Tuesday, March 31, 2015

SIX DIET PLANS WHICH CHOOSE


Which to choose? Low carb, protein, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Mayo, Montignac, Hollywood ... 

This time its decided: in less than a month, you come out the pirate! On Monday, so its diet. And by then, a big question: why? What formula adopted to refine without endangering his health? "The ideal diet is first one that suits their lifestyle, which is found to his taste," says nutritionist . No need to rely on powder packets, when eaten daily as a family! But the perfect diet is especially one that is defined with the doctor, depending on its shape, and having identified his bad habits. "The key to making the right choice, continuing our expert is to understand the reasons - sometimes emotional - of his weight.


Menopause does not always explain everything ...

Menopause is not always the only cause. It may also be the start of the youngest, a cessation of activity, transient depressed ... And then what? Better to put everything on his side. For example, do not impose stringent rules preposterous, in short, impossible. Forget unbalanced formulas, monotonous and demanding, and make it a habit to shop after lunch - youll be less tempted! Finally, remember that we must move (it burns calories better when doing exercise). Oh, not necessarily a lot. Any nutritionist will ask you to do the running! Just remember that we are spending as much mowing his lawn with a mechanical device or gardening, by walking briskly, swimming breaststroke or rushing on the slopes.


Recipes that we are all

l) The formula (United States in 1973), Weight Watchers, is primarily a low calorie diet, based on fewer calories. But the strength of this method, which makes it a heavyweight in the market for thinness and a wholly method is that it puts on the menu for all its members an additional: meetings with a facilitator every week. Nothing is forbidden. Provided we know the energy value of what you eat, you can take fruits and vegetables at will, some meats, fish, starchy foods and dairy products every day. One can also have fun with chocolate, pastries, meats or alcohol. Complicated? Not even! Because there are dots, not calories. You get a quota based on its pounds to lose, age, sex, physical activity - each type of food corresponding to a number of units. Example: 1.5 champagne, 4 for a big plate of pasta, 2 for a share of pie, knowing for example, that I must not exceed 20. Its simple, just count It! work? More than 25 million people worldwide have lost weight with Weight Watchers method. What the world does not necessarily want to spread his weight problems. In addition to a group. And the weekly meeting can quickly seem restrictive; unless you follow the individual. Reviews Dr. Fricker "This is a good method. It is nice, although it is a little classic, not enough custom and some may seem rigid. These groups, its pretty school ... However, it is a balanced program without any danger to health, and can be followed punctually need ... for years! "
2) Low Calorie diets formulas calorie formulas are poor in calories -like all plans - but where you can eat almost normally, without excess or course snacking. Of course, you know the Weight Watchers program. There are many. The soup in particular emulated. There we would a US hospital (again!), Where he was developed to help obese patients lose weight. As the name suggests, it mainly includes soups or mixed or stranded best to cut the appetite, but also foods rich in protein and low in calories (white cheese, fish, poultry ...). Warm front in this bowl: less than 1,000 calories a day! Another newcomer of the same thought: the lighter Cretans. Light version of the Cretan diet, rich, healthy and varied, it is heavily loaded with olive oil (relatively speaking) and fruit and vegetables ... It Work? By reducing calorie intake, you lose Always weight. But the advantage with these formulas then, is that we continue to balanced. It is not always easy to hold, even within one or two weeks. While in most cases these formulas can rebalance its supply, their habits must be maintained ... for life. If we take the stride. Reviews Dr. Fricker "These diets are safe for health, even in the long term. The soup diet, for example, based on a great idea: eat more fruits and vegetables, without which we can neither slim nor stay long term slim. There is only one thing to blame them, they are too focused on the energy values ​​formulas. Calculate not enough. We must also take into account the nutrient interactions, the consequences of their transformation in the body ... Note: do not stay more than eight weeks in a row below 600 to 700 calories, and second, to 1,400 calories , at least. And be careful: whatever the option, it is essential to keep high protein foods to the menu (meat, fish ...), otherwise put your health at danger. 3)  Montignac, (or Shelton). Both work on the same pattern. With them, you can eat just about everything, but not simultaneously. So, during the meal, by dint of eating the same thing, is saturated, it is less good, and we stop. Montignac prohibits marriage carbohydrate-lipid (fat) and recommends fruit between meals. This means, without cheese baguette, pasta without butter, stew without potatoes. Shelton outlaw certain associations such as proteins and sugars, according to a complex ranking: you can drink milk, but nothing ... As for Antoine regime, based on a daily distribution. For example, Monday is the day dedicated to fish, on Tuesday, the vegetables, on Wednesday, the eggs ... It is supposed to balance the week. that work? Differentiated diets are effective in the short term. On balance, you can expect between one and three kilos at least month. But the risk of uncontrollable cravings and difficulties in finding a normal diet without doctor resume. Review Dr. Fricker "Shelton Montignac and are not a health hazard, since all food groups are represented. Dairy products, meats, starches, vegetables and fruits, all there. Their real problem is that they are not very pleasant to follow and are very user-friendly. I recommend, for against the Antoine diet, which can lead to micronutrient deficiencies. The body needs to recharge his batteries in vitamins and minerals every four to five hours. What he can not do with this formula, it is based on a breakdown in the day. "

Those who rid us of at least 5 kg

protidic diets (the United States, there 40 years), protidic diets are fad diet. Ready to use, they encounter such a success they are found in pharmacies, drugstores and even in supermarkets. Replacing almost all of its power supply (in general two main meals) by protein powder or in the form of flavored beverages. On the menu: chocolate, vanilla, but couscous or paella ... Most brands recommend three weeks of treatment (maximum). A period in which your love feasts then limited almost exclusively to bags proteins, cans or bars, and fruit and vegetables (at will). Which, of course, has the immediate consequence of limiting calorie intake (about 400 calories per snack). It works? Developed and used by nutritionists against severe obesity, protidic diets have been proven. Well monitored and under the aegis of a doctor, they provide fast weight loss - about a pound a week ... They are intended to those who have at least five to lose ... and others, provided replace with the help of a nutritionist, sachets of real food. What peach from luck! Proteins, it is simple, fast and effective, you have nothing to prepare. But one swallow a mixture of chocolate as a food, it does not generally fun time. Two, the lack of flavor creates desires ... forbidden foods often difficult to silence. Three is a difficult formula to reconcile with a social life (not easy to impose the shaker at a dinner with friends!). Finally, four, it is not with this kind of diet that learns to eat anything without gaining weight. In short: there is a risk of weight regain after stopping bags, unless you get a prescription version of the food-based diet solid. Review Doctor Fricker "Attention, the maximum for a protein diet is eight weeks. Not one more .... and under the regular supervision of a doctor! They can generate deficiencies, but mostly from the fifties, one is exposed to the risk of muscle wasting and heart trouble. Supplementation with vitamins and minerals may be necessary. »

And which to forget!

l) The low carb formulas The most famous low carb is the Atkins method - a monument of the diet by itself! But these poor diets in carbohydrates (which is also called carbohydrates: bread, pasta, rice and sugar in general) are now the rage, with names longer up to date, The Zone, for example , very popular in the United States. Thirty-five million Americans follow this type of diet. Concretely? It is a new current regimes with exclusion (see below). Deli, meat was allowed to eat, fish, eggs and dairy products (including cheese) without any limit. The result for several weeks, hardly swallow ... as proteins and fats! - Fruits and vegetables are allowed in small quantities. Just 200 grams per day initially. First we lose water and proteins with a satiating effect, we immediately less hungry. Knowing, in addition to nausea, headache, morale drops and tone, constipation and heartburn associated with this type of diet, excess protein is harmful to health ... The opinion of Dr Fricker "On average, we can expect to lose between 3 and 8 kg in ... three months. But I do not advise these plans. They are unbalanced, increase cholesterol levels are dangerous for the heart and promote depression ... You lose weight healthily and sustainably by eating varied and leaving the fruit and vegetable menu, and some well-chosen starchy all meals. Enjoy the pleasures of the table increases the chances of success. "2) The forms with exclusion you know the most famous: Atkins (see above), Mayo or Hollywood ... The peculiarity of these diets is that they prohibit or restrict one or even several foods, mostly energy . This may be the sugar, cereals, starchy foods, but also the fruit or dairy products according to the methods. Mayo for example, is to make three meals a day, with meat, fruits, vegetables and some bread. However, it excludes sugary products, most starchy foods, dairy products and fats. Hollywood, he is not eating only fruits and vegetables ... The thinning is guaranteed that at this beginning. Why fishing? Formulas with exclusion lead to deficiencies, mainly vitamins, and calcium when they contain no dairy. The opinion of Dr. Fricker "These are old regimes, today exceeded. They are bad for health, represent a real danger to the heart, tired a lot and promote weight gain when you return to a normal diet. »

Substitutes or not?

Most meal replacements (bars, foams and other low-calorie or high-protein preparations) contain vitamins. So they have any place in your diet, even if you do not make protein diet ... but once per day, maximum! They lack flavor, cause frustration and help in no case to balance his diet (you do not eat more fruits and vegetables).

Alternative medicine-they make us melt?

The opinion of Dr. Gossart, Psycho-nutritionist "We can supplement his diet with alternative medicine. There are excellent suckers in herbal medicine-they help eliminate. Homeopathy and acupuncture are also excellent adjuvants. by rebalancing the body and playing on anxiety, they may decrease the cravings for chocolates irrepressible example ... "
Read more »

Monday, March 30, 2015

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Cost Schedule and Side Effects

Japanese Encephalitis


Japanese encephalitis (JE) is caused mostly by mosquito bite. Most of the cases of Japanese Encephalitis occur in Asia and Western Pacific. Out of those who are infected with Japanese Encephalitis Virus only a few develop encephalitis. Around 45000 cases of Japanese Encephalitis are reported every year. 20-30% of them die, and about 50% survive with permanent brain damage. Japanese Encephalitis occur most in children up to the age of 15 Years. Some studies have shown that Japanese Encephalitis occur in those areas where pigs are raised and areas rich in rice production. JE Virus is spread by infected mosquitoes.

In early 20th century Japanese Encephalitis was reported mostly in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Its cases are reduced in China and Japan due to wide spread immunization. Now a days its spreading in south east Asian countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Australia. It might be due to widespread pig farming in these countries. Migratory birds might have taken Japanese Encephalitis Virus from China to these countries and rice and pig farming have helped the virus to spread at a great speed.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine


Product: JE-VAX (inactivated virus grown in mouse brain vaccine (JE-MB))
Manufacturer: Biken (distributed by Sanofi Pasteur)
Licensed: 1992 (This vaccine is no longer available as all stocks of this vaccine in the US expired in May, 2011)

Product: Ixiaro (inactivated virus grown in VERO cell tissue culture vaccine (JE-VC))
Manufacturer: Intercell (distributed by Novartis)
Licensed: 2009

JE-VC vaccine is used for those travelers aged over 17 years who are going to those countries where Japanese Encephalitis Virus can affect you.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Side Effects


Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine, JE-VC, dont have any major side effects. Its already tested on more than 5000 adults and shown no serious side effects except local pain, swelling and redness, or fever.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Schedule


JE-VC is given as a intramuscular injection. Its given in 2 doses at a gap of 28 days. These doses should be taken one week before exposure to Japanese Encephalitis Virus. The dose is 0.5 ml. There is a JE-VC booster dose that can be given 2 years after primary series.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Cost


$390 per 2-dose primary series for JE-VC in 2009
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Sunday, March 29, 2015

CrockPot Instant Mashed Potatoes



Day 160.

Today launches Retro Week at A Year of CrockPotting. Why? I dont know. I just decided.

Instant mashed potatoes---I grew up having them and liked them, yet once I started cooking for my own family I forgot all about them. There is nothing wrong with instant potatoes---food snobs will tell you that they arent "real" food, but the back of the box says dehydrated potato flakes, some salt and an anti-caking preservative. Huh. Maybe its the anti-caking preservative that weirds people out?
Anyway, they are creamy, delicious, and easy. My kids prefer them to "real" mashed potatoes and will eat a ton in a sitting. And the cooking is ridiculously fast---it takes maybe 10 whole minutes to prepare a bunch.


Unless you use your crockpot.


Then it will take two hours.


The Ingredients.
--box of instant potatoes
--the stuff on the back of the box that they tell you to use.
I used soy milk, water, and butter in our potatoes.


The Directions.

Follow the directions on the back of the box. I used my 1.5 qt mini crockpot and used the 1/3 of a cup proportions---which is supposed to be enough to feed 3-4 people as a side dish. They must be smufs, though. My kids ate it all for lunch and wanted more.

Cook on low for 1-2 hours---you will know the potatoes are done when you stir them and they look done.

so very scientific...



The Verdict.

This worked. The stove is MUCH quicker, and the results are exactly the same. The only advantage of using the crock in this instance is that you can put all the ingredients in the crock together and leave it alone. Just like making them on the stove, they will thicken once you remove the cooked product from the heat.
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Saturday, March 28, 2015

WEIGHT LOSS IS ACCOMPANIED AN INCREASE IN REAL LIFE EXPECTANCY


Obesity potentiates many risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc. Conversely, any weight loss helps to mitigate them. But in the end, losing weight is this reflected a real increase of life expectancy? Here is the proof, demonstrated in obese people who underwent bariatric surgery.

Weight and life expectancy

The extra pounds are not beneficial to health. But if the life expectancy of patients with obesity is lower, conversely, weight loss reduces the risk factors associated with excess weight. Indeed, any weight reduction is associated with a decreased risk of diabetes, better control of high blood pressure, lower cholesterol and a significant improvement in the quality of life. It was still necessary to demonstrate that improving these risk factors was accompanied by a real increase in life expectancy. This is what just proved two independent studies, one European, the other American, conducted in people who have undergone obesity surgery.

The obesity surgeries

Recall that obesity surgery is based on several techniques to all decrease the size of the stomach and thus get a quick satiety. This is gastric banding (placing a flexible ring around the stomach), the gastric bypass (part of the stomach contents is deflected) and stapled gastroplasty (volume the stomach is reduced by putting clips on it) .On the 4,000 Swedish obese people, half of them underwent surgery for obesity. Fifteen years later, the non-operated lost an average of 2% of their weight. For others, the maximum weight loss was located about two years after surgery, and was 32% with gastric bypass, 25% for gastroplasty and 20% with the ring. Ten years later, weight status was stabilized at 25%, 16% and 14%. The percentage of deaths is lower among treated subjects, 5% against 6.3% in the control group. The most common causes were myocardial infarction (13 cases against 25 in the control group) and cancer (29 cases against 47).

Weight loss increases life expectancy

The US study looked at more than 14,000 obese people, half of them were candidates for gastric bypass. After a 7-year follow-up on average, their mortality was reduced by 40% compared to control subjects. In the intervention group, mortality from coronary heart disease was reduced by 56%, diabetes-related mortality was reduced by 92% and by 60% cancer. However, there among the subjects operated an increase in mortality from accidents and suicides by 58%. In conclusion, weight loss in obesity leads to an increase in life expectancy. This intervention therefore appears much beneficial.

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Friday, March 27, 2015

A Feast For The Eyes Mango Salsa

Sometimes, looking is enough.
And, sometimes, you just have to give in to temptation.

Friday Food Porn

I may have been the last holdout in cyberspace to jump on the Twitter bandwagon, but now that I did, Im hooked. Despite the aggravation of having my account hacked and now yesterdays system-wide attack, the twittosphere is an amazing resource for meeting fascinating folks whose path youd not otherwise cross. Case in point: mooifood.

The genius behind Mooi — thats "moy," Dutch for beautiful — is culinary wizard Stephen Hauptfuhr. You can snag the recipe for his raw-vegan mango, strawberry & avocado salsa in corn tortilla here. And if youre fortunate enough to live in Pasadena, check your local Whole Foods Market, where you can sample one (or all!) of his three-course packaged meals.

Stephens latest creation, Mooi restaurant in Echo Park, should be open in time for the holiday season and will feature his signature raw-vegan desserts and ice creams.

Crying cuz you dont live on the west coast? Yeah, me too. Well, the rest of us can always feed our inner voyeur Chef Hauptfuhrs sexy recipes by ogling his catering site. Warning: wear a bib. Drooling can be messy.

Live a little. Its the weekend.

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Thursday, March 26, 2015

Southwestern CrockPot Sweet Potato and Corn Medly


Day 229.

This is a great side dish. The flavors dance in your mouth---which is a saying I never, ever thought Id ever say (or type), but there you go. Thats what they do.

Simple to put together, but looks great on a buffet table--this is a great dish.

The Ingredients.

--3 med. sweet potatoes (1 1/2 lbs)
--1 can corn, drained
--1/4 cup chopped onion
--2 limes, juiced
--1 tsp chili powder
--1/2 tsp kosher salt
--3 T chopped fresh basil leaves

The Directions.

This is a good recipe for a 3-4 quart crockpot. If you have a larger one, consider doubling for leftovers, or stay close by so the sweet potatoes dont over cook and turn to mush.

Peel and cube the sweet potato into 1-inch or so chunks. Plop them into the crock. Add diced onion, the drained corn, and the fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle in the chili powder and salt. Squeeze the limes, and then toss everything so the seasoning is dispersed somewhat evenly.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3-4. This is done when the potatoes have reached desired tenderness.

The Verdict.

A delicious, and incredibly healthy side dish, or in my case, lunch for the next 3 days. The kids didnt like the lime flavor at all.
oh well, more for me!
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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Dentistry for Health and Common Oral Diseases

Science and health does not make a difference at all, science is just known for health for example medicines. Medicine is the science of health of living organisms as we are. We have had been a lot of problems of health since a long ago as far back as man came into existence such as fever, head ache, belly ache and most painful tooth decay and other problems of oral cavity. Our mouth is the central character who maintains the whole body system. Most of the hygienic problems occur from mouth. All the problems relevant to oral cavity are studied in a single subject called dentistry.

Dentistry is old as far back as 7000 B.C. It was studied by Indus Valley Civilization and the methods used to cure were effective and reliable. The modern dentistry was developed between 1650 and 1800. The French surgeon Pierre Fauchard is known as the father of dentistry. Due to the limitations of surgical instruments the old dentistry was not good as the modern dentistry. Actually dentistry is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of oral cavity and their impacts on human health.

Dentistry for Health


Several oral problems are clear symptoms of some major diseases like diabetes and oral cancer. As dentists is first to check and diagnose the symptoms and refer further tests and treatments, it is not false to say that dentistry really helps us to know about our health.

Common Oral Diseases


Here are some common oral diseases which are associated with our health.

Gum Bleeding

Gum bleeding is one of the symptoms of a gum disease called periodontal disease according to Lory Laughter, a registered dental hygienist in Napa, CA. People suffering from this disease should visit their dentist as soon as possible.

Mouth Sores

Different kinds of sores that appear inside or outside of the mouth are due to Stress, hormones, allergies, or a nutritional deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B-12. Eating certain acidic or spicy foods can overcome sores. Your dentist can diagnose and treat them easily.

Swelling

People suffering from diabetes usually develop this problem. Due to less ability to fight against bacteria including those that occur in the mouth, it is hard for them to control blood sugar. They frequently suffer swelling, pain and a lot of bone loss. Your dentist will diagnose and will advice you to go to an endocrinologist for further examination.

Red or White Spot

Any red or white spot on tongue, lips, cheek lining or any other part of you’re your mouth indicates the sign of oral cancer. Your dentist will check and diagnose it. Be sure to inform all of your oral condition to the dentist.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth and bleeding gums are signs of eating disorder or poor nutrition. Due to lack of nutrition your teeth become more sensitive and weak. Your dentist may be first one to find this disease.

So dentistry is definitely connected to our health as our oral system is connected to our health. May be a visit to your dentist can reveal some serious diseases from which you are not aware of.



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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

You Can Use Your CrockPot as a Smoker


Day 220.

Alternative title: CrockPot Smoked Brisket Recipe

I have been reading Jareds blog, the CrockPot Alchemist, with interest this year. He has the same think-out-of-the-box (crock!) mentality I seem to have when it comes to crockpotting, and not only does he come across as an awfully nice guy youd like to have dinner with, he is quite funny.

Jared likes things to taste smokey.
He uses Liquid Smoke, and has written about how it isnt a super-scary-chemical-concoction.

But I cant find it. Ive looked in about 6 grocery stores around here, and just. cant. find. it. Ive emailed a few people who have given me liquid smoke recipes and they can find it at Walmart. We dont have Walmart here. I guess I need to take a Walmart field trip, which is fine by me, because they have the most comfortable tank tops Ive ever worn, and Id like to stock up on layering options for fall. (in case you were wondering. you may have been.)


Anyways---since I couldnt find any liquid smoke, and because I was spurred on by the Last Food Network Star when the comedian guy built a smoker, I turned the crockpot into a smoker yesterday.

And it totally worked.

The Ingredients.


--3-4 lbs beef brisket or comparable hunk o meat
--1-2 cups mesquite wood chips (depends on size of crockpot), soaked
--favorite spice rub. I used McCormicks Roasting Rub.
--1/2 cup of water. or beer. or wine. or broth.
--parchment paper

The Directions.


Soak your wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes, and drain the water.
Spread out a good-sized length of parchment paper on the counter, and put the wood chips inside.
Fold over the edges of the paper to enclose the wood chips and make a packet, similar to a foil packet (I was worried foil would rust), that fits inside your crockpot completely.
Put it in.
With scissors, cut teeny tiny holes here and there in the top level of the parchment paper to let smoky steam escape.

Rub all sides of your meat with spice rub. Put it in the crockpot, directly on top of the parchment paper packet (lots of Ps, there).
Cover with whatever liquid you are going to use. I stuck with water.

Put the lid on and cook on low for 8-10 hours. The meat is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired tenderness. I wanted ours to fall apart, and cooked it on low for 9 hours.

The Verdict.

It worked!

The parchment didnt disintegrate, and the wood chips never touched the meat. The brisket was flavorful and had a definite smoky flavor in each bite.

My spice rub was quite peppery, so after the first few bites, I mostly tasted pepper, but the smoke was infused.


The kids loved it, and called it "the best steak my mom has ever made in the crockpot." It cracks me up that they included the "in the crockpot" part.

I have POUNDS of mesquite chips left, and am interested in smoking some salmon.
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Monday, March 23, 2015

CrockPot Egg Feta and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole



Day 154.

Last week, I saw that Kalyn had posted an egg dish with feta and mushroom. I happened to have a new carton of eggs in the fridge and a block of feta that I didnt know what to do with. Within nano-seconds of reading her blog post, I ran to the store to pick up the mushrooms so I could plop everything into the crockpot. This is a fabulous breakfast dish---the eggs and the feta are fluffy and juicy and not grease-filled. I would serve these eggs to overnight guests any time.

The Ingredients.

--1 dozen eggs
--1 lb sliced mushrooms
--1 lb sliced portabella mushrooms (or other "fancy" mushroom)
--1 chopped red bell pepper
--1 block feta cheese
--1/2 t black pepper

The Directions.

Saute the mushrooms and bell pepper in a largeish frying pan on the stove in a bit of olive oil or butter (I used butter) until they are wilty and tender. Spray the inside of your crock with cooking spray, and add the cooked mushrooms, bell pepper, and the mushroom juice.

Crumble in the entire block of feta cheese.

In a large bowl, crack all 12 eggs, and mix with a fork. Add the pepper to the eggs and mix.

Pour the egg on top of the feta and veggies.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours. I used a 4qt round crockpot for this dish and it cooked in 3 hours, 15 minutes.


The Verdict.

I love these eggs. I really like how creamy the feta got, and how the eggs were flavored so nicely without any grease. I hate having too much grease for breakfast, yet love to have cheese and eggs. This is such a great compromise----I greatly look forward to having it again.

We ate this for lunch. The kids did great--they were in a really good mood, and happily ate 3-4 bites each before wandering off. I think it was a fluke.
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Sunday, March 22, 2015

Winner Winner Valentines Dinner!

 
Looks as if Im not the only one who enjoys a good romantic movie. We have our winners of the Valentines Giveaway. Who knew you were so smart (and quick!).

Matching the film with the corresponding quotation, here are the correct answers:

1. The English Patient
    •    d) The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched, but are felt in the heart.
2.   Gone With the Wind
    •    j) You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.
3.   The Notebook
    •    f) The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds and thats what youve given me.
4.   Moulin Rouge
    •    h) Love? Above all things I believe in love! Love is like oxygen! Love is a many splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong, all you need is love.
5.   Don Juan DeMarco
    •    i) There are only four questions of value in life: What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made of?  What is worth living for? What is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love.
6.   Titanic
    •    b) Promise me youll survive. That you wont give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless.
7.   Love Story
    •    c) What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach, the Beatles, and me?
8.   When Harry Met Sally
    •    e) I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
9.   City of Angels
    •    a) I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it.
10. Casablanca
    •    g) Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time.

The first person to answer all 10 correctly was Lauren from Ginger Is The New Pink:
So fun!  I already have Mathews book, so I am hoping for 2nd or 3rd!
a. 9 City of Angels
b. 6 Titanic
c. 7 Love Story
d. 1 The English Patient
e. 8 When Harry Met Sally
f. 3 The Notebook (my fav)
g. 10 Casablance
h. 4 Moulan Rouge
i. 5 Don Juan Demarco
j. 2 Gone with the wind
The first place prize is a copy of Matthew Kenneys Entertaining In The Raw, but since Lauren already owns this delicious book of recipes and stated that she was hoping to win one of the magazines, well do a switcheroo. So Lauren, you have won the March issue of Yoga Journal.

That means that the next person to match all correctly is the lucky winner of Entertaining In The Raw, and that lucky lady is Nancy Broderick:
Hi,

First off, I would like to say I love your newsletters/blog. Keep up the good work - they are very real.

Here are my answers to your quiz.

1. The English Patient = D
2. Gone With the Wind = J
3. The Notebook = F
4. Moulin Rouge = H
5. Don Juan DeMarco = I
6. Titanic = B
7. Love Story = C
8. When Harry Met Sally = E
9. City of Angels = A
10. Casablanca = G
Finally, the third person who knows her movie quotations, Kenzie of A Healthy Purpose gets the current issue of Natural Home magazine:
Hope Im not too late! Touching post too.

1. D
2. J
3. F
4. H
5. I
6. B
7. C
8. E
9. A
10. G
Thank you to all who entered. I hope you had fun playing, and Id like to wish every one of my readers a Happy Valentines Day, from my heart to yours. Je TAdore!

I made some raw chocolate love just for you. Whats V-Day without Chocolate Covered Strawberries? Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C raw cacao powder
1 C organic agave nectar
1/4 C raw coconut oil
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 pound fresh strawberries** 

1. While youre washing your strawberries and prepping your work area, place the jar of coconut oil in a bowl of warm water to liquify.

2. Line a large tray with parchment.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the cacao powder, agave, melted coconut oil and salt. Combine well until smooth.

4. Holding the strawberries by the stem, dip each into the chocolate sauce, placing them on the tray as you go. Place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes before serving.

**Be a smart shopper: always buy organic strawberries, due to the high levels of pesticides on conventionally grown.

Whats on your Valentines Day agenda?
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Saturday, March 21, 2015

CrockPot Hamburger Patties Recipe


Day 159.


School is officially out, which means many more meals at home. Usually the "cooked" lunches around here are canned chili or soup, but I tried my hat at making hamburgers yesterday. Tracy (hi, Tracy!) emailed me earlier in the day to report that she was trying to make hamburgers, and I thought it was a great idea. She was a few hours ahead of me, and when she reported back she said that they worked, but there was a bunch of grease left in the crock.

That got my brain buzzing and I scoured the kitchen and garage for a little grill that would fit inside of my large, 6qt crockpot. I couldnt find one.



So I made a grill out of aluminum foil. This is a fun, easy way to make hamburgers for lunch (I could only fit 2 pre-formed burgers) without grease splatters on the stove. And I have yet to figure out the barbecue. That thing scares me.




The Ingredients.

--2 pre-formed hamburger patties, or 4 hand-made small ones
--a bit of seasoning (I used seasoned salt)
--slices of cheese; optional

hamburger fixens


The Directions.

Insert a tiny grill into your crockpot to keep the meat from cooking in grease. Unless thats okay with you.

Put the meat on top of the grill--I did not thaw the meat.

cover and cook on high. Check after 1 hour. Our burgers were completely cooked in 90 minutes. Although its not shown in the picture, I did add a slice of cheddar cheese 15 minutes before turning off the crock. It melted nicely.

Drain on paper towels, and serve on a bun, or rice cake.

Top with all of your favorites.


The Verdict.

These were a hit! My six-year-old said it was the best hamburger she ever ate. I am very happy to have another easy lunch to put in the rotation this summer.

I really love my crockpot.
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Friday, March 20, 2015

Slow Cooker Orange Beef Recipe




I think thats one of my better photos! During my year-long challenge, we didnt eat much take-out. There were a few nights where we succumbed because I made a dessert or a drink in the crockpot instead of a main dish and we were tired of leftovers. Really tired. But for the most part, we just didnt eat out.

To get our fix, I tried my hardest to recreate "take out fake out" dinners. The results were pretty darn good, and Ive continued my quest keep our menu drawer (I know, its weird. A whole drawer full of takeout menus--its like we collect them or something) closed.

Heres the new favorite:

The Ingredients.
serves 4
1 1/2 pounds beef round steak, sliced or beef stir fry strips
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce (LaChoy or Tamari wheat-free)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3 tablespoons honey (not pictured, the kids stole it to use on their pancakes.)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
6 green onions, sliced
1 small head bok choy, cut in 1-inch chunks
cooked white or brown basmati rice for serving

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. What? You dont have one? Why then you should enter yourself in this conveniently timed contest...

For absolute best results, marinate the meat the night before in a plastic bag with the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, honey, ginger, and orange juice. In the morning, dump the contents into an empty cooker and add the vegetables on top.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, high for 3-4, or until meat is fully cooked and super tender. Stir fry meat cane sometimes be tough---cook until its really soft and pliable. Serve over rice with the crock juice.

The Verdict.

The orangey-sweet flavor is fantastic, and fully satisfied my takeout craving. I liked that the vegetables steamed nicely in the same pot, creating a much lighter meal than wed get if ordering in. I still cant convince my girls to eat bok choy, but they are now old enough to not get upset when the veggies and meat are touching.
this is awesome.

day 2 of Crocktober!


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Monday, March 16, 2015

How Your Diet makes You Sick or Healthy

The Simple Equation of Life

We have all heard that health, for good or ill, is a result of genetics and lifestyle. This is the old nature and nurture discussion played out on our bodies. We also know that diet and exercise are major determinants of disease susceptibility and aging.

• My first point is that diet can trump the other factors, so that a healthy diet avoids genetic predispositions to disease or a bad diet displays those genetic defects.

• My second point is that diet can lead to chronic inflammation, a body condition also associated with the metabolic syndrome, which is a prelude to the degenerative and autoimmune diseases that plague the population of The United States. It should not be surprising that a change of diet is the answer to this suite of diseases.

The simple relationship between diet, inflammation and disease, explains many of the problems and solutions of U.S. healthcare. As Michael Pollan described with great clarity in The Omnivores Dilemma, our corn-based agricultural economy has led to huge incentives for domination of U.S. diet by corn products: corn oil, corn starch, corn syrup and fructose. Excessive use of each of these corn products individually can lead to inflammation and their combined use synergistically undermines our health.
This website is devoted to showing the intimate relationship between diet and disease, or more hopefully, between diet and health. The most hopeful aspect of current research is the view that aging is in large part a symptom of poorly managed chronic inflammation -- the typical symptoms normally associated with aging are actually symptoms of increasing inflammation.
An inflammatory diet is the foundation for diabetes, arthritis, allergies, intestinal inflammatory diseases, cancer, infertility, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. All of these diseases are initiated and exacerbated by diet-based inflammation and all of these diseases can be ameliorated by appropriate diet.
Most of the dietary suggestions that you will find here will appear to be common sense. The problem of the U.S. diet is that we have strayed from common sense and have systematically compromised our health. The vast majority of disease is preventable by relatively simple changes in or national diet. The Zone diet developed by Barry Sears is basically an anti-inflammatory diet, and it works. The No Flour, No Sugar diet of Peter Gott also works, for similar reasons. Diets rich in starch and vegetable oils (with the exception of olive oil) are inflammatory and not healthy. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates (most polysaccharides other than starch), protein, low omega-6/high omega-3 oils, modest amounts of saturated fats, low fructose, and no trans-fats leads to low insulin, moderate blood glucose, happy gut flora, lean body, avoidance of chronic inflammation and health.
This website will focus on recent research published in the biomedical literature and I will attempt to place this research into perspective on how diet, inflammation and disease are related. In the process, I will also discuss:
• Why women become infertile on an inflammatory diet,
• How your stomach digests proteins into antibiotic peptides,
• How castor oil can relieve pains and inflammation,
• How inflammation is connected to allergies and autoimmune diseases,
• How your metabolism is controlled by the bacteria in your gut,
• How spices control inflammation,
• How fructose contributes to aging of your skin,
and much, much more.
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Friday, March 13, 2015

Inside The Dailey Method’s Core Values


What makes the difference in the quality of our lives? What makes us feel balanced and happy? These are questions we all seek to answer in our lives. At The Dailey Method we try to stay grounded and guided by our Core Values, because they are WHY we do what we do. They define who we are and what we stand for. These values are what we base all decisions on, whether it is on a national or a local level. They are the foundation of our Core Member program and guide our training and continuing education. Since all of you are the reason Dailey Method is what it is today, we wanted to share these values with you.


Mission:
To empower individuals to become their most vibrant and authentic selves through mind/body transformation within a compassionate and supportive community

Core Values:
Health - We naturally care for the bodies, minds and souls of ourselves, our clients and our communities through alignment, balance, compassion and human interaction.

Excellence - We value and require continuous education at all levels of our organization. Quality is at our core.

Evolution - We value intelligent growth and refinement. Always be a student.

Empowerment - We give clients the tools to become their personal best in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Authenticity - We believe in acting ethically and taking personal responsibility for our actions. Own it!

Selflessness - We give generously and intentionally of ourselves in every interaction.

Humor and Joy - We believe that physical practice guided by heart and science has the power to bring every individual more joy. Laughter is priceless.

I hope this helps you understand even better why we do what we do every day at TDM!

-- Jill


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Thursday, March 12, 2015

Black Eyed Peas Recipes for Good Luck in the New Year!

Black-Eyed Peas Recipes to cook on New Year's Day for good luck in the new year!

Black-Eyed Peas Recipes for Good Luck in the New Year! found on KalynsKitchen.com

I'm a complete believer that you should celebrate New Year's Eve or New Year's Day by eating something with black-eyed peas, so the Black-Eyed Peas Recipes I'm sharing here are my yearly public service announcement to bring good luck to all my readers!   I learned about this tradition in the early days of my blog, and the black-eyed peas have certainly brought me luck.  Plus, I love the flavor of this humble little ingredient, and I've had fun experimenting with it.  This post has my very favorite black-eyed pea recipes to celebrate New Year's, and I truly hope they will bring you some good luck, and check after the photos for links to some other places to find fun recipe ideas with black-eyed peas, including Slow Cooker Recipes with Black-Eyed Peas featured on Slow Cooker from Scratch.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad Low Carb Gluten Free

Make "noodles" from zucchini and use them for this Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad; so deliciously healthy and low-carb!

Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad found on KalynsKitchen.com

When I posted Three Ways to Make Noodles from Zucchini and Other Vegetables, I promised to share some new recipes using the noodles, and I've made this Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad several times now, and gobbled it up every time.  This recipe is a low-carb and gluten-free offspring of my Pasta Salad with Italian Sausage, Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Olives, a recipe I've been making for years and years for family parties.  This mock pasta salad could be served as a side dish, but since it has turkey Italian Sausage included, I'd be happy with a big bowl of this for a delicious low-carb dinner.

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Sunday, March 8, 2015

How To Make Russian River Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir grapes from our Turtle Vines vineyard in Sebastopol, California.

Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.
Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook.

Weve been really busy with harvest and making wine this month so I thought Id write a little about this other part of my life, when Im not creating recipes or writing my blog.

Five Fun Facts about Pinot Noir
1. Pinot Noir is the same as French Burgundy
2. The movie Sideways caused the consumption of Pinot Noir to increase and the consumption of Merlot to drop.
3. Pinot Noir is raw and vegan (if not filtered). Fermentation temperatures never get that hot.
4. Pinot is known as the Heartbreak Grape as it requires a lot of attention in every phase of the winemaking process. Andre Tchelistcheff, a famous winemaker, once said, "God made Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas the Devil made Pinot Noir."
5. Some of the best places to grow Pinot Noir are Burgundy France, Sonoma County in California, Willamette Valley in Oregon, Central Otago in New Zealand, Ahr region in Germany, and Northern Italy. 

From Silicon Valley to Russian River Valley
My husband Doug and I met 24 years ago in Silicon Valley where we both had stressful jobs in the high tech industry. Collectively we had spent over six decades in the world of engineering - sitting in meetings, working in laboratories or factories, or riding airplanes, never feeling the sun on our backs or breathing fresh air. For as long as weve been together, we talked about moving to the country and starting a vineyard. Five and a half years ago that dream came true.

We found the perfect spot in the small town of Sebastopol, about one hour north of San Francisco. The house needed quite a bit of remodeling and there was just a big empty field behind it which would be the future home of over 3,000 organic Pinot Noir vines. I dont think we realized at the time how much work it would take.


2009 - big empty field
2013 - vineyard before harvest with bird netting

Doug took viticulture and wine making classes at the Santa Rosa junior college. Only in Sonoma county would you find a JC with its own 70 acres of vines, professional wine making equipment, and professors with impressive experience in the wine industry. With the help of some really smart people, we took soil samples, designed the vineyard, selected the precise clones of Pinot Noir to plant, and planted 3,130 healthy little vines.

It took 4 years until our first harvest which yielded a little over one half ton of grapes. This year we harvested two and a half tons. Ultimately our little vineyard will yield over five tons, enough to make three hundred cases of wine. This year we sold two tons of grapes to a local winery that appreciates that our grapes are organic. We saved a half ton to make some wine. I thought it might be fun to show you how we do that!

              *                          *                           *

Pinot Noir
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 1,800 glasses or 360 bottles]
Requirements: a whole bunch of expensive equipment and lots of patience

Ingredients:
1/2 ton ripe Pinot noir grapes
100 pounds of dry ice, divided
120 ppm metabisulfate, (more or less) divided 
tartaric acid, as needed
300 g Go-Ferm yeast starter
50 g Assmanshausen or other wine yeast
2.5 g ML culture 

Step 1 - Picking the grapes:
Grapes are picked when their sugar content is around 24% (in wine lingo, thats called 24 brix). This is measured by placing grape juice from a carefully selected sample of grapes into a tool called a refractometer.


Refractometer used to measure brix

In addition to having the correct brix measurement, the seeds need to be nice and brown. Of course the final criteria for harvesting is that they taste great. The grapes are then picked early in the morning, while they are still cool, and placed in picking lugs that hold about 40 pounds of grapes.


Doug and a lug of grapes from our 2012 harvest.

Step 2 - Destemming the grapes:
Remove the grapes from their stems. (Some wine makers leave some of the grapes as full clusters). We use a piece of equipment called a destemmer to do this step.

The destemmer sits on top of a fermentation tank. It removes the stems from the grapes and the berries drop into the tank. If some of the stems fall through, make sure to pick them all out.


Doug pouring grapes into the destemmer.
My friends Lauren and John pulling out stems that fell through.

Step 3 - Cold soaking the grapes
To enhance the color and flavor of the wine, cold soak the grapes for five days. Big wineries do this with cooling coils around the tanks. We do it by placing dry ice in the fermentation tanks which makes it look like a witches cauldron! 


Using dry ice to cold soak the grapes.

To try and keep the grapes below 50 degrees F, stir in dry ice chunks every day. To prevent spoilage, add a small amount of metabisulfite (30ppm).

Step 4 - Analysis
While the grapes are cold soaking, send the juice out to a laboratory to determine its acid profile, pH, and final brix (hoping that the brix of the entire harvest matches that of your sample).

Step 5 - Adjust the acid
Pinot should have a TA, or titratable acid, of 0.7 to 0.75 grams per liter prior to fermentation. If its lower than that, you need to add acid. Our TA was 0.55 so we stirred in some tartaric acid.


Adding tartaric acid.

Step 6 - Fermentation
Now for the good stuff - the conversion of the natural sugar in the grapes into alcohol.
For this youll need two things:
* A type of yeast used for wine fermentation - we use Assmanshausen Yeast.
* Added nutrients to enhance fermentation - Go-Ferm Yeast Starter Nutrient

First, add the Go-Ferm to one quart of 110 degree F water. When the solution cools to 102 degrees F, add the yeast. Set the bucket of yeast, water, and Go-Ferm, into the  fermentation tank to chill the yeast. Once chilled to within 10 degrees of the grapes, add a little grape must (grapes/juice) into the bucket.


Bucket of yeast, Go-Ferm, and some grape must.

Spread the contents of the bucket over the top of the grape must. Leave as is, covered, for 24 hours in order for the yeast colonies to form.


The light streaks show the yeast solution.

After 24 hours, start punching down the top of the grapes to keep the skins incorporated into the juice. As fermentation continues, the skins will dry out and separate from the juice forming a thick cap over the fermentation tank. This cap must be punched down about twice a day during fermentation.


We use this stainless steel grape stomper to punch down.

Fermentation typically takes from 5 to 10 days. During punch down, measure the juice for its sugar content to see if the yeast are finished converting it to alcohol. A hydrometer is used for this measurement. When it hits zero, the grapes are ready to press.


The hydrometer looks like a long thermometer.
It floats in the juice - when it settles, the % sugar measurement can be read. 

Step 7 - Pressing the grapes
After fermentation, its time to press. Since we have such a large amount of grapes, we purchased a bladder press. The bladder is in the center of the press and receives water pressure from an ordinary garden hose. When the bladder fills up, it gently squeezes the grapes and the juice pours out of the press. 


Bladder press

Place the pressed juice in a large container that has been sterilized. We used two forty gallon, food-grade containers. Let it sit for 24 to 48 hours.

Step 8 - Rack off the Gross Lees
After one or two days, sediment  will settle out of the wine. The heavy sediment that drops out in first day is called gross lees. Although some wine makers allow the wine to remain on the gross lees for an extended period of time, this could possibly introduce harsh flavors to the wine so many winemakers siphon the wine off of the gross lees into another vessel after one or two days. This is called racking. After racking, the wine is much purer with a small amount of fine lees that, unlike the gross lees, can be beneficial for the wine and becomes a source of nutrients for secondary or malolactic fermentation.

To rack the wine with a siphon, the pressed wine must be higher than the vessel you are racking into. We raised the pressed wine higher with the lift on the back of our pickup truck.

Step 9 - Malolactic Fermentation
Pinot noir grapes naturally contain three types of acid - tartaric, citric, and malic. To soften the harshness of malic acid, winemakers initiate Malolactic Fermentation (MLF), a process that turns malic into lactic acid (a softer acid that makes the wine more rounded and drinkable).

Prepare ML bacterial culture. Add 2.5 g of freeze-dried ML powder to 50 g of room temperature water or prepare according to directions. Add solution to racked wine.



Adding Oak during MLF
Adding oak during MLF allows the flavors to better integrate into the wine. Since we do not use oak barrels, we use little oak balls. Yes, I know, oak barrels are romantic and traditional and most winemakers scoff at the thought of using oak adjuct, but hear me out.

Our environmentally friendly, polyethylene, oxygen permeable Flextank is equivalent to a neutral barrel and doesnt impart any flavors into the wine but it breathes. It also removes the risk of a barrel introducing funky flavors or pathogens. 
By adding oak balls, or Medium Plus Xoakers, we can select the exact oak flavors we desire.  
We did an experiment with 4 types of oak by making extractions (actually martinis). After soaking them for several weeks in vodka, we observed the aromas from each solution and selected the one we liked the most. For us, that was medium plus toasted French oak.


Medium Plus Xoakers
How we selected our oak.

Add oak Xoakers to the vessel containing the racked wine.

Place oak balls into Flextank containing racked wine.

Add the ML bacterial culture to the vessel.

Adding ML solution.

Notice that the vessel is filled fairly high to minimize exposure to oxygen. 
Malolactic fermentation will begin as soon as the bacterial culture is introduced to the wine. 
Stir the wine gently once or twice a week during the fermentation period to get the light lees from the bottom of the tank back into the solution.

Test the wine after about 4 weeks to see if the fermentation is complete. 
Once finished, add sulfur to arrest any harmful bacteria. The amount of sulfur will vary with the pH of the wine.

Remove oak Xoakers.

Step 10 - Aging
Pinot can age from 12 to 18 months. Keep your barrel or tank in a cool temperature, around 55 to 60 degrees F.

Wine aging 

Step 11 - Bottling
Check the pH and TA. If needed, it can be corrected before bottling by adding up to .4 g/l of tartaric acid.

Do one final racking to remove the remaining sediment.

Heres an example of a small bottling machine. Its so easy, even a child can do it!

This was taken years ago at a friends house - bottling Rose.

Let the bottled wine sit for at least 3 months or it may taste bad. This is called "Bottle Shock." Theres a great movie by that name that explains this phenomena.

Step 12 - Drink it!
From harvest to opening a bottle of Pinot takes 18 to 24 months. So sit back and enjoy it. 



I left some details out but I hope this gave you an idea of how we make our Pinot noir.
Salute!

For more information on growing and making Pinot noir, you can follow Dougs blog about our vineyard, Turtle Vines

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