Top 7 Specialty Food Trends For Local Food Crafters - 2011 is the Year of Home-Based Food Processing

The Cooking Channel, a baby sibling to Food TV Network is making its mark showcasing food crafters from around the nation. The old fashioned way to bring freshness and flavor to the community has found a rebirth in the form of homemade foods with a modern touch.

The sagging U.S. economy has motivated the creativity of many foodies who never thought about taking a family heirloom recipe from kitchen to market. Home-based food processing businesses are popping up all over the U.S. and the products are amazingly simple but sophisticated in taste and texture.

Desserts Food

The home-based food crafters of today are not in it to get rich quick but to build a brand and become the "Bush Beans" or "Sara Lee" of tomorrow. Food entrepreneurs at this year's Fancy Food Show in New York showcased everything from gourmet salt, an appropriate product since Kraft has announced it will reduce sodium by 10% for North American brands by 2012 thereby giving the consumer a healthy option.

In tracking the food crafters for the last ten years the prediction for 2011 is simplicity, good things in small packages. Food entrepreneurs are more calculating, seeking product ideas that will again shake consumer taste buds and offer up miniature desserts, breads and delicately flavored baked goods, snacks and condiments stressing quality over convenience.

1. Low sodium seasoning mixes are still popular along with curry spice mixes and adobe mixes. Unfortunately none of the Asian Mixes have made major headway with the American consumer.

2. Chocolate truffles are here to stay, for a while that is, particularly if the economy continues to dip into a black (dark chocolate) whole. There really is nothing more satisfying than good chocolate.

3. We also can't leave out those super flavorful snack foods like popcorn, baked potato chips and assorted nuts tossed in a variety of herbs and spices. The key here is less salt and more flavor.

4. Natural sweeteners are going to make a great comeback in the form of all natural candies and snack bars filled with nuts, seeds, dried fruits, nut butters and even chocolate.

5. Desserts are about to be reduced drastically in size. It is not longer fashionable to super-size anything. There will be no large chunks of cake or pie except in cheesy diners.

6. The year 2011 is also give way to the introduction of miniature loaves of bread. The type of loaf that will serve 2 to 4 easily; since the idea of "waste not want not" will be on the rise.

7. Bakers will start looking to the international market for unusual flavors and products. A number of European sweets will be introduced like cream horns and fruit tarts using exotic fruits. The skyrocketing cost of food toward the mid 2011 is going to leave consumers who can afford these sweet treasures seeking foods that are completely outside the box in both taste and texture.

Finally the last three gourmet foods for next year will be in the form of beverages; fruit juices, energy drinks and "all-natural" beverages that will take the place of breakfast and lunch. It is unfortunate, but next year Americans will finally be eating less, not by choice but out of necessity.

Top 7 Specialty Food Trends For Local Food Crafters - 2011 is the Year of Home-Based Food Processing

Detra "Denay" Davis is the author of How to Start a Home-Based Bakery and a former home based baker. Denay is a writer, cooking instructor, caterer featured in Bon Appetit and the Executive Director of HomeBasedBaking.com, a worldwide forum for the development and exchange of information, knowledge, and inspiration within the home-based baking community. We work with all food crafters in the develop of gourmet baked goods and specialty food products. For more information about HomeBasedBaking.com contact Denay at contact@homebasedbaking.com and visit http://homebasedbaking.com

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Frozen Ambrosia Cream Squares Dessert Recipe

If you enjoy making frozen-style desserts for your family, I think you will enjoy this easy to make Ambrosia Cream Squares recipe.
This recipe is done in a 4 layer technique. Please read the entire list of ingredients needed before beginning the recipe. Once it has been completed, you will need to place it into the freezer for 2 to 4 hours before serving. If desired, you can garnish the top of it with some fresh pineapple slices or cherries.
Layer 1 Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, cream together the above ingredients in the order that they are given. Press the dough into the bottom of an 8 x 8" square baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, remove and set aside to cool.
Layer 2 Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, well-beaten
3 cups confectioner's sugar
Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the melted butter, beaten egg and confectioner's sugar together until creamy. Spread this mixture onto the cooled first layer in the baking dish.
Layer 3 Ingredient:
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapples
Drain all of the juice from the pineapples. Spread the crushed pineapples over top of the second layer of ingredients in the baking dish.
Layer 4 Ingredients:
1 package of Dream Whip
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
In a small mixing bowl, beat together the package of dream whip, vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar until creamy and smooth. Lightly spread this mixture on top of the third layer in the baking dish.
Cover the dish and place into the freezer. Once the dessert is firm, remove from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Cut into squares before serving.

Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 in Direct Sales and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can visit Shelly online at: http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her recipe blog at: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes.

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The Goodness of Sweets Without the Guilt - 10 Good Desserts For Your Sweet Tooth

Desserts are a good way to reward oneself. Most people enjoy eating their desserts after a delicious meal. With the countless recipes that can be found online, which of these sweets are good for you? Here is a list of that you will surely enjoy without having to feel guilty:

o Yogurt Fruit Parfait - If you are a fan of ice cream sundaes, you will scarcely notice the difference when you are going to shift to low-calorie yogurt. Try going Greek with plain yogurt to add to that healthy touch on your food. You can also try mixing it with oranges and drizzle it with honey, adding a twig of fresh mint. This is a delicious healthy treat.

Desserts Food

o Angel Fruitcake - You can eat this without having to feel guilty. This light, great tasting food has very minimal calories. You can mix it with strawberries for variation and it will not taste like a diet dessert.

o Frozen Yogurt with Grilled Peaches - Grilled peaches will be warm over your yogurt. This is very mouth watering. It is very light at only 200 calories per serving.

o Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies - This only contains 250 calories per serving. Now, it is possible for you to have a big, fudgy chocolate brownie without having to worry about putting on some weight. All you will need to do is make substitutions. Bake it with bittersweet chocolate and egg whites to significantly lower your caloric intake. This is also good for your heart.

o Banana Split with Ricotta Cheese - This has only 370 calories.

o Caramel Popcorn - You will adore its crunchy, salty taste.

o Chocolate Mousse - Mousse is so mouth watering and it is very easy to serve at a dinner party

o Caramel Apples - This has only 300 calories

o Wine Poached Pears - This is an elegant dessert that can impress your boss at a dinner party

o Key Lime Pie - This is very refreshing and is good for the summer heat.

The Goodness of Sweets Without the Guilt - 10 Good Desserts For Your Sweet Tooth

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Food in India, Sweets Food, and Food Franchise

A world of possibilities crops up when we speak about food in India. No wonder it is not only in cooking methods but also taste that food in India is different food from the rest of the world. An ideal blend of cultures and evolution throughout the ages is what is reflected in almost every dish specific to each region. Various civilizations that saw their dominance in the Indian sub continent did influence the way food is prepared including the varieties. The present form of food in India is all a result of this very development over the ages. With professional courses available for chefs and with Indian cuisines one of the most preferred food items in restaurants and hotels across the world, food in India will witness further makeover in the coming years. Yes, the aroma, the taste, the flavor of course will remain the same! It is the addition of more items that is the added bonus.

Bikanervala provides latest information on food in india, Food in India, indian sweets, pani puri, namkeen, about all Bikanervala, Bikano Food Franchise and  Cafe products.

 

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Best Middle Eastern Desserts Recommendation

Desserts, in all forms, are really common to be eaten after a big meal and in big occasions, such as birthday parties, engagements, weddings, baby showers and more. Some people like to add a new touch to their dessert dishes by making and trying different desserts that they haven't tried or made yet.

Desserts can take different forms, like cake, cookies, puddings, biscuits, and more. Sometime it gets bored if you have the same type of dessert for a long while. I'm sure you won't be enjoying having cake or cookies as a dessert every day for a week or even less. You would get quickly bored oh having it every day and you might even start feeling that you can't look at it and even feel sick every time you look at it.

Desserts Food

If you started having this feeling from all kinds of regular desserts you are having, then you should start thinking about something new to try, something that you haven't yet experienced before. Well, I can give a little advice that I think that it will really help you. Of course there are a lot of kinds and varieties of dessert recipes all over the globe, and I know that by me saying that to you is just confusing you even more, but hold on, I'll get to the point in a few. You know that having a delicious dessert after dinner is something really important for some people and you getting to the point where you don't like a dessert dish or hating a special dessert isn't a good sign since dessert should give us a pleasure eating it, nothing otherwise.

I'm not saying that having a dessert dish is a very vital thing, and I'm also not encouraging you to have loads and loads of desserts because this is so not healthy. You have to put in consideration that supplying your body with sugar is important but though it has to be in decent portions, no less and no more. You can of course apply this to any kind of desserts you are having.

Now, let's get to the point where I recommend you a kind of dessert to try. Middle Eastern cuisine in general is rich of different kinds of delicious desserts recipes that everyone who knows it around the globe enjoys it. To be more specified, Egyptian cuisine has a big share of the desserts recipes.

Everyone knows or heard about the most famous Egyptian dessert recipe, Basbousa - Semolina Cake - it is a very common dessert dish that most families have in Egypt and many other people have around the globe.

There are other famous Egyptian dessert dishes like; Konafa, Katayef, Rice with milk, and many more. There is actually a huge list of dishes that might just confuse you about which one to start with, but I guarantee you that each one of them will surely give you the pleasure that you are looking for having from a dessert dish.

Best Middle Eastern Desserts Recommendation

Try and make one of the most delicious and famous Egyptian desserts to change your way of tasting sweets. Experience a new side of sweetness by having Konafa, basbousa, Katayef, and many other delicious Egyptian desserts recipes.

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What Foods To Eat And Not To Eat For Diabetes?

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, there are ways to improve and control the symptoms of your disease. It is very important to find out what to eat and not to eat for diabetes. Scientists report the global rates of Type 2 diabetes are likely to double in the next twenty years. These statistics do not have to happen if we can begin to practice what foods to enjoy and avoid. A diet high in fiber, but low in fat is most often recommended for diabetics. You especially want to stay away from saturated fat and limit the amount of sugar you eat. Saturated fat is animal fat such as butter, and lard. Dairy products high in saturated fat include cream, cheese, meat, and chocolate.

What to eat and not to eat for diabetes:

Bread is a major source of carbohydrates in our diets. Carbohydrate is an valuable source of energy, vitamins, and minerals. It also provides fiber that helps maintain blood sugar levels. Beans, peas, oats, and barley contain this fiber. Whole grain products are the wisest choice because it takes longer for your digestive system to break down. This keeps the body from releasing sudden bursts of sugar. Potatoes, corn, and pasta are also carbohydrates.

Vegetables should be included on your list of what to eat and not to eat for diabetes. Tasty samples to include are spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage and cucumbers. You should have three to five servings a day, mixing it up, serving both raw and cooked vegetables.

Fruits contain carbohydrates along with natural sugars, so you must be careful indulging in too much. It is a good idea to mix fruit with a protein or before exercise. Make certain the canned fruits you buy are packed in unsweetened fruit juice. Diabetics require two to four servings of fruit everyday.

Milk and other dairy products should be limited due to being high in carbs. Switching to low-fat milk, and unsweetened yogurt will help keep your diabetes in check, and an added bonus of saving calories. Two to three serving of dairy products are your daily requirement.

Protein can be meat or meat substitutes such as peanut butter, tofu, cheese, and eggs. You only require about six ounces of protein a day, broken up over two to three meals. One tablespoon of peanut butter or an egg weighs an ounce. Fish, poultry, beans, and nuts, are sources of protein.

Fats and Sweets are necessary for our bodies but only in moderation. Avocados make a delicious topping in the place of mayonnaise. Making your own dressing avoids the trans-fat in processed foods. Sweets are allowed for many diabetics if the portion size is strictly under control. Sugar free desserts are an option, but remember to take the extra carbs into consideration.

Take control of your diabetes and look into what a balanced diet plan can do for you. An important step is finding out what to eat and what not to eat for diabetes. With the popular food choices of today, our bodies are receiving only twenty percent of the necessary nutrients it craves. This fact is considered by experts to be what is behind the overweight crisis seen in many countries. Taking away from our mid-section could also lessen the appearance in development of adult on set diabetes.



Discover more about : List Of Foods For Diabetic To Eat , Diabetes Type 2 Natural Treatment and What are Causes of Diabetes and at my dedicated Diabetes Blog.

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Gluten-Free Desserts That Are Truly Delicious

When it comes to desserts, sometimes gluten-free products come up a little short on flavor. You don't have to settle for less! There are more and more companies creating outstanding gluten-free sweets with lots of flavor, good texture, that are made with excellent ingredients. Here are some of my favorite cookies, chocolates, and mixes that are a must for those who stay on a gluten-free diet.

Sun Flour Baking Company is one of my favorite cookie companies. Based in Sacramento California, their cookies are all vegan, and they have a great selection that are gluten-free. They are made with quality ingredients, often organic ingredients, and are sweetened with fruit juices. They have a wonderful texture and flavor. They have a wide array of flavors such as Pumpkin Spice, Banana Nut, or Lemony Lemon. The shortbread cookie with chocolate chips is my all-time favorite cookie. They have several chocolate flavors that are outstanding. Try the German Chocolate, which has a nice cake texture and just the right balance of chocolate and coconut. If you want a dense chocolate fix, try their Golden Brownie Cookie, a rich chewy cookie filled with crunchy walnuts. For a terrific ginger cookie, I like the cookies made by Ener-G Foods in Seattle Washington. This is a delicious chewy cookie with just the right amount of ginger.

Desserts Food

In the world of chocolates I have finally found a great gluten-free chocolate company. Wei of Chocolate out of Phoenix Arizona is making inspiring chocolates that are organic, fair trade, vegan and gluten-free. They are hand-made chocolates infused with herbs, spices and flower essences. They are spicy and interesting. If you are looking for a unique chocolate, this is it! They make a delightful flavor called 'Daily Love'! The ingredients include ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne, so it's just a little spicy!

Another superior chocolate company is Sjaak's Organic Chocolates in Petaluma California. They are a family run business and make very high quality organic chocolates, support fair trade practices and encourage sustainable agriculture through the use of organic, non-GMO ingredients. I love a socially conscious company! While they don't mark their chocolates as gluten-free, their website indicates that they have a gluten-free environment, and my conversations with them support these claims. They make chocolate bars in dozens of flavors; try the dark chocolate with a caramel center! Their truffles are also fantastic!

For mixes you can't beat products from Bob's Red Mill. They use the highest quality ingredients, usually organic, and have a large selection of delicious mixes that are all gluten-free. The Brownie Mix is an absolute winner! It makes a deep and intense dark chocolate flavor combined with a wonderfully moist cake texture. Mouthwatering!! If you are a cinnamon fan, you should definitely try their Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix. It makes a memorable and satisfying loaf loaded with plump raisins and infused with cinnamon. They recommend using it sliced and toasted for French toast.

So, there are a few recommended items that will satisfy the sweet tooth. Package these all together and they would also make a great gift to a fellow friend or family member who is gluten intolerant.

Happy Eating!

Gluten-Free Desserts That Are Truly Delicious

L.Garrett is a member of the tasting team who select the foods for Garrett's Emporium and the gift basket division, Gifts Gone Gourmet. It is a small family run company, that believes you can eat a 'gourmet' gluten free diet. They focus on tasting and choosing just the right foods for the perfect gluten-free gift. Since its inception in 2006, Garrett's Emporium has accumulated a diverse collection of high quality foods. To see the complete collection of foods go to http://www.GarrettsEmporium.com. To see the gift baskets department, go to http://www.GiftsGoneGourmet.com

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4th of July Desserts Suitable for Diabetics

July 4 is not only the birthday of our great country, it is also a day synonymous with  the 5Fs; family, friends, fun, fireworks and food.  And we diabetics don't want to be cheated on the food part of the celebration!  Following, I have pulled together some great recipes that are suitable for diabetics and I believe, excellent dessert ideas for your Fourth of July celebrations.

A grandmother with diabetes along with other autoimmune diseases. Linda likes to share what she's learned with others thru writing. She also writes novels. For more of her recipes and writings go to www.diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

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Healthier Desserts

It's been said that one way to remember how to spell "dessert" (contrasted with "desert") is by recalling that there are two s's in the word (instead of one), since we want more of desserts. It works, right? When we think of desserts, we tend to think of cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, and other creations that are typically sky-high in sugar and fat. Well, it doesn't have to be that way! When you have a sweet tooth after dinner, here are some alternatives that will prevent you from rotting out that tooth:

1. Baked Apples.

Desserts Food

This is a naturally no-fat food that's bursting with flavor. From candied apples to apple pies, apples desserts historically get drowned in sugar. But this healthy dessert is bursting with flavor, and skimpy on calories and fat. Besides the goodness of the apples themselves, it can include other flavorful natural foods, including cinnamon, honey, and raisins.

2. Chocolate-dipped Strawberries.

You're probably thinking: "What's so healthy about chocolate?" Several clinical studies have proven that cocoa in chocolate is high in riboflavin. Riboflavin is a substance that's full of antioxidants, which protect our bodies from illnesses and diseases. But there's a catch: "dark chocolate" is the best option, since it has the highest content of cocoa.

3. Crispy Rice Treats.

Many of us grew up on the original version of these tasty desserts. The only problem is that they're loaded with calories, sugar, and fat! As adults we'd rather do without those sugary marshmallows and fatty butter. Brown rice syrup is a healthier alternative to the marshmallows, while peanut butter can replace the butter. Also, brown rice is preferable, since it contains more nutrients than white rice. You can make these snacks even healthier by adding some nuts or dried fruit.

4. Fruit Salad.

This is one of those desserts that have the potential to be healthy. Check that-fruit IS healthy in its natural state. But when we make fruit salads that drown the fruit in sugar and full-fat dairy products, we basically offset the nutritional value of the fruits. Instead, you could simply add two tablespoons of orange juice and lemon juice, to create some extra flavor. Also add some low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt, to add a serving of dairy foods.

5. Oatmeal Bars.

Did you know that oatmeal, like brown rice and brown flour, is a whole grain? Whole grains are healthier choices than refined grains. These oatmeal bars are even healthier when you add ingredients such as dried fruit.

6. Smoothies.

This is basically a healthy version of a shake. Shakes often include powdered mixes, full-fat milk, and other not-so-healthy ingredients. When sticking to the basics, a smoothie can be both refreshing and healthy! The essence of the healthy version includes blended fruit and low-fat milk or yogurt. Be cautious about adding other ingredients, as some of them can nullify the health benefits of a basic smoothie.

After lunches and dinners, many of us crave our just desserts. With these healthy choices, you can enjoy them without your conscience nagging you until your next weigh-in.

Healthier Desserts

Graeme has been writing articles for nearly 3 years. His current passion is golf. Take a close look at his website selection of Club Car Golf Cart Parts and the ever so popular Sun Mountain Golf Cart he favours.

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Try These Great Food and Champagne Pairings

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com:80/food-and-beverage-articles/try-these-great-food-and-champagne-pairings-3826631.html



Hectr is a food market research analyst dedicated to discovering and sharing information about the best values he finds in food and beverage including food and champagne pairings.

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After Lunch, Desserts, and Snacks

The highlight of South African living is the breakfast, desserts, snacks and drinks. Easy to please anyone. Breakfast varies between "mieliepap" and "beskuit". "Mieliepap" is the same consistency as polenta and served with a teaspoon of sugar, butter and milk. A great creamy and healthy breakfast to see you through the morning hours. "Beskuit" is rusks, dough baked in the oven, broken apart and then places back in the oven to dry out. The perfect breakfast, specially for those living on farms, is home made rusks, dunked into your morning coffee. If you are more of a tea lover, try the great local herbal tea called "rooibos"

During the morning you can chew on some "biltong" which is salty dried meat or "droëwors", which is dried sausage. You can not watch any rugby or cricket match without this salty snack. By now it is time for more coffee served with banana, ginger of mealie bread, smeared with butter. Mealie bread is a sweet bread, baked with sweet corn. You will probably wonder why we have such an obsession with mealies? Well, mealies basically are Africa's staple food. We use it to make breakfast, bread, crisps (or chips) and many more.

Desserts Food

After you finish this, it is time for your main meal of the day. And then the BEST course arrives, the dessert. Most puddings are baked pies served with custard and ice cream or a special sauce. Malva pudding is one of the old time favourites, a great, sweet tasting spongy apricot dessert with a lovely sweet sauce. Cottage pudding is a type of cake pudding served with a special white wine sauce.

If you prefer a colder dessert, this is the place to be. Enjoy a fresh fruit salad with ice cream, made from local seasonal fruit. The most famous fruits are grapes, apples, naartjies (a type of tangerine), peaches, apricots, mangoes, melons and many more. There is nothing more refreshing than a fresh fruit salad. If you like ice cream, there are special treats in store for you as well. Try the watermelon or papaya flavoured ice cream in a cone or on its own.

As a special treat, why not try a Dom Pedro? This is ice cream with a little drop of milk and a shot of your favourite whiskey of liqueur. Try Amarula liqueur, made from the potent marula fruit or van der Hum liqueur, made from fresh naartjies. This is a treat you should not pass on.

Later the afternoon you can enjoy some "koeksisters", a very sweet delicacy. Afrikaans "koeksisters" are twisted pastries, deep fried and then sweetened with a very sweet sauce. Another favourite of mine is "ystervarkies", a sponge cake, dunked in a home made chocolate sauce, rolled in coconut! Doesn't that just sound magnificent?

If you prefer something less sweet, try the "melktert" (milk tart). This is a milk-based tart, absolutely gorgeous if you eat it warm, just as it is made. If you want something savoury, try the "souttert" (savoury tart) consisting mostly of vienna sausages, cheese, onions, herbs and egg.

For the evening you can enjoy one the best known foods, "vetkoek". This is a treat. You can enjoy "vetkoek" in three ways. Dunk it in your tea, butter with syrup and cheese or stuffed with curry mince. No matter which one you choose, you will not be disappointed. If you are looking for something smaller, try the "plaatkoekies" (almost like crumpets) served with marmite or syrup or maybe try some pancakes with cinnamon sugar?

During the day you will never go thirsty. If you like warm drinks, there are the many varieties of strong coffees, regular tea, "rooibos" tea, hot chocolate and my favourite, milo. This is a great drink filled with vitamins and minerals, made with warm or cold milk. If you prefer cold drinks, try the various ice teas and fruit juices. Guava, orange, grinadella, fruit cocktail, grape, peach, pear, apple, apricot and mango are only a few choices you have in fruit juices. Guava and mango must be two of the most loved choices.

If you are looking for a bottle of wine to accompany you meals, there are hundreds of local Cape wines to choose from. You will be spoilt for choice. Make sure you try as much as you can and enjoy the hospitality while you are visiting the rainbow country, South Africa.

These are only a few of the great traditional South African recipes you can try. You will need a long time to try them all. Enjoy!

After Lunch, Desserts, and Snacks

About the Author: Lizel Salter is a keen food lover and the author of Simply South African, a great traditional recipe book with all those great favourites. Read more about South Africa and look at the book by visiting http://www.recipesfromsouthafrica.com

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Cheesecake: The dessert of the gods and Olympians

Today, cheesecake is known as being an excellent dessert, for many occasions. It has many favorable aspects: it is easy to make, filling, and can be served many ways. Not only that, but there is a huge variety of types of cheesecakes to choose from. Simple cheesecakes like the New York cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, and the basic fruit cheesecake are sure to meet your dessert needs. There are also more creative, exciting cheesecakes like the tiramisu cheesecake, cinnamon swirl, turtle, and one of my favorites, white chocolate mocha cheesecakes. With all the ease of making a cheesecake and the varieties out there, it is easy to see why cheesecake has become so popular today in our culture. What many people don’t know is that this dessert was just as popular at the time it was originally created, even been offered to appease the gods.
The history of the cheesecake is quite an exciting one. Sure it has never won any noble peace prizes, or brought peace to a country, but it nonetheless had its role throughout history. We can trace cheesecake back over 2000 years. It was originally a food made by the Ancient Greeks. We do not know what these cheesecakes had been called at that time, but we do know they were served to Olympians in the original Olympic games held in 776 BC on the Isle of Delos. They were served in smaller sizes than the cheesecakes of today, and were seen as a good source of energy for athletes who needed to be replenished.
When the Romans conquered ancient Greece, aspects of the culture, such as food, were also conquered. The Roman took the dessert, changed the name to placenta, and elevated the dessert to the level of “food for the gods.”
The earliest manuscript we have for the Roman placenta was written in the first century B.C. by the Roman politician Marcus Porcius Cato. In his treatise on agriculture, Cato included a simple recipe of how cheesecake was to be made:
Libum to be made as follows: 2 pounds cheese well crushed in a mortar; when it is well crushed, add in 1 pound bread-wheat flour or, if you want it to be lighter, just 1/2 a pound, to be mixed with the cheese. Add one egg and mix all together well. Make a loaf of this, with the leaves under it, and cook slowly in a hot fire under a brick.
In the Roman culture, offerings were given to household and temple gods to appease them and ask for their blessings. Roman temple gods were often gods like Jupiter, the ruler of the gods, who had their own temples where sacrifices were made. Household gods included on the likes of Janus and Vesta, who guarded the door and hearth, the Lares, who protected the field and house, Pales, who watched over the the pasture, Saturn, controlled the sowing, Ceres, the watcher of the growth of the grain, Pomona, who dealt with fruit, and Consus and Ops, the overseers of the harvest. The Romans felt their success relied solely on the gods. Even the god of gods Jupiter, the ruler of the gods, was honored for the aid his rains might give to the farms and vineyards. The cheesecake that we eat today, was no ordinary food for the Romans, It was very important to the them, who felt that with the use of this dessert they could appease their gods into helping them be more successful.

Bob Brian Dole is a cheesecake chief.
To see this recipe and more recipes like it visit: http://www.101cheesecakerecipes.com/

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Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

Quince is a relative of pears and apples. The trees have grown around the Mediterranean and in Asia for more than four thousand years, making it one of the earliest known fruits. This fruit was discovered by the ancient Greek armies in Iran and Asia and brought to Greece. Today quinces are grown on the Greek island of Crete. Quince is also available today in the United States, the Middle East and in Latin America. Quinces in Western Asia are juicier and softer than those in the United States.

Quince varies in different regions and in cold climates, the fruit is rich gold in color, has a heady fragrance, and has a firm shape. The rind is rough and the flesh is hard. In a warmer climate, however the fruit can be eaten raw and the woolly rind is not there. Quince is often used to make jellies because of its tart and astringent flavor.

Desserts Food

How to Choose and Store Quinces

Firm, big, yellow quince without any green are the best ones. Handle them carefully because they can bruise. Wrap the fruit in plastic and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a couple of months. Quinces are available from September to January.

Quinces are great for baking, poaching, or stewing, to make dessert recipes. They can also be stewed with meat because the high amount of tannins found in quince helps to tenderize the meat.

Membrillo - A Mexican Specialty

Quince is known as membrillo in Spanish and it is cooked into a firm red paste called dulce de membrillo in Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, and Mexico. It is served with manchego cheese in sandwiches or on crackers. There is a similar dish in Hungary and also in Portugal.

Dulce de membrillo is especially popular in Mexico and if you enjoy making Mexican recipes, and especially Mexican dessert recipes, you might like to try making this delicacy yourself.

Recipe for Dulce de Membrillo

You will need:

4 lbs quince 1 vanilla pod 3 tablespoons lemon juice 4 cups white sugar 1 tablespoon melted butter 2 strips lemon peel, 2 inches by 1/2 inch

How to make it:

Wash, peel, core and roughly chop the quince and put the pieces in a big pot. Cover the quince with water, and then add the lemon peel. Split the vanilla pod and add it to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce it to a simmer.

Cover the pot and cook the mixture for about half an hour or until the quince is tender. Strain the water. Discard the vanilla. Puree the quince in a blender or food processor.

Measure out the quince puree. You will need the same amount of white sugar. It will be about four cups. Put the quince puree back into the pot and add the sugar. Cook over a low to moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and simmer for about an hour and a half or until the quince paste is deep orange and thick.

Preheat the oven to 125 degrees F. Line an eight by eight inch baking pan with parchment paper, then grease it with melted butter. Pour the quince paste into the prepared pan, and then smooth the top to make it even. Bake for an hour to dry it, and then let it cool. Cut the membrillo into squares and serve it with manchego cheese and bread. Store uneaten membrillo in the refrigerator.

Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

If you enjoy making easy Mexican recipes you will find the sweeter side of Mexican food a joy to explore. Mexican desserts make use of fruit, chocolate, honey, nuts, and many other ingredients and there are literally hundreds of different Mexican desserts you can make at home.

Mexican Dessert Recipes:The Sweet Side of Mexican Food

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Low Fat & Fat Free Foods Will Get you Nowhere

Low fat or low carb diets seem to be very popular these days. Yet, many of us have been dissapointed with the results of these diets in our battle with staying healthy and losing weight.





Everybody has heard of "low carb" diets since they are emerging as the newest trend in dieting.





But do they really work? And if so, are they the solution to weight loss that everybody is looking for?





I don't think so, because most low carb diets have several problems which make losing weight very difficult for the "average" dieter.





For example, if you follow the Atkins diet (a popular low carb program)the restriction on carbs for the first couple weeks is very severe (by almost any standards). The Atkins program allows just 20 grams of "net carbs" per day during the first phase of the diet (which usually lasts for 2 weeks).





Just to give you an idea of how few carbs that really is even a large apple has more than 20 grams of "net carbs".





With respect to low fat or fat-free foods, if you walk down the aisle of any grocery store you'll see dozens "low fat" and "fat free" food items nearly everywhere you look. The whole world has gone "low fat" crazy, and most people think that if they just begin eating low fat foods then their bodies will have less fat too.





Sounds logical right? Wrong. You see, the problem with this type of thinking is that there is no "direct" relationship between fat calories eaten and fat tissue on a person's body.





The truth is that your body can convert ANY type of calorie to fat tissue, not just fat calories. For example, if you eat 2 lbs. of sugar every day then you'll probably gain some fat tissue after a while but yet sugar has ZERO FAT CALORIES in it.





So eating 2 lbs. of sugar every day is a "fat free" diet, but yet you'd still gain fat. Likewise, if you eat a huge bowl of white rice at every single meal then you'd soon gain fat tissue on your body but yet this is a fat free food too.





So what does that tell you about eating fat free foods? Not only that, but there are plenty of low fat cakes, cookies and desserts sold at every grocery store. Yet, do you honestly think that these foods are "healthy" merely because they are low in fat? Of course not, and you'll gain extra fat if you eat too much of them.





In fact, our entire society has been eating low fat foods in greater quantity over the last decade but yet our society is still getting fatter and fatter. So that should tell you something about low fat diets.





You should stop thinking "non fat" and "low fat"- since those are just buzz words designed to make you feel as though such foods are healthy. The truth is that you don't need to worry about "fat" calories so much, and you also don't need to worry about total "carbs" so much either.





What you need to worry about is the exact types of foods that you combine together at each meal, so that you get the proper portion of fat calories and carbs at each meal which will maximize weight loss.

At FatLoss4Idiots you will see a brand new type of diet never seen before, so give it a try and watch the pounds come off fast. You can begin this new diet, Fat Loss For Idiots, right here.

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Mexican Dessert Recipes - Best Mexican Flan Recipe

This flan is a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dessert that is easy to make.

1/2 cup white sugar

Desserts Food

2 cups milk

2 eggs, beaten

2 egg yolks, beaten

3/8 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat until golden. Carefully pour hot sugar evenly into four oven-proof ramekins or custard cups, tilting cups to coat bottoms evenly.

In another saucepan, bring milk just to boiling over medium heat. Stir hot milk, a little at a time, into beaten eggs and egg yolks, until well combined. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Pour milk mixture evenly into ramekins.

Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place ramekins on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for 40 minutes until set. Let cool. Invert on plates and serve.

Best Mexican Churros

This is a traditional Mexican treat commonly found at Mexican food stands.

1 cup water

2-1/2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup all purpose flour

2 quarts oil for frying

1/2 cup white sugar or to taste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2-1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball.

Heat oil for frying in deep fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees. Pipe strips of dough into hot oil using a pastry bag. Fry until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Mexican Cinnamon Cookies

A delicious round cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar.

1 cup butter

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and the butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla.

Combine the flour, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir into the creamed butter mixture to form a stiff dough.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

Mix together 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll dough balls in cinnamon mixture.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Let cool.

Mexican Dessert Recipes - Best Mexican Flan Recipe

Cha...cha...cha...it's chili time!

[http://www.best-chili-recipes.com]

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Foods That Risk Obesity

Obesity is often caused by overeating, but did you know that it is also the result of not eating the right kinds of foods. There are many foods that will cause you to gain weight even if you don't overeat. Here are some foods that you should eliminate from your diet to help you get control of your weight and lose weight if necessary.
Junks Foods
The reason you crave junk foods is simply because your body is so depleted of nutrients that it needs energy fast, and junk foods such as sugar, chocolate, chips and other unhealthy snacks or desserts will give your body that immediate rush of energy and satisfaction that it needs.
But this energy wears off very quickly and as soon as it does, you are left craving for more. Thus it ends in a vicious cycle and ultimately causes you to gain weight.
Fast Foods
Fast foods might as well be put into the same category as junk foods, as they are high in unhealthy fats, lots of empty calories and are heavily processed. And like most junk foods they will give you an immediate boost of energy, only to have you feeling sluggish and miserable after.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are foods that you can buy in neat packages, boxes, packets, cans and bottles. But all of these foods contain preservatives and other food additives that are foreign to the body. Anything that is foreign to the body will become toxic in your body. Your body then has to neutralize those toxins so that they can be eliminated. If your body is unable to neutralize and eliminate them, then they get wrapped up in fat cells to be stored away from the organs.
The only foods that will help you to neutralize these toxins are living foods such as fruits, vegetables, herbs and nuts and seeds. You should eat these foods raw whenever possible for the most benefit.
Animal Proteins
Animal proteins such as meat, dairy and eggs will also cause you to gain excess weight. Even though these foods contain lots of nutrients, they also contain lots of unhealthy saturated fats and excess proteins which your body is unable to absorb or get rid of in a timely manner. Thus these foods become toxic in the body as well, for they cannot be absorbed and neither can they leave the body without being neutralized first.
By eliminating or at least reducing the above foods you can reduce your risks of obesity or even being overweight. But not only that, it can also help you to lose weight.

To find out more about raw and living foods visit http://www.livingfood101.com/. For more information on obesity visit: http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Obesity-Has-Become-a-Problem

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Three Easy to Make Dessert Recipes For Your Tea Party

When it comes to hosting a tea party for a few friends, often times we stress over what type of foods to serve. During a party, yo. u want to stick with light finger-style foods such as: tarts, fancy cookies, biscotti, muffins, pastries, cake and scones.

My guests have often told me that these 3 recipes that I make for my parties, are their favorites. I like to line my platters or dessert-style serving plates with lace doilies before arranging the food goodies on top. It just makes for a nicer presentation.

Desserts Food

Tea Time Tassies

1 (3 ounce) block cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup flour

Filling:

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup brown sugar

dash of salt

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon butter, softened

Let cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature, then blend together. Mix in flour. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove and shape into 2 dozen 1-inch balls. Place balls into mini greased muffin cups. Press dough on bottoms and sides of each cup.

To make filling: Beat together egg, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Divide half of pecan pieces among pastry-lined muffin cups. Add egg mixture, then top with remaining pecan pieces. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

Mini Tea Cake Balls

1 cup butter

1/2 cup Confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts (your choice)

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until blended. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Bake in a 350 degree oven on a ungreased cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes or until set. Do not let them get brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. After they have cooled, roll the balls in powdered sugar again.

Lemon-Butter Snowbars

Crust:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Filling:

2 eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a medium bowl, combine the crust ingredients, blend thoroughly. Pat dough into an ungreased 8" square baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients, blending well. Pour filling over partially baked crust. Bake for 18 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and let cool.

Three Easy to Make Dessert Recipes For Your Tea Party

Shelly Hill enjoys hosting tea parties for her friends and family. If you would like additional dessert-style recipes, please see her blog at: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com or her business website at: http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com

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Pairing The Best Food With Wine

Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item.
The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors.
You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results.
Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience.
Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome.
You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long.
In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content.
You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish.
You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds.
You should not go for wine that you don't like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don't try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste.
Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.

Want to find out about freeze cheese and cheese allergy? Get tips from the Cheese Facts website.

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Healthy Approach to Prepare Delicious Desserts

Most people do not believe that healthy desserts are delicious. A person who is on diet will avoid taking this type of food due to its high sugar and fatty content.

Indeed, people who pursue for good health do not require quitting their preferred sweet course. Everyone still can enjoy a yummy strawberry ice-cream or ice berry pudding occasionally. In actual fact, it is all about to make healthy desserts with correct ingredients and recipes.

Desserts Food

Desserts are neither good nor bad foods but mainly depends on how to make it with appropriate ingredients. Generally, the secret recipe of making a healthy and yet delicious course is to avoid excess fats ingredients and also reduce the ingredients with high sugar level. For example, we should replace butter with fats free sour cream. On top of that, healthy ingredients such as fresh fruit juice and low fats milk can be the supreme ingredients to replenish sugar, cream or cheese.

Enjoying desserts should not become hassle for everyone as long as we are consistently adhering to the rule of thumb in the healthy recipes and ingredients preparation. Effort to explore and pursue for healthy recipes shall become the best investment that we can ever decide towards making the foods we like the most.

For anyone who possesses great passion in making healthy food and delicious desserts, do not hesitate to explore the informative healthy desserts recipes in publisher recommended website "All Healthy Desserts". Among the greatest category of dessert recipes in the website are such as Ices and Cold Desserts, Hot Desserts, Fruit and Pie & Tarts Desserts. Beside that, do not hesitate to explore the easy-making and healthy Asian Desserts as well.

Healthy Approach to Prepare Delicious Desserts

The Publisher expresses his aspiration that the website All Healthy Desserts to become one of the leading information hubs related to healthy desserts and recipes in the near future. The website is updated regularly with core objective to keep it simple and easy for users to obtain all relevant information about healthy desserts, recipes and healthy tips quickly. Going forward, the website will have more features to make it more beneficial and informative for all level of users around the world.

The publisher is a passionate desserts fan as well as a regular webmaster for the website, http://www.allhealthydesserts.com/ and http://www.allhealthydesserts.com/blog/

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Sit-Down, Buffet, Family Style, or Food Stations: Which Format to Choose

The task of planning a wedding, business function, or other catered event often involves choosing between sit-down and buffet style service. There are a lot of good choices. Among them are: family style service, cocktail receptions, food stations, and hors d'oeuvres. There are pros and cons that come with each option, so deciding what your goals and priorities are will help you determine what fits best for your particular event. Is formality or casualness part of your event? Is the food quality the most important consideration, or are you primarily concerned with having a wide variety and a large amount of food? Would you prefer to have your guests visit while eating or sit down to a full meal?
When you have a sit down dinner, the food should be served up fresh, straight from the pan to the plate. Quite a number of hotels and cheaper caterers pre-plate main courses and maintain them in a warming area before adding the sauce and serving them. That's why you will often find rubbery, dried out food at big events. Be sure to find out how the food will be plated. You can either visit the kitchen of the hotel you are booking or just ask the caterer about presentation.
When you have a sit-down dinner, your guests will tend to eat food the way it is served. This means they will get the right amount of main dish and side dish and an appropriate amount of sauce. The particular event will dictate whether the presentation of the food is refined or rustic. Whichever the case, the food often maintains its integrity and is simply dished and served at an acceptable temperature with attention paid to details. The best thing is for the food to be served hot out of the pan, directly onto the plate.
When food is served family style, it is put on the table on platters.  The platters are then passed as the guests serve themselves, or can be aided by a service staff member. This style can conjure up the atmosphere of a villa in Tuscany, where everyone dines at long "king's tables", an arrangement in which several 8 foot tables are set up together, forming a single long narrow table. Of course, a family style dinner will not allow you to have continuous, consistent presentation since people will be taking food off the platters as they go around the table. Nonetheless, this can be a very enjoyable and attractive way to serve a meal if the right food choices are made. One of the downsides is that the guests who are served last from a certain platter miss the opportunity of appreciating the same presentation as those who were served first.
Today many hosts do not want their guests spending a lot of time standing in line, so buffets are not as popular as they used to be. As the guests are filling their plates, sometimes things can get jumbled, as the various flavors and sauces become mixed and run together with each other. With buffet style meals, it can be difficult to keep food the right temperature. One thing you could try is a chafing dish. However, these can overcook your food or just dry it out if it sits there too long. For this reason, high-end caterers don't use them much any more. Instead, they keep the food fresh by putting it out a bit at a time on warmed platters. When the weather is warmer, and there are cold foods, such as salads or sushi, keeping them cold can be a challenge, but skilled caterers devise creative ways to solve this problem. Because guests generally take more food than they can eat, waste is a considerable factor with buffets.
The main advantage of serving buffet-style is that it's easier to offer a broad selection of food to choose from, which can be a good alternative for a diversified group of people having widely varying tastes. Buffet style service often uses a smaller service staff, and sometimes can be cheaper than the cost of a sit down event. Due to the fact that guests are forced to get out of their seats and interact while in line, buffets foster socialization.
If you want to encourage your guests to mingle, you should set up food stations and provide a cocktail reception. Usually food stations are opened individually and appetizers are passed among the guests. It has replaced traditional buffets in popularity. With this scenario, differently themed food stations are set up around the room. Some people choose to offer "action stations". In this option, the food is prepared fresh right in front of the guests. This means hotter, fresher food for your guests to enjoy. Sushi can be rolled to order, meat can be carved, pasta tossed, and oysters shucked directly onto the plate. As guests get smaller individual plates from each station, they will continuously interact with each other as they progress through the stations.
You can have a very successful dinner party by combining formats. For example you could have a cocktail reception, a sit-down dinner, and a dessert buffet with coffee and cognac.

Ethan Mantle, owner of Componere Fine Catering a gourmet San Francisco caterers company, uses organic and seasonal ingredients in as many of his catering dishes as possible. For people looking for San Francisco wedding catering, Componere Fine Catering can make your next event truly unforgettable.

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Make Simple Desserts Recipes - How To

A collection of desserts recipes ready in 30 minutes, including step-by-step clear instructions, estimated preparation times. Make simple and fast delicious recipes like chocolate desserts and ice-cream in no time.

You will get expert help, tips, clear instructions for great dessert creations in the least time. Impress your family and friends with these desserts standards which you quickly do at your home.

Desserts Food

And to prove to you how easy these recipes are to make, just take a look here...

Chocolate Fondue with Fresh Berries

Time To Table: 30 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients

1/2 cup(s) organic whole milk
1/4 cup(s) organic cream
6 ounce(s) organic bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp(s) organic unsalted butter
1 pint(s) organic raspberries
24 whole organic cherries, pitted
12 medium organic strawberries
1 Tbsp(s) organic erythritol

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream and erythritol and bring to a boil. Add the chocolate and remove the pan from the heat. Let stand until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter. Bring the fondue to the table in the pan with the fresh fruit let everyone dip their own fruit.

You will find over 40 simple to make desserts like this one in GuiltFreeDesserts.

Also each recipe offers nutritional information listed as Benefits. You will be amazed when you learn just how good-for-you these desserts can be.

Could gourmet desserts be so simple to make?

I believe it will be hard to find ! Start baking now.

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Make Simple Desserts Recipes - How To

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Secret Food Tips to Health and Well-Being

Nothing can be  more confusing than reading about food tips to health and their effects on the body. We all have heard how bad processed foods, sugars and chemicals are to the health and well-being of a person. These foods are noted to be  responsible for our declining health. For the first time in history the younger generation will experience a decline in age longevity. They are expected  to live ten years less than current life expectancies. This is all attributed to the sedentary lifestyle the Western world has become accustomed too. The good news is there are foods and activities that can reverse this trend. This article will discuss the issues and then proceed into ways on how to improve. Let us first talk about health issues.
Contributing factors
We have arrived at this point in time by partaking in processed foods, sugars, chemicals, sugar substitutes and lack of physical activity. These factors are directly responsible for how we have arrived at this point in history. There is little education in the schools and at home to correct these fatal mistakes.
According to Dr. Jonathan V. Wright M.D.,"Pioneering A New Kind of Medicine",October 19, 2010. He states, "Sugar isn't just sweet for us - germs love it too. The sugar in your body sends out chemical signals that draw them like moths to a flame. By reading the "sugar code" on your cell walls, these pathogens target cells all over your body".
Lack of physical exercise has also had a large impact on our health. Twenty or thirty years ago children would ride their bikes after school, shoot baskets, play in parks etc. Today's society is tied to a desk and computer or TV. This gives the body little chance to burn off sugars, detox or recover from the day. This is not only the younger society that is suffering from lack of physical activity. It is also the adult generation who has become use to this lifestyle.
Correcting The Past With These Secret Foods
Here are a few food tips to health and well-being. All sugar is not bad for you. Natural sugar sources are not only needed for healthy brain activity, but also needed as an energy resource. Low sugar is just as bad as high sugar. Too much sugar and a body will store it as fat. Too little sugar and the body become sluggish, brain activity slows and eventually a person may go into a coma.
An old secret food that can be used not only as a health sugar alternative, but also as a way to improve the health is cranberries. This fruit provides antioxidants, natural sugars and germ fighting properties to the body. You can eat this fruit as a dessert or as a snack. Another excellent fruit is blueberries. Both these berries contain chains of sugars which are easy for the body to breakdown and use as an energy resource. Whole natural juices are not the same as eating fruit. Get the best benefits by buying them fresh from the market.
When a person's body is use to sugar, it can act like a drug to the system. Sometimes the dependency is similar to drug addiction. The best way to stop the dependency is to stop "cold-turkey". Stopping your sugar intake from process foods and desserts for three to five days will break the body's dependency on sugar. Substituting healthy alternatives like berries is a great way to not only get the necessary sugar, but also improve your health.
Physical Activity
To get your physical activity every day is as simple as taking a walk for lunch, doing ten minutes of core muscle exercises or taking the steps instead of the elevator. The best kinds of activities are those you make up on your own. Usually these are more fun and you will tend to keep doing them. Try to challenge yourself by besting your own time. Or challenge yourself by walking up hill, take an extra flight of stairs each week to increase endurance, park in a different section of the parking lot to increase variety or walk at lunch time with different people. No matter what you decide to do, the benefits will be result in better health. Get up and get moving.
As you can see just a few simple changes in the foods you eat, minus the sugar intake, plus a bit of physical activity can really help a person's health. Starting and sticking to something like this is not easy to do, but once you are doing it for a few weeks, it becomes habit.

There are natural ways to lose weight and improve health through natural means. More FREE tips to health can be found here website http://n1h1influenza.com

.

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Raw Dessert and Enzymes - What's All The Fuss?

Raw dessert would have to be one my favorite treats, firstly because of the amazing taste sensations that come with each bite, and secondly, because of the incredible health benefits derived from each treat. There's not many desserts that can boast that is there?

So why is raw dessert so good for you? Well, aside from the fact that it is not loaded with sugar, butter and other hydrogenated saturated fats, it is loaded with live enzymes, and that is what makes it superb.

Desserts Food

Enzymes are one of the most important components of a healthy functioning body. In fact, it is safe to say that enzymes probably rival the importance of the air we breathe and the water we drink. Why? Because enzymes carry vital roles in the body, which without, you would not be able to break down, construct, synthesise, deliver and eliminate many of the ingredients your body uses every day.

Enzymes are essential in order for your body to digest the food you eat. They break down food particles into their individual molecules, which are then used for energy in the body. Without sufficient enzymes, the body absorbs nutrients that are not fully digested, creating numerous problems including bloating, bowel disorders, heartburn, food allergies and more. Undigested molecules enter into the bloodstream, stimulating the immune system into action to attack and destroy what it recognizes as a foreign invader. In fact, after a cooked meal, it has been documented that there is a significant increase in the number of white blood cells circulating in the blood, that are not present after a raw meal. The result is a compromise in nutritional benefits derived from the food you eat, along an overworked immune system, and little vitality left for you.

Fortunately, nature made the human body intelligently enough so that we are able to create enzymes ourselves, and in our younger years, we are endowed with an abundant supply of enzymes. Unfortunately, as we age and our bodies are exposed to lifestyle and environmental factors such as overly processed and fast food, toxic chemicals, stress and pollution, our enzyme making capacity diminishes, and leaves us tired, more susceptible to aging and chronic disease.

So what can we do about it?

Eat more raw food. And what a better place to start than choosing raw dessert over the cooked variety!

Dr. Edward Howell, the father of enzyme research, tells us that the human digestive system is designed to break down approximately half of the food we eat, and the remainder needs to be sourced from raw, living food.

Raw dessert aside for a moment, adding at least 1 raw meal to a daily menu, and aiming for an 80% raw, 20% cooked diet means you'll be doing yourself a huge favor.

When raw foods such as apple, pumpkin, carrot etc. are exposed to temperatures above 118ºF/47ºC, they start to break down, which means the valuable enzymes are often completely destroyed, and what was once bursting with life, is dead and lifeless. Because the enzymes in raw foods are destroyed by heat, a diet high in cooked foods places undue strain on the digestive system, demanding incredible amounts of energy, exhausting your digestive organs, and contributing to numerous chronic diseases.

Raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and sprouted grains, pulses and seeds are a rich source of powerful enzymes, digesting much easier than cooked food, and passing through the digestive tract in 1/2 the time it takes for cooked food, leaving you feeling lighter, more energized, and full of vitality. So if longevity is part of your life plan, and you value feeling good in your body and mind, then be sure to add more of these to your daily menu plan and feel the difference almost immediately.

Raw Dessert and Enzymes - What's All The Fuss?

Maraya lives in the Byron Bay Hinterland region of Northern NSW, Australia, and is a raw food and nutrition enthusiast, with a particular love of raw dessert.

http://www.rawdessert.org

http://www.rawdessert.org/category/easy-desserts-recipes

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NY Food Tours See the City Like a Native

Greenwich Village
A beautiful place to visit, lots of unique clothing shops, many restaurant choices, streets are not particularly crowded here, because its a very affluent neighborhood which makes for great people watching. Many celebrities live here including, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mathew Broderick. Giselle Bundchen,Tom Brady and Julianne Moore.

All the tours are led by Bruce Scher a native New Yorker and licensed by the City of New York. His tours have been written up in the New York Times, and Time Out NY Magazine. To see New York City walking tours in greater detail, please visit http://walkingtoursmanhattan.com

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Sorbet: Tips for Making a Low Sugar Dessert

Few things are more satisfying than a cup of smooth, cold sorbet on a warm and relaxing day. I love to make and eat sorbet, but there is a potential downside. Unlike ice cream, sorbet has neither fat nor lactose; but just like ice cream, sorbet has lots and lots of sugar. When making sorbet, in order to get consistently creamy texture, I would sometimes add up to one full cup of sugar for every cup of juice. Of course, the amount I added depended on the juice I was using, but that is still too much sugar. Now that I am trying to eat healthier, I have turned to a low sugar alternative.

Being on a low sugar diet, I decided to look at my local grocery store for sorbet that had reduced sugar content. Not only was the sugar levels similar to what I had been making at home, but there were other additives. Many of which I had not encountered since chemistry lab in college! The solution? Make your own sorbet, but replace the sugar with agave nectar. Agave nectar (sometimes called agave syrup) is a natural sweetener that is 1.4 times sweeter than white sugar, according to the Madhava company that makes the nectar. That means that you can immediately reduce the amount of sweetener needed in the recipe by 40%. To get the creamy texture, be sure to use the whole fruit instead of just fruit juice. Homemade sorbet is an easy to make treat that is delicious and healthy.

Desserts Food

What you will need:

Fruit (or fruit juice) of your choice

Agave Nectar (or sugar)

Food processor or ice cream maker

Water (only if you are making lemon or lime sorbet)

There are two ways of making sorbet - with a food processor or an ice cream maker. To make it with a food processor, simply mix the fruit and sugar together in the food processor. Put the mixture into plastic containers and place it in the freezer. After it has frozen, take the containers out and run it back through the food processor. This will yield more of a gelato consistency with a little bit of a crunch. To use the ice cream maker, mix the fruit and sugar together, then put the mixture in the refrigerator for a couple hours to chill. After it is chilled, transfer the mixture to the ice cream maker and let the machine do the work of mixing and freezing. This will yield a creamy consistency that melts on the tongue. My personal favorite is a combination of the two! Puree three fourths cup of agave nectar for every cup of fresh fruit in a food processor. Then chill the mixture in the refrigerator and finish it off with the ice cream maker. By using the whole fruit, the sorbet turns out thicker, and you also get to keep all the nutrients!

The next time your sweet tooth comes calling, think of this homemade sorbet to satisfy your craving without sacrificing your diet.

Sorbet: Tips for Making a Low Sugar Dessert

Rebecca G Johnson is a business consultant and has been making sorbets for over 5 years. For more great tips check out http://www.sorbetsite.com

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How to Make Delicious Desserts Using Fresh Fruits: Dazzling Peach Trifle and Gelatin Banana Split

The only thing better than fresh fruits are desserts made with those same fresh fruits.  Try these delicious fruit desserts to rave reviews from family and friends.  Gelatin Banana Split Desserts use fresh strawberries, bananas, pineapple along with maraschino cherries.  This is a great summertime dessert, although it is also perfect year-round.  This makes a very pretty dessert for parties, even holidays.  The Peach Trifle is not only a delicious dessert, it makes a gorgeous presentation.  Both of these recipes have eye appeal.

GELATIN BANANA SPLIT DESSERT
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg (8 serving size) strawberry OR cherry gelatin
2 cups cold water
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
frozen whipped topping, thawed
sliced bananas
sliced strawberries
pineapple chunks (if using canned, drain very well)
Chopped pecans
halved maraschino cherries, if desired
In a large bowl, place the dry gelatin and add the boiling water. Stir two minutes to be sure all the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the cold water. Add the ice cream and stir until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl leaving room for the toppings later. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm. Before serving, top with the fruits. Pile whipped topping in the center and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Top with some halved maraschino cherries, if desired.

For more of my dessert recipes visit my blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com

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Recipes For Simple Old-Fashion Foods From Casserole to Dessert!

Do you long for the old recipes you enjoyed at your grandmother or mother's homes? Perhaps you will find something to remind you of those meals among these recipes. This article offers recipes for Lima Hamburger Pie, Hot Pepper Relish, and Marshmallow Dessert Topping for Jello.

LIMA HAMBURGER PIE

Desserts Food

This recipe is from an old, old Midwestern church cookbook.

2 tbsp fat

1/2 small minced onion

1 can condensed tomato soup

pepper to taste

salt to taste

1 1/2 lb ground beef

2 1/2 cups lima beans

Pie crust dough for topping.

Melt the fat in a skillet. Add the ground beef and onion; fry until the onion is tender and the beef is no longer pink. In a baking dish, combine the lima beans, tomato soup, salt and pepper. Top the beans mixture with the ground beef and onion mixture. Top with a piece of pie dough. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes until heated through and the pastry crust is golden brown.

HOT PEPPER RELISH

12 hot peppers

12 green tomatoes

3 cups sugar

3 tsp salt

12 cups bell peppers

12 yellow onions

2 cups cider vinegar

Grind the hot peppers, green tomatoes,bell peppers, and onions. Place mixture in a colander and run hot water over vegetables for about 5 minutes; drain well. Place in a large saucepan.

In another saucepan, bring the sugar, salt, and vinegar to a boil. Pour the sugar mixture over the vegetable mixture and cook over medium heat until very hot, stirring occasionally. Do not allow to come to a roiling boil. Place in clean, hot pint jars and seal with hot bands and lids. Be sure jars seal.

Yield: 6 pints

MARSHMALLOW DESSERT TOPPING FOR JELLO

This is an old recipe from Ohio.

1/2 lb large marshmallows, cut-up

1 small can crushed pineapple

1 small can mandarin oranges

2 cups half and half cream

maraschino cherries

Drain the crushed pineapple and the mandarin oranges. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the fruits and marshmallows into the half and half cream. Store overnight or at least 8 hours in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally. Serve over Jell-O or other gelatin desserts.

Enjoy!

Recipes For Simple Old-Fashion Foods From Casserole to Dessert!

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com For more of her recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

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Knowing What Food to Eat And Avoid For Acid Reflux Disease

Acid reflux disease can be an extremely painful condition. For people who live a socially active life and attend frequent parties and gatherings, reflux is like a curse as they have to often miss out on the delicacies served because of fear of the acid reflux attacks.



Acid attacks, as the name suggests is the attack of the stomach acids on the esophageal lining. The frequency of such attacks can be extremely damaging for the esophagus because it leads to the formation of scar tissue. If this scar tissue is not able to heal, then it may lead to ulcers and in certain cases even the cancers of the esophagus. Of all the reasons, for acid reflux problem, bad eating habits contribute the most.



Hence, the first point to remember in the treatment of acid reflux is the knowledge of foods to eat and foods to avoid. It may require you to create a new meal plan for yourself, giving more places to healthy and nutritious food and say goodbye to some other.



Why Are Some Foods A Problem?



To answer this question, let us first consider what causes reflux problem. The food goes into the stomach via the esophagus. Inside the stomach the digestion process begins where the food is acted upon by the digestive enzymes and the hydrochloric acid present in the stomach. The food remains locked inside the stomach by the action of valves that is present at both the ends of the stomach. Due to the acidic environment inside the stomach, sometimes the excess pressure causes the valve to open. This causes the acidic content of the stomach to move out into the esophagus. This condition is known as acid reflux.



It is therefore clear that the more acidic the content of the stomach, the greater will be the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter valve and hence greater chances of acid reflux. So, to solve the problem of acid reflux, acid forming foods should be avoided.



Common Foods to Avoid



Having talked of acidic foods, let us list certain foods in this category that can trigger acid reflux problem. Red meat is one such food. Instead opt for fish that may be great nutrition wise and excellent from health point of view.



One also needs to stop consumption of dairy products. This not only includes milk but also creams, cheese, ice cream, shakes and any other food item that uses dairy. Apart from dairy, chocolates are also a prohibited for people having acid reflux. Food items such as pasta and macaroni should also be avoided. Instead whole grain bread can be used. Low fat yogurt however, seems to have relieved acid reflux in many people. Fruits and vegetables are generally alkaline forming and should be taken in adequate quantities. Tomatoes and tomato based products are yet another thing to be avoided. This includes tomato sauces and even tomato pickles.



It is important to use less oil and spices while preparation of food for acid reflux. There is a direct relation between reflux and obesity. People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from acid reflux problem. Hence foods rich in carbohydrate and fat content should also be avoided.



Picking the Right Food to Eat For Reflux



Picking the right food to eat for reflux can be bothering especially for people who are very choosy about their food habits. But where there is will, there's always a way. Using a little bit of imagination and creativity one can still find replacements for his/her favorite foods. For example, instead of opting for a scoopful of ice cream for dessert, one can go in for fruit salad combined with whipped low fat yogurt.



Not all foods can cause reflux problem to everyone. The condition varies from person to person. While some may get acid attack immediately after eating a bar of chocolate, the other person may not. One has to try and observe if a particular variety of food is causing acid reflux.



You may have to give up on your favorite hotdog or beef corn sandwich while dealing with problems of acid reflux. Choosing healthier means of cooking such as baking and grilling also is an advantage. Frying can not only destroy the nutritional value of the foods but can also be bad for reflux.



On the other hand fruits like pineapple, banana and apple are known to absorb the extra acid from the stomach and prevent acid reflux. Similarly vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower are alkaline forming and can prevent symptoms of acid reflux.

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit acid reflux explained to learn more about acid reflux stomach cramping and natural remedy for acid reflux.

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Victorian Era Puddings and Desserts

The Victorian period was known for its gentleness and decorum. Manners and etiquette were considered of the utmost importance, and so books on the subject were very popular. The most famous of these was the 'Book Of Household Management' by Mrs Eliza Beeton (1836-1865).

Milk and honey were used widely in Victorian cooking. According to Mrs Beeton, milk was 'complete'. Honey was a popular sweetener, as it had been since before the introduction of sugar in the late 18th century.

Desserts Food

Syllabub
1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup sweet sherry, 1 1/4 cups whipping cream, 3 tb brandy, 1 tb lemon juice
Whisk all the ingredients until the mix thickens. Serve chilled in pretty crystal or glass bowls or glasses. Decorate with sugar crystals along the rim, and topped with whipped cream and fine slivers of almond.

Custard
4 egg yolks, beaten, 2/3 cup whipping cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 1/2 cups milk
Warm the milk over a low heat until very warm. Whisk the egg yolks into the milk, then stir until thickened, maintaining the low heat setting. Take the saucepan off the heat, and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Cool, then stir in the cream before serving.

Blacmange
2 beaten egg yolks, 2 cups milk, 2/3 cup whipping cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tb gelatine, dissolved in 2/3 cup cold water, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.

Over a low heat, bring the milk and vanilla essence to the boil. In a bowl, beat the milk misture with the egg yolks. Pour back into the saucepan and heat slowly until thickened. Mix in the gelatine and water mix. Cool a little, then stir in the cream (whipped). Pour into a mould. Set in the refrigerator. When serving, decorate with fresh flowers.

Victorian Era Puddings and Desserts

Follow all of the developments on victorian era recipes and the victorian era.

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Check Out the Street Food in Singapore

Yes, we are talking about Singapore but not just of the glitzy, premium restaurants that are found in the city. Rather, we are talking about the street food--ranging right from the hawkers, foods centers to the numerous coffee shops-that sell food uniquely Singapore, be it Thai, Malay or Indian Cuisine.

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Gluten Free Desserts - Some Ideas

People seem to think that gluten free living means no desserts, or no nice desserts, anyway. But it really doesn't have to be that way...

When it comes to gluten free desserts, you're best to stay away from the "Free From" shelves. Well, to be honest, apart from pasta, I would give those a miss anyway. Most of the products are pretty tasteless at best, and very pricey indeed.

Desserts Food

But so far as desserts go, really, there's not much need for flour, anyway. Hopefully, you will have eaten enough bulk in the main course, and the sweet course is just a kind of codicil - more of a taste sensation than anything.

So, what can you eat for afters that isn't full of gluten? Here are a few suggestions.

First off, there's nothing much nicer in the summer time than a fresh fruit salad, and it's very easy to do. You just get a bunch of fruit, cut it up and add some juice or syrup. The trick is to leave fruit that browns in the air until last. So, by all means include banana and apple chunks, but put them in after you've made the liquid which holds it all together. And to be on the safe side, put some lemon or orange juice in as well (the acid stops the reaction from occurring).

Cut the fruit into pieces all about the same size. If you're including grapes or cherries (which you will probably cut in half to take out the stones or pips), then aim for that sort of size. Obviously, raspberries and blackberries are left whole, but strawberries can be cut in half or even into quarters, if they are too big. Chinese gooseberries/kiwi fruit should be skinned before you slice them up. The easiest way to do this is by cutting the stalk end off, then scoring all the way round, and dropping them into a bowl of very hot (even boiling) water for a few seconds, then into another bowl of cold water. After this, the skin should peel off quite easily.

For the liquid, you can either make a sugar syrup (just dissolve some sugar in a little hot water and make up with cold), or better is grape or apple juice. I have a friend who uses fizzy lemonade, but this has never appealed to me. You could also include a tin of mandarin oranges, and add the juice from that. Serve the fruit salad on its own or with a dollop of cream or other topping, or some gluten free ice cream and there's your dessert.

If you've got a bit more time to prepare, you could make a fruit jelly (jello). This may sound like kids' stuff = and it's certainly likely to go down well with children - but it's surprising how nice it is, and of course, there's no gluten in jelly.

You can use fresh or canned fruit. I generally use canned, and use the liquid from the can as part of the liquid when making up the jelly. Just put your jello mix or cubes into a measuring jug, add the least amount of boiling water to dissolve it, mix well, and when all the mixture has dissolved, pour in the juice from the can. You can add water to make it up to just under the right amount if you don't have enough juice. There will be a little bit of juice still clinging to the fruit, so don't overdo the water!

Put the fruit into the jelly mold or bowl and pour over the jelly, then cover and put into the fridge to set. This goes great with cream or evaporated milk, gluten free ice cream or your choice of topping.

For a most exotic dessert, which you will most likely want to keep for special occasions, you can make a pavlova. This is just a huge nest of meringue filled with fruit and cream, and is very yummy. You make the meringue the day before, so it has time to cool, then fill it just before serving. You can also buy frozen pavlovas (remember to check the label). The name pavlova (which is coming up as a spelling mistake, even though it's correct) comes from the name of the ballerina, Anna Pavlova, for whom the dessert was originally created. I don't know how often she ate it though, as ballerinas have to watch their weight, and this dessert definitely ain't for weightwatchers!

Another idea, which is a bit old fashioned, but really nice, is a home made rice pudding. You need a big casserole dish, 1½ pints of breakfast milk (or full cream milk), 4 ounces of pudding (round grain) rice, 2-4 tablespoonfuls of sugar (according to your taste), and a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon. If you're using nutmeg, be careful not to overdo it, or the whole pudding will go bitter, and be completely inedible. Less is more with nutmeg, as they say. If you don't have creamy milk, then you add 2 or 3 little bits of butter.

Optionally, you can add a handful of raisins, but personally, I like my rice pudding plain.

Just put all the ingredients into the casserole dish and put it into the oven either in the center, or if you're cooking something else at the same time, near the bottom will do. Turn the oven on to about 300°F (150°C, gas mark 2). After half an hour, give it a stir, and again 30 minutes later. Cook for a further hour, and check to see if the rice is nice and soft - carefully lift the beautiful brown skin so as not to spoil it, and spoon out a little bit, let it cool down and taste to see if it's done. If not, give it another 15-30 minutes.

As you can see, it takes a long time to cook a decent rice pudding. But it's well worth the wait even though the fragrance of rice pudding being cooked is almost unbearably tempting. You can make it before you cook the main course and just put it in for 15 minutes to warm up again while you eat, if you like. If you find that there is too little milk in the pudding, pour a bit more in before reheating or add some milk or cream when serving (this also helps to cool it down a bit, which is useful if you're serving it to children). Of course, you can also eat it cold, but if you're going to do that, you may as well buy a can.

You don't get that delectable skin in a can, though (I'm not sure how nice it would be cold, anyway).

Children often like to put a spoonful of jam (jelly) in the middle of their bowl of rice pudding (after they've savored their portion of skin) and stir it in before they eat it. It makes a nice swirly pattern that kids really enjoy.

I hope these ideas have been helpful, and remember - when it comes to gluten free desserts, forget about the "free from" shelf.

Gluten Free Desserts - Some Ideas

Take my fun quiz Are you Gluten Intolerant? to see if gluten is affecting your life.

And Now! get your FREE COPY of Gluten Free-Easy or Gluten and Dairy Free-Easy here: Free-Easy Publications

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