you can also create your own.



No-cheese pizza is best, but if you really must have cheese, then find low fat cheese or find a low fat cheese blend that you can live with. Moreover, less cheese is best. Use just enough cheese to give your pizza flavor; I'm afraid that cheese pizza is generally out then.



Tomato sauce is healthy, but you should choose one with a lower salt and sugar content. If you want, you can make your own. You can even dice up your own tomatoes and use them as toppings. Finally, substitute lean meat to your fat-laden sausages; use white meat (without the fat portions) instead of red meat. Add herbs and herbal pizza spices to add flavor and taste to your low fat pizza.

With more than 10 years experience both working and owning pizza restaurants. When he tried to find information about making pizza at home, he noticed that the information was either non-existent or lacked the information he felt was important. He now shares his passion for making pizza with readers of his website. http://www.homemade-pizza-made-easy.com/

Shrimp Recipes & Easy Shrimp Dishes You Can Make

There are many different shrimp recipes that you can prepare yourself in under 10 minutes. Talking about the popular seafood people from all over the world has a great demand and craze for the delicious shrimp meat. It is the only sea food that lets you play with all the spices.

Shrimp recipes are in huge demand as they are very delicious and yummy! All them are recommended by dietitians because of balanced fat that is contained by the shrimp. People from various countries and cultures have made so many recipes using shrimps. If you are a big time seafood lover then you are bound to place these recipes first in your preferred list of seafood. Shrimp's meat gives soft, sweet taste and a pleasing touch. Shrimp recipes take very less time to get prepared that is the main reason recipes prepared from shrimps are very much used by people that have less time to cook because of their hectic and busy life.

They not only take less time to cook them, but they also give you the proper nutrients that are required. Some recipes include shrimp salads; shrimp stir fry, shrimp scampi, garlic shrimp recipe, shrimp pasta, shrimp coconut, Cajun shrimp recipe and much more, more than 600 different recipes are available all over the world, Chinese shrimp recipes and Japanese shrimp recipes are large in numbers. The most popular among these all recipes is scampi, stir fry, shrimp toast and Cajun. Scampi has two further types of recipes that are shrimp scampi 1 and scampi 2-- both have equally delicious taste, but use different methods to cook. Asian grilled shrimp is also one of the delicious recipes you would ever love to use for its yummy taste, though it takes some time to get cooked but taste covers the time gap entirely. Mostly people go for shrimp toast as it gets ready very quickly all you need is bread slices and roasted shrimp to get it ready.

For all the shrimp recipes it is very important to make sure you do not overcook shrimp, if you do so it will get dry and rubbery and will not give you the proper taste that you are looking for, Cook it to the point where its flesh turns opaque. Cooking shrimp in the shell gives more flavors than shrimp peeled off before cooking. It is the only sea food that gives you the liberty to play with all the spices. You can mix shrimp with any other form of food and yet it stays healthy. There is a recipe for drink called shrimp cocktail and is very popular among the people, cocktail is very easy to prepare and takes very less time, it is very healthy and full of nutrients.

To get step by step preparation instructions for over 40 shrimp recipes go to: http://ShrimpRecipe.org

Food List & Rankings of Alkaline food and Can You Use an Alkaline Diet for Weight Loss?

Find Complete Alkaline Food List & Rankings


Vegetables are fruits make up most of the alkaline food chart. When going thought the list of foods that are alkaline try and consume those foods most that are higher on the list of alkaline edibles. Vegetables that are green are found higher on the list of foods that are alkaline. Asparagus, broccoli, artichokes, cabbages, radish, peas, leeks and many more such alkaline vegetables can be found on this list. White tipped asparagus is acidic though and should not be used much. Similarly the list of foods that are alkaline includes a lot of fruits. Apart from cranberries which are acidic all other fruits are to be found on the same list. Mangoes, papayas, lemons, grapefruits, melons are all alkaline in nature.

Even though most of the contents on the list of foods that are alkaline are fruits and vegetables it does not mean that only fruits are vegetables are alkaline. Certain beverages and drinks can also b e found on the list of foods that are alkaline. Herbal teas, green drinks, fresh vegetable juice, soymilk, almond milk and lemon water all have a place on the list of alkaline food. Certain nuts can also be found on this list. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are also alkalizing foods. Olive oil is very high on the list of foods that are alkaline. Olive oil is highly nutritious and helps prevent heart diseases. If you do not have a taste for olive oil one can find flax, hemp, avocado, borage and evening primrose also on the list of foods that are high in alkaline content. Sprouts and tahini are also alkaline and should be consumed to keep the ph balance of the body normal.

The list of alkaline food contains no meats and other processed food. One should stay away from acidic foods and no more than 20 % of our food intake should be acidic in nature. About 60 to 80 percent of our food should be alkalizing food. It is essential to follow the list of alkaline food so as to gain health. The list of alkaline food also helps one loose those unwanted pounds.

Each person has different tastes and different needs. But the ph of the body is the same in all healthy people. So make a list of alkaline food that suits your needs and lifestyle and follow it so as to leave a healthy and long life.

Download the Comprehensive Alkaline Food List

Can You Use an Alkaline Diet for Weight Loss?

Recently in the news and on channels such as CNN, there have been numerous people claiming that you can use an alkaline diet for weight loss. Is this really true? Can a person really begin to experience weight loss simply from changing their diet to consume more alkaline foods? In this article we're going to show you if alkaline diets are effective, what changes they have on your body, and how exactly to utilize an alkaline diet for your best health.


How Your Body Handles Acid


So, why would anybody care about being on an alkaline diet to begin with? Well the reason is simple. As a population, we are throwing our bodies out of balance by ingesting toxins such as soda and animal proteins in mass quantities. As a result, acid is built up in such large quantities that the body goes into survival mode. While acid would normally be processed and removed by the liver and kidneys, when too much of it exists, the body stores it in fat in order to preserve the health of your organs. The result is an unbalanced amount of acid and dehydration in the body. The body's homeostasis exists at a pH value of 7.3. Standard (neutral) water has a pH of 7.0. The ability to ionizer water and consume an alkaline diet has great benefits for your health.


Alkaline Diet Benefits

But why is an alkaline great for weight loss? Well, a myriad of benefits have been attributed to maintaining your bodies natural pH. Reversing the effects of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heartburn, angina, migraines, and arthritis are a few of the major benefits. Freeing diabetics from their insulin crazed hunger fits has resulted in a large amount of weight loss. But, you'll see that even normal people have seen great weight loss as a result of an alkaline diet. When the body is freed of its toxic state, your metabolism is able to function more efficiently. Fat and proteins are burned and stored properly. Also, people have seen the benefits of increased energy and sex drive, allowing them to be more active and productive.


Optimizing Your Alkaline Diet for Weight Loss


If you are attempting to use an alkaline diet for weight loss, it is very important you know how to take the balanced approach. If you use alkaline water and alkaline foods in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle you will receive the “miracle” weight loss that everyone is raving about. Once you begin drinking the alkaline water on a regular basis, you can move from drinking water with pH 9.0 to pH 9.5 (for adults). Consuming a healthy amount of this high pH water is guaranteed to aid the body in returning to acid-alkaline harmony. Also, you should use the high pH water when preparing foods like soup and stews, to balance the acidifying animal proteins or other acidic aspects of the food.


In the above you have seen how you can use an alkaline diet for weight loss, but there is much more to be learned. In order to ensure that you are going to loss weight, it is important you learn about alkaline foods. Some of the most acid filled foods would be the ones you least expect. Many dairy products, for example, are very high in acid content. 

To ensure that you can use your alkaline diet for weight loss, you should learn a lot more about the do's and don'ts of an alkaline diet. Also, if you'd like to learn more about alkaline water, click here http://www.ionizeroasis.com

Acidic Foods and Acid Reflux and The Reasons for Pregnant Women to Eat Acid Foods

Acidic Foods and Acid Reflux

 By eating a balanced diet and avoiding acidic foods, you can naturally minimize acid reflux symptoms and pain. Another easy but effective natural acid reflux remedy involves eating several smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to eating 2 or 3 large meals. By controlling the amount of acidic foods you consume and eating smaller portions, you can prevent the onset of heartburn or a full-blown acid reflux attack.

So not only should you avoid too many acidic foods, but you should also adhere to a diet that incorporates several smaller meals throughout the day versus two or three large meals. In fact most nutritionists and health experts already recommend eating five to six small meals a day as part of a healthily diet.  This has been proven to assist athletes and others to optimize their metabolism.

Some acidic foods reported to trigger heartburn and acid reflux symptoms include: Olives, Cheese, Beans, Liver, Sour Cream, Eggs, Yogurt, Gravy, Most Grains, Fowl, Meat, Plums, Prunes, Cranberries, and Buttermilk. Limiting alcohol, including beer and wine, will help acid reflux symptoms improve, but the best option is to avoid alcohol completely.





Tomatoes May be Good For You...But Not For Your Acid Reflux

Due to their high acidity levels, tomatoes should be avoided. You'll also want to avoid tea, coffee, spicy foods, citrus fruits, and tomato sauces.

There are a number of neutral foods that are neither acidic foods of alkaline foods. These include; butter, margarine, cooking oils, sugar, syrup, honey, arrowroot, corn and tapioca.

Can Chocolate Help Cure Acid Reflux?

While acidic foods can be the cause acid reflux pain, alkaline foods can be the solution to acid reflux symptoms. In other words, alkaline foods can actually serve as natural acid reflux remedies.  Alkalinity is the opposite of acidity. Whether a food is acidic or alkaline is determined by its ph levels. Alkaline foods include chocolate, bananas, orange juice, watermelon, potatoes, spinach and figs.

Acid reflux symptoms can range from moderate to severe. Some people experience heartburn, hoarseness, regurgitation, chest pain, asthma, dental erosion and dysphagia. More severe acid reflux cases can include coughing up blood in the case of erosive esophigitis. While mild heartburn is not normally this serious, other acid reflux symptoms can be very severe so it is extremely important to learn as much as you can about natural acid reflux remedies. Be careful with your diet and learn as much as you can about acidic foods and alkaline foods.

Natural Cures for Acid Reflux  Learn how to treat Acid Reflux and GERDs Disease with natural remedies. At Barton Publishing, we've gathered the latest doctor-approved medical research into our natural Acid Reflux Remedy Report. Download your copy today - it's 100% guaranteed!

The Reasons for Pregnant Women to Eat Acid Foods

The acid food can improve the digestion for pregnant women. A kind of special substance called "human chorionic gonadotropin" can be produced by the placenta inside the bodies of the pregnant women. The substance can seriously restrain the secretion of gastric acid, which can decrease the amount of gastric acid and affect the activity of digestive enzyme. At the same time, the digestion function and absorption function of the stomach and the intestines can be affected to cause various unhealthy symptoms, such as sickness, decreasing appetite and weakness. The acid taste can stimulate the secretion of gastric acid and enhance the activity of the digestive enzyme, which can improve the gastric and intestinal peristalsis and improve the appetite. Therefore, most of the pregnant women like to eat the foods with acid taste so as to restrain the decreasing digestion caused by the human chorionic gonadotropin.

 

What's more, the acid substances can meet the demands of nutrients needed by the pregnant women and the fetuses. An important composition for the fetuses to form their bones is calcium. The acid substances can accelerate the free calcium to be accumulated in the bones in the form of calcium salt. That is to say the acid substances can increase the solubility of the calcium and improve the formation and development of the bones for the fetuses. In addition, acid substances can improve the absorption of iron to transform ferric iron into ferrous iron, which can accelerate the formation of hemoglobins.

At the same time, acid foods can enhance the immunity for pregnant women. Many acid foods contain abundant which can strengthen the human immunity and improve the absorption of iron for women. What's more, the development of cell matrix and hemopoietic system can also be improved for the fetuses.

In short, acid substances are suitable foods for women to eat during the pregnancy. At the same time, it is important for women to choose suitable and healthy acid foods. Various fruits and vegetables contain the necessary nutrients provided by the acid foods, such as tomatoes and hawthorns. Pregnant women should not eat excessive pickled foods which contain too much nitrite. The nitrite can cause cancer inside the human body. Therefore, it is important to eat suitable acid foods in order to maintain the physical health for women and the fetuses.

Alice white green is the freelance writer for e-commerce website in the chemistry.  is just a place for you to Look for Chemicals! Our LookChem provide the most convenient conditions for the international buyers and let these leads benefit all the business person. Jaso Nybac

Foods To Eat When Pregnant and Foods To Avoid When Pregnant

When it comes to pregnancy nutrition, the way to go is to eat balanced meals from the four basic food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, just as there are good foods to eat when pregnant, there are also some foods you have to eat less of or avoid altogether. Knowing what not to eat when pregnant is equally important, as the wrong food may put your baby and your pregnancy at risk.



As a responsible mother-to-be, during your nine months of pregnancy, you will find yourself giving serious consideration to the types of food that you are eating, and rightly so. You will be aware that a good knowledge of the right foods to eat when pregnant leads to the best chance of delivering a healthy bouncing baby. As a pregnant woman, you are no longer caring for yourself alone, but are now also responsible for a new person growing inside you.

Related Articles

What are the foods you have to keep away from during pregnancy?

Raw meats, fish or seafood, rare or uncooked beef or poultry: Raw and undercooked foods are risky because they may be contaminated with coliform bacteria, salmonella or toxoplasmosis, all of which may harm not only your baby, but your health as well.

Raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs as an ingredient such as homemade custard, caesar salad dressing or mayonnaise: Foods such as these carry a risk of contamination with salmonella bacteria.

Soft cheese: Raw and soft cheese such as camembert, feta or blue cheese may also have its share of harmful bacteria, and should be avoided.

Fish with high levels of mercury in their fatty tissues: Fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish must be avoided as they can contain large quantities of mercury, which can result in brain damage and developmental delays.

Fish with high levels of industrial pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): Fish such as striped bass, bluefish, and freshwater fish like pike, salmon and trout, that come from contaminated lakes and rivers must be completely avoided. Taking in large amounts of PCBs can reportedly lead to a decrease in IQ, memory, and attention in babies.

There are also some pregnancy foods that you just need to monitor, and take care not to over-indulge. For example, the amount of liver that you consume should be watched as it contains high levels of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential vitamin, but too much of it can cause birth defects. Some experts also suggest minimal use of artificial sweeteners. Pregnant women should avoid alcohol at all times, and limit their consumption of caffeine to 200mg a day (equivalent to two mugs of instant coffee or tea or one mug of filtered or brewed coffee).

Taking time to think about what foods to eat when pregnant and what foods to avoid is very important to ensure you and your baby's optimal health. Now that you know what not to eat when pregnant, make sure you make the right choices for you and your baby.

The proper development of your unborn child is highly dependent on the types of food you eat. Get the facts on the right foods to eat when pregnant. 

What Your Body Acidic or Alkaline?

Our body tries maintaining the pH level anywhere from 7.35 to 7.45. This is a very narrow range of pH for blood, which our body works to maintain. Within this range, our blood is slightly alkaline in nature. To function properly, our body will work to maintain the pH at a level of close to 7.40.

An alkaline environment is essential for your body's organs to work. Your heart will work the best in an alkaline system. Acid wastes in the body can alter the heartbeat.

An alkaline body system is also needed for proper functioning of the liver, pancreas and kidneys. One of the liver's duties is to process acid toxins. Too much of acid wastes in body can overload the liver. Pancreas also depends on an alkaline diet for optimal performance.

Similarly, kidneys need a balanced acid-alkaline body system for functioning properly. Too much acidity in our body can lead to kidney stones, which are composed of mineral salts and waste acid cells.

What happens if your body has too much acidity?

Since we know just how important an alkaline diet is for keeping healthy, it follows that too much of an acidic diet can be harmful for the body. It is believed that our body becomes more prone to illnesses when it has too much of acidity.

According to the Scleroderma Care Foundation's website, the symptoms of acidity can be grouped as early acidity, middle acidity and severe acidity.

Early acidity includes symptoms as heartburn, hyperactivity, acne and panic attacks.

Middle acidity can entail depression, foggy brain, eczema, psoriasis and viral infections.

Severe form of acidity can be accompanied by tuberculosis, Hodgkin's illness, rheumatoid, numerous sclerosis and certain cancers.

You would be surprised to know that it is not just acidic food that can give our bodies a slightly acidic pH. An acidic pH can also result from emotional stress, toxic overload and immune reactions.

Testing for Acidity

You can test if your body is acidic or alkaline by testing your urine. A strip of litmus paper is to be used with urine to check for acidity. Compare the color of the litmus paper with the color chart accompanying it. If this test indicates you have an acidic pH, you might need to go for more alkaline food for keeping healthy, but do not initiate any dietary changes without first consulting your doctor.

for more info about healthy food program
BMN736ADPNHE

How Much Protein Can You Absorb At One Time?

How Much Protein Can You Absorb At One Time?

The biggest protein myth is that you can only digest 30 grams of protein at one time. Find out what's wrong with this belief and just how much protein you need. This is a common question. I also get variations such as, how much protein can you digest at one time?

There are two ways to answer this, because there really two questions being asked.

1) How much protein can the digestive system physically absorb into the bloodstream from a meal?

And the MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION...

2) How much protein can you body actually utilize?

The answers...

1) About 95% and higher, unless you have some type of digestive system malfunction.

So if you get convinced by supplement companies to drink a 42g protein shake in 5 minutes, you'll still probably absorb at 38 or more grams of that protein.

Your muscle growth is not limited by the amount of protein you can DIGEST or ABSORB.

Your muscle growth IS LIMITED by the amount of protein that your body can utilize for protein synthesis.

So the answer to #2...

2) A lot less than you think.

You really don't need 40, or 30, or probably even 20g of protein per meal to keep your protein synthesis humming along. See Nutrition Help Expert Brad Pilon's post on "How Much Protein Do We Really Need"

Any protein that your body can't use for growth will be shuttled into a process where it is broken down (de-aminated: meaning the nitrogen is removed from the molecule and it becomes a carbon skeleton) to be used in energy pathways.

Now, there are benefits for eating extra protein (in my opinion) when dieting, mainly that it helps to suppress appetite.

But the bottom line to the question I am asked almost everyday is...

a) Your body can digest and absorb almost all of the protein you eat without problem.

b) Your muscles can only do so much with protein...the muscle growth process is RARELY, if ever limited by the amount of protein we consume. Almost all of us can easily get enough protein for maximum muscle growth without the need for eating 50g of protein 6 times per day. Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Gunter Schlerkcamp excluded, of course.

Overall, I'd think twice about the need to slam down a 40-50g protein shake...just think of the children and puppies you'll save by not gassing them out with protein farts.

Real food should cover all your protein needs.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. More nutrition help and fat loss workouts show you how to burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig's bodyweight for abs exercises help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Cool Summer Soup Recipes - A Food Processor And 10 Minutes Is All You Need

Cool Summer Soup Recipes - A Food Processor And 10 Minutes Is All You Need

Summer is coming and so is the hot weather. Nobody likes to cook in the heat of summer. A really hot meal on a hot day is almost as unpopular. It could be that a cool, easy to prepare summer soup is just what you need.Below are 3 recipes for soups that can be made in your food processor or blender. If you have the ingredients on hand, none of them take more than 10 minutes to make. They are all delicious, nutritious, and really refreshing on a hot day. While the recipes all suggest you use a food processor, you can get very good results by using a blender or hand blender too.These are all very simple recipes, so don't be shy to modify them and get a taste that your whole family can enjoy.Here are the recipes.Summer Vegetarian soupThis is great tasting soup with a touch of Italy included. It is super easy to make and very healthy. It is particularly good on a hot summer dayan avocado - skin and pit removed of course4 Roma tomatoes - they may not be quite juicy enough (see below)Basil to taste (Thai basil is really good in this)4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oilProcessHow easy is this soup? Simply throw everything into your food processor and mix until it is smooth. If you find that it is more like a smoothie than soup, simply add more liquid (or swap one of the Roma tomatoes for another more juicy variety). Pour into bowls, garnish as you wish (minced chives are nice) and enjoy.Sensational Salsa & Black BeanThis soup is a very simple soup that takes just a few minutes to prepare. It can be served hot or cold, but always benefits from being heated.Roughly 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 normal sized cans of black beans (any brand is OK, but try for low salt)

1 1/2 cups soup stock (Just use chicken, beef, or vegetable bullion)

1 cup of your favorite salsa (chunky makes a heartier soup)

1 teaspoon cumin (best to use fresh ground in the soup and you can sprinkle seeds on top too)

1/4 cup of sour cream

1-2 green onions chopped fine



Process:Put the beans, salsa, cumin, and soup stock into a food processor (a blender is OK too). Puree the mixture until it is creamy in texture. Pour the mixture into a mid-sized pot and heat on low-medium until it is completely hot. This allows the flavours to merge. If you are going to serve it cold, move it to the fridge to cool off till it is time to eat. To eat it hot, simply serve into bowls and garnish with the onions and some of the sour cream.MANGO SOUPMangos are simply divine. They are great as a fruit, mixed into drinks, added to salads. They also make a really good cool summer soup which is explained below.Ingredients:1 large RIPE mango (it will be soft, no squishy, to touch)2 cups chicken soup stock (make your own or use bullion if you must)1 TBSP lemon grass (available in most Asian markets, it looks like long greenish reeds when you buy it)1 TBSP ginger - Freshly chopped is bestGround chili peppers to taste1 cup yogurt (2% plain is best)2 TBSP cilantro (chinese parsley) chopped fine Process: Chop mango and put in food processor. Mix briefly and then put in the ginger, lemon grass, chili and 1/2 cup of soup stock. Mix again till everything becomes very smooth. Move the soup into another bowl (be sure it is large enough) and mix in first the rest of the stock, and then the yogurt. This is best served cold, so put in fridge till you are ready to eat. Then put into bowls and serve with the cilantro as the garnish.As the temperature starts to go up give these soups a try. They are all very simple and will add a new delicious and healthy dimension to your summer diet.

BY: Lynne BirchLynne Birch writes on home decor and kitchen appliance topics. Recent & updated Food Processor reviews now online

How to Avoid Food Poisoning

How to Avoid Food Poisoning

You are feeling awful with vomiting, cramps and have been visiting the toilet every 10 minutes for the last two hours. Does this sound familiar? The chances are that all of us have experienced some form of food poisoning at some time.



There are different types of food poisoning, with symptoms ranging from simple nausea to potential death. It all depends upon what food is involved, and how that food was handled before you ate it. The effect of food poisoning is also dependent upon the individual – the aged, young or those that are immune depressed are all more likely to suffer badly.



If you think that you have food poisoning, see your Doctor, as it may need to be reported to the appropriate government authority. It is really important that food poisonings are reported as it is the only way available to track outbreaks and numbers of occurrences. You will never always be able to avoid food poisoning, however by following a few simple techniques you can minimise the likelihood of you becoming ill;



- Always keep food outside the temperature range of 5˚C and 60˚C – this is the favored temperature range for food poisoning bacteria. For hot food make sure it is heated / cooked to more than 60˚C and for cold food store at less than 4˚C at all times.



- Thaw food, particularly meats, in the fridge not on the bench or sink.



- Always wash your hands properly prior to handling food, and especially after; patting the dog, blowing your nose, visiting the toilet, smoking or eating, changing the baby.



- Store raw meat in a covered container at the bottom of your fridge to keep it from dripping onto other food.



- Always thoroughly wash utensils and containers that have been used on raw food prior to using them on cooked product.



Rachelle Williams is committed to helping food businesses be better businesses. She is a food technologist, fellow of the Australian Organization for Quality and member of both the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology, and Food Safety Information Council. Rachelle has appeared on “What’s Good for You” and “Brisbane Extra” and has written many food safety and business eBooks. Contact her on anyi@howsafeisyourfood.com.au to request your free eBook “How safe is food in Australia”, and to subscribe to her free eNewsletter, ”Food Safety for Small Businesses”.

Food Allergy and Symptom

Food Allergy and Symptom

Among the allergies rampant in American lives today, food allergy is one of the top three. However, some people misdiagnose food allergy as food intolerance.An allergy to food is when you have an adverse physical reaction to a food item after eating it. 

The most common food allergy is a Peanut Allergy, which affects from 1% - 1.5% of the population. It is also possible to outgrow a food allergy over time, however with a peanut allergy, this is rather unlikely.Before we go any further let's define exactly what a food allergy is. Food allergies can be broken down into 2 categories. The second category is food intolerance. This is actually caused by the food itself and is not a function of the immune system itself overreacting to the food or food additive. 

What actually happens with food allergies is that people with allergies produce IgE antibodies to specific epitopes in the food allergen. Allergic reactions to food can be fatal almost immediately following the ingestion of food.Probably one of the most prevalent and dangerous of these food allergies are people who are allergic to peanuts. Less severe reactions to food allergies are oropharyngeal pruritus, angioedema, stridor, cough, dyspnea, wheezing, and dysphonia.Symptoms Of Food AllergyFood allergy is an allergic reaction to certain types of food. Aside for the similarities in symptoms, a food allergy is more severe than food intolerance.

Someone with food intolerance can eat small portions of the food he is allergic to.A food allergy can be treated as soon as the symptom occurs. Unfortunately the best way to avoid food allergies is to have a food allergy test done and then to avoid the foods that show positive on the test. As of now, a shot of epinephrine is the most effective treatment for food allergy and other types of allergies.Although food allergies cannot be prevented, the best way to defeat it is by staying away from the food a person is allergic to. Making the right diagnosis on food allergy versus food intolerance can be tricky.Welcome to the world of food allergies and intolerances.A Child Can Outgrow Food AllergyFood allergies affect an increasing number of children, with peanut allergies being the most prevalent, (to date an estimated 1-2% of children suffering from the possibly life threatening allergic reaction).So it offers some measure of hope, to parents of food allergic children, to know that around 1 in 5 children eventually go on to outgrow their food allergy.

 Children and adult allergies follow different patterns. A food allergy in your child is most likely to come from milk, eggs and peanuts. A food allergy in your child may be prevented by avoiding high-risk foods.

Helmy Wahyudi is the owner of 1st-in-allergy-symptom.com free resources on Allergy Treatment, Food Allergy, Allergy Asthma and Symptom.

Sea food-healthy eating or fancy lifestyle

Sea food-healthy eating or fancy lifestyle

Sea food is a commonly used term representing all kinds of sea animals or seaweed suitable for being served as food.

Although sea food is known to be a high class dish, people have enjoyed all kind of sea food specialties since the antiquity. Due to the enormous collecting and commercialization, many sea animals have gone under the risk of disappearing and have become law protected species. The current global collapse of sea food is mainly due to over fishing but also to the sea pollution; both have dangerously increased in the last 50 years endangering worldwide oceanic ecosystems.

Many diets served all over the globe contain a diversity of sea food specialties due to their high content of nutritive factors among which the most important one is known to be proteins. Especially for the vegetarians, sea food tends to be an important source of vital vitamins and minerals but also a caprice and a fancy eating habit.

The most commonly served sea food dishes are known to be the Japanese specialty" Sushi", Sashimi, Fried calamari, Clam Chowder and Moules frites. Although the term sea food generally stands for both sea animals and seaweeds used in the culinary domain, seaweed is rarely considered among the most wanted sea food dishes. Fish, shellfish, mollusks and crustaceous are cooked and served all over the globe for both their nutritive content as well as for fun.

Fancy restaurants, especially those with Chinese specific serve sea food dishes sometimes for quite high prices due to their rarity as well as to the interesting and unique mode of cooking. In spite of the desperate announces made by ecologist groups trying to save endangered species, over fishing continues to be a major factor of sea animals global collapse. This is unfortunately due to the high request for this kind of dishes.

Very few sea food consumers are aware of the risks they undergo when purchasing sea specialties from unreliable sources. It is highly recommended to be well informed about the sea foods that are healthy to be served as many sorts of sea animals and seaweed contain a high quantity of mercury and PCBs. Health organizations advise sea food consumers to get information about over fishing and consume species that are not at risk of disappearing and also keep themselves informed about the sea specialties that can be consumed without endangering their health.

Still, the request for sea food dishes tends to increase. It is recommended to consider the implications of over fishing on the natural sea ecosystems. Fancy lifestyle or healthy eating habit, people must be aware of the consequences a high consume of sea food implies.

By: ebet sandersmore resources about Sea Foods please visit http://www.SeaOnlineFood.info

Thai Cucumber Salad

Thai Cucumber Salad

Ingredients and Directions

2 tb Vegetable oil

2 tb Shelled peanuts

1 lg Cucumber, peeled

1 Fresh small red chile (you

-can omit the chile; I did -when I made this for you) 1 Shallot, finely chopped (or

-use green onion) 2 ts Finely chopped lime peel

1 1/2 tb Lime juice

2 ts Fish sauce (or just use a

-little salt) 1 ts Brown sugar

1 cn Tiny salad shrimp

Brown peanuts at high heat in a wok with the oil (or brown in microwave, one minute at a time). Chop them up. Peel cucumber and remove seeds. Grate one half of the cucumber with a cheese grater, and slice the other half in very thin slices (or grate the whole thing, or slice the whole thing, depending on which you like best) Mix everything together and serve. Be sure to put the peanuts on just before you serve it or they will get soggy.

Thai Noodles

Thai Noodles

Ingredients and Directions

3 c Chopped cabbage

1 md Onion; chopped

1 1/2 ts Oil

9 oz Pasta shapes

-- (shells, bow-ties, etc) 1/4 c Crunchy peanut butter

1 tb Fresh lime juice

1 1/2 ts Brown sugar

1 1/2 ts Soy sauce

1 1/2 ts Worcestershire sauce *

1/4 ts Crushed red pepper

1/2 ts Curry powder

1/8 ts Ground cloves

1 Garlic clove

-- minced or mashed 7 oz Coconut "milk"

1 tb Chopped fresh cilantro

1 ts Chopped fresh basil

* (Vegetarian or regular worcestershire sauce, as you prefer.) Saute cabbage and onion in oil til just softened. Set aside in large bowl. Cook pasta till al dente. While pasta cooks, mix next 9 ingredients in a sauce pan. Heat gently, adding coconut milk gradually. Do not boil. Mix cooked pasta with sauce and veggies. Mix in cilantro and basil. Serve immediately. 4-6 main dish servings. This is a heavy dish; serve with a steamed veggie,

and/or a light green salad. From: kra@sdd.hp.com (Katherine Albitz)

Curried crab claws(Thai cooking food recipe)

Curried crab claws(Thai cooking food recipe)

This is Thai food recipe that easy to cooking Thai food. Curried crab claws called “Bu Pad Phong Kari” in Thai language, I hope you enjoy to cooking Thai food recipes

Ingredients 
1 cup of crab meat

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1 tablespoon of shallots (sliced thinly)

2 spring onions (sliced thinly)

1 tablespoon of garlic (sliced thinly)

1 tablespoon of light soy sauce

2 tablespoons of fish sauce

2 tablespoons of fish stock

1 tablespoon of red bell pepper

1 teaspoon of sugar



Method

1. Heat some oil in a wok , add the garlic when oil boil, then add the onions, fish stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, the crab meat, and stir until nearly cooked.

2. Add all ingredients.

3. You may add fish sauce or some ingredients to suit your taste

4. Let’ eat!!! LOL

Enjoy to cooking Thai food