Sorry!!!!

I want to say how sorry I am that I haven't posted to this site in so long. Today is the 1st time I've been able to get into the site since April. Thanks for your patience and I will be posting.

Martha A. Cheves, Author of
Stir, Laugh, Repeat
Think With Your Taste Buds - Desserts

10 Ways to Improve Your Memory

I found these tips on EveryDayHealth and wanted to share

1. Focus on what you're trying to remember. Take time to think about what you need to remember, whether it's a list of names, chores, or items to buy. Spending a few moments actively processing your thoughts can make it easier to recall what you need to remember in the future.

2. Link your list. Try to remember several things or ideas at once by linking them together in your mind. If you want to memorize your grocery list, for instance, connect the items you need together with a specific image or action in your head. Imagine you're in your laundry room holding a container of detergent, then walk into your kitchen to get some bread and milk, then move to the bathroom to replenish the toilet paper.

3. Personalize your list. Organize lists into short, manageable sections, and try to connect items to something that's easier for you to remember. Improve memory by linking lists of numbers, for example, to personally relevant dates like your birthday or interesting historical dates.

4. Create a visual image. If you're trying to remember someone's name, visualize an object that will help remind you in the future. Think of summer for a woman named June or a cat for someone named Catherine.

5. Create an acronym. Train your brain to remember items in a specific sequence by creating a word to represent the objects. Try using the first letter of each item on your shopping list to form a word. For instance, MOST can stand for milk, oranges, soap, toilet paper.

6. Use all of your senses to help improve memory. Afraid you're going to forget your next hair appointment or dinner with a friend? Verbally list your appointments out loud and then think about the softness of your hair after a salon visit and the aroma of the food at your favorite restaurant to help solidify the dates in your mind.

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Boost your memory by eating right.

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7. Write it down. Even if you don't actually use your list or a note to remind you of an appointment, simply writing the information down will help your brain retain it.

8. Create a rhyme. How did you learn the alphabet or the number of days in each month when you were little? You probably learned them with the help of a song or rhyme. Try doing the same thing with names, appointments, and lists.

9. Make it manageable. Organize a long list into shorter lists that are easier to remember. Instead of trying to remember a dozen different items, create four mini-lists with only three things you need to remember from each.

10. Be positive. Don't doubt yourself — our brains can often do more than we realize. Regularly practice these tips to help improve memory, and you'll be amazed by how much more you can remember.

Slow Metabolisms

I found this quite interesting and wanted to share.

LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Too many lazy years: You've spent a lot of time on the couch. Don't blame your lagging metabolism just because you never exercised.

Too many yo-yo diets: Instead of maintaining a stable weight, you've developed a frustrating up-and-down weight-loss pattern. You know the drill: You've repeatedly gone on extreme diets and lost weight, then you've slipped back into your old ways of eating and regained that weight.

Too many of the same foods, all processed: You've consumed frankenfoods that your body doesn't recognize as real food — because they're not!

Too many pesticides in our food: Some farmers spray harmful pesticides on our food, and you've chosen those over organic foods.

Too many toxins in our environment: More than 100,000 synthetic chemicals have been registered for commercial use — with 2,000 more added each year — but very few of them have been tested adequately for toxicity. You've been exposed to many synthetic chemicals in products in and around your home.

Too many bad bugs — and not enough good ones: You've tried to rid yourselves of pests with an onslaught of antibacterial products, which is pointless and not beneficial for the healthy functioning of your immune system.

Too many hours at work — and not enough in bed: You've let yourself get stressed out. Stress is like kryptonite for your hormones — even just a bit of it can throw them entirely out of whack.

Too many pharmaceuticals — even in our water: You've taken prescriptions dashed off by your doctor and haven't always checked out how they might interact with certain herbs, vitamins, or other supplements or prescriptions. All these pharmaceuticals could have a serious impact on your hormonal health.

Too many cigarettes: You've ignored all the medical findings on the damage smoking can cause. Smoking negatively impacts endocrine glands, which produce hormones, in addition to pretty much every cell in your body.

Fat Burning Foods & Drinks

I ran across an article that listed the top 15 fat burning foods/drinks and decided to share them with everyone.

Grapefruit: Half a grapefruit prior to dinner can help fill you enough that you can resist second helpings. Also, the soluble fiber in grapefruit slows down the digestion process.

Watermelon: The water from watermelon invades the space that your stomach leaves open for food, thus making you less likely to pig out. Apples and pears produce a similar result, too.

Berries: Instead of a cookie, pop some blackberries or strawberries into your mouth. Frozen blueberries also provide the illusion of enjoying a cold, high-calorie treat.

Cucumber: Cucumber has very few calories and helps to stave off liver disease and pancreatic cancer, and even keeps your nails looking amazing due to the high mineral content.

Hot peppers: Although they haven’t been directly linked to weight loss, spicy habaneros or jalapeños aid in curbing the desire to gorge since we typically eat less when our food has a fiery flavor. Hot peppers also comprise the compound capsaicin, which speeds up the metabolism.

Celery: It satisfies the need to eat something, but it has virtually no calories (one cup of celery equals only nineteen calories. Tip: instead of adding cream cheese or peanut butter to the stalk, give fat-free cottage cheese or fat-free black bean dip.

Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt keeps you satisfied longer because all proteins take their sweet time leaving your stomach.

Eggs: Start the day off right with seven grams of protein! Having an egg in the morning will keep your body busy because digesting eggs burns more calories than a carb-infested breakfast.

Fish: Full of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Wild salmon, tuna, and sardines make your body more responsive to the fat-burning hormone leptin, which is responsible for suppressing your appetite? If you don't like fish, turkey can also help as it encourages the release of tryptophan, which helps you sleep. Remember: lack of sleep wreaks havoc on your waistline!

Green tea: Multiple studies have recommended green tea for when you’re trying to shed pounds because it can motivate the body to burn abdominal fat. Moreover, it is made up of a type of phytochemical called catechins, which can assist the metabolism.

Coffee: Its a metabolism booster.

Ice cold water: Drink eight to ten glasses of ice cold water a day to burn 250 to 500 calories! Your body goes into overdrive trying to heat the water back up to your normal body temperature.

Quinoa: A great substitute for rice because it is as simple to prepare and possesses the same oddly satisfying quality as rice. It has five grams of fiber per cup and eight grams of hunger-rejecting protein.

Oatmeal: Add cinnamon or nutmeg to give your fiber-rich hot cereal a dash of sweetness. A hot bowl of oatmeal will make you feel full and keep you hydrated.

Crispbreads: Whole grains, as opposed to refined grains, such as those found in rye crackers, are the key to keeping belly fat at bay.

Foods and Health Tips

A friend sent a list of foods that are supposed to help different alignments. Some of you may already know these, some of you may have already tried them. I personally had never heard of most of them and haven’t tried any. So here we go.

1. Head Aches – Eat plenty of fish. Fish oil helps prevent headaches. So does ginger which reduces inflammation and pain.

2. To help prevent strokes drink tea. It helps to prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls. In some cases it even suppresses the appetite and green tea is good for the immune system.

3. Can’t Sleep? Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.

4. Asthma – Eat onions. They help ease constriction of bronchial tubes. Years ago mothers made onion packs to place on the chest to help respiratory ailments and make breathing easier.

5. Arthritis – Eat fish. Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines help prevent arthritis. Fish has omega oils which are good for the immune system.

6. Upset Stomachs – Bananas will settle an upset stomach. Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.

7. Bladder Infections – Drink cranberry juice. It’s high-acid helps control harmful bacteria.

8. Bone Problems – Eat pineapple. Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be helped by the manganese in pineapple.

9. Memory Problems – Oysters – they help improve your mental functioning by supplying much needed zinc.

10. Colds – Eat garlic. It clears up a stuffy head and also helps with lowering cholesterol.

11. Coughing – Use red peppers. A substance similar to that found in cough syrups is found in hot red peppers such as cayenne. Just use with caution so you don’t irritate your stomach.

12. Breast Cancer – To lower your chance of breast cancer, eat wheat, bran and cabbage. These help the body maintain estrogen at a healthy level.

13. Ulcers – Again, cabbage. It contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.

14. Diarrhea – Apples. Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure diarrhea. Bananas are also good for this ailment.

15. Clogged Arteries – Eat Avocados. Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol.

16. High Blood Pressure – Eat celery and Olive Oil. Both have been shown to lower blood pressure.

17. Blood Sugar Imbalance – Broccoli and peanuts. The chromium in broccoli and peanuts help regulate insulin and blood sugar.

Filling Food to Speed Weight Loss

I received this article from a site called Living with Diabetes. This is not only true for diabetics but for any of us trying to loose weight.

Learn which foods fight hunger by keeping you feeling full longer.

By Madeline Vann, MPH

Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD

Print Email

It's the dieter's worst enemy — that gnawing hunger when you're trying to eat less and lose weight.

But fighting off those feelings of hunger could be as simple as a walk to the nearest soup and salad bar for lunch. Here's how you can make food choices that will keep you feeling full and help prevent the hunger pangs that lead to diet-busting snacks or binges.

Food Strategies For Losing Weight

If you want to feel full all day on less food, focus on these eating strategies:

• Get enough lean protein and fiber. A study of 22 men who changed the amount of protein in their diets for 18-day periods showed that those who ate the least protein were the most likely to report being hungry. "Protein is the number one thing to help you feel full," says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. "The second thing is fiber."
  
• Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Researchers tracked the weight-loss success of 71 obese women between 20 and 60 years of age on a low-fat diet. Half of the women were also told to increase their fruit and vegetable intake. At the end of one year, both groups of women had lost weight, but the women who ate the most fruits and veggies reported the greatest weight loss and were less likely to say they felt hungry on any given day. In fact, when the researchers crunched the data, they found that whether the women reported feeling hungry frequently predicted their ability to lose weight. Other studies have shown that changing your eating habits to focus on these water- and fiber-rich foods will help you maintain weight loss for up to six years.
  
• Sip soup. Adding two low-calorie soups to your diet every day could stave off hunger pangs and keep you satisfied longer. Choose soups that are broth-based, not cream-based, to reduce the calorie count; also look for soups that are low in sodium. Consider chunky, pureed vegetable soups, as they have been shown to produce the most lasting full feeling. Timing your soup so that you have it before a meal also reduces the amount you eat at that meal by about 20 percent, according to a study of 53 overweight adults.
  
• Eat whole grains. A serving of whole grains will stick with you longer than a serving of refined wheat bread or any other refined flour product, for that matter. Most refined flour is white and often bleached.
  
• Pick "airy" snacks. If you must snack and you don't have a piece of fruit or a veggie tray on hand, choose the snack food that has more air in it — think cheese puffs instead of potato chips, rice cakes instead of cookies. You will feel just as full as you would if you ate the same serving size of another snack, but you will consume fewer calories on average.

Another way to fight off hunger is to develop a "low-energy density" eating plan. This means that you can eat a large quantity of foods that do not have a high calorie count. Learning about portion sizes and counting calories is one way to approach this, but you can also try the plate method, which dictates that half your plate be full of veggies, one-quarter dedicated to a starch (preferably whole grain), and one-quarter to a lean protein.

And speaking of plates, it's worth noting that a study of 45 adults demonstrated that the oft-repeated advice to eat on a smaller plate if you want to feel like you have more food in front of you actually has no effect on the amount you eat at a meal (if you are serving yourself) or your feeling of being full.

Brown Rice Pasta with Apples

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled & cubed
1/2 cup Ideal brown sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. spice (your choice. I used apple pie spice)
1 cup uncooked brown rice pasta
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a medium size pan cook apples, Ideal brown sugar, butter, pecans and spice until apples are tender. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and rinse pasta. Pour into apple mixture and toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 6.

This idea came to me after a friend told me about a dessert recipe made with pasta. I've never had "sweet" pasta and the idea didn't really appeal to me. I had 3 Granny Smith apples that needed to be used or they would go to waste and when I started thinking of ways to cook them I decided stewing would be the best. Then I spotted a box of brown rice penne that was staring at me from it's shelf in the cabinet. What did I have to loose? That's how I came up with the above recipe. I simply decided to "Think With My Taste Buds."

After making this dish I did what I always do which is serve it to some of my food testers. It was sampled by 5 testers. Four gave it a 10 with one of them actually eating 3 servings. Only one didn't like the dish but as she said, it's the concept of eating "sweet" pasta. All in all, this turned out to be a really good dish and a healthy one too.

Holidays and Diabetics

Below are some tips, that are not only good for diabetics, but for all of us. I hope they will help make your holidays healthier.

Holiday Help for Diabetics

1. Prepare a dish for the party - consider bringing your own festive, seasonal dish for everyone to enjoy. This will not only allow you to have a dish you know is within your diet but it also allows others to see just easily foods can be converted and still be delicious.

2. Drink in moderation. Alcohol and diabetes can be a dangerous mix if you aren't careful. Drinking on an empty stomach directly after administering insulin or shortly after taking glucose-lowering medications can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), a condition that can cause confusion, dizziness, or even loss of consciousness. (These are also symptoms of drinking too much.)

Be vigilant about only drinking with food to slow the absorption of alcohol, and be sure not to exceed the American Diabetes Association's recommended amounts of alcohol: one drink a day for women and two a day for men. Also, people with complications stemming from diabetes, such as neuropathy (nerve damage) and high triglycerides (fats that circulate in the blood), should speak with their doctor about whether they should abstain from alcohol altogether. Finally, if you're taking medications to control diabetes, check with your doctor or pharmacist about whether the two can be safely mixed.

3. Stress less. For some, the frenzy of the holidays causes stress. And stress, while harmful for healthy people, is particularly detrimental for those with diabetes. Hormones released in response to stress may inhibit the body's ability to produce insulin, which, in turn, causes blood-sugar levels to soar. Manage your anxiety by carving out time for a relaxing activity — something as simple as flipping through a magazine or taking a walk may be enough — and prioritizing your "to do" list so you don't take on too much at once.

4. Get enough exercise. The time constraints of the holidays can make squeezing in a workout a challenge. Still, getting regular and consistent exercise — a minimum of 20 minutes of cardio interval training or core exercises most days of the week — is especially important if you have diabetes. If you're really pressed for time, make several short bouts of activity the goal.

5. Monitor your condition. Making healthy eating decisions is important for weight loss and maintenance, but as a diabetic it's especially important to make other healthy choices to maintain your blood-sugar levels. As always, be sure to monitor your blood sugar — especially before and after a big holiday meal — to ensure it's in the optimal range.

Scrambled Eggs with Cheese

2 tsp. olive oil

1 whole egg

4 egg whites

1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Fresh ground black pepper

Lightly beat together egg, egg whites, tobacco and black pepper. Fold in cottage cheese. In a sauté pan over medium heat add olive oil. When hot add egg mixture. Cook eggs until firm but still moist. Serve with fresh fruit. Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Info.

Calories 132; total fat 7 grams; saturated fat 1 gram; % calories from fat 49%; cholesterol 92 mg; carbohydrate 2 grams; protein 14 grams; fiber 0 grams

Diabetic Apple Pie

One or two pie crusts for 9 inch pie

8 medium apples

1/2 c Splenda or 1/4 c Sweet n Low

1/2 c dried raisins or cranberries

Peel and slice the apples; line the first layer in pie crust. Sprinkle with half the dried fruit and half the sweetner.

Repeat with second layer of apples, dried fruit and sweetner. Top with pie crust or nutty crumb topping.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Recipe submitted by Melanie Read
Author of Face of Destiny

Diabetic Spaghetti Sauce

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/4 lb. lean ground round
3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
4 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
Dash of garlic

Brown onions in oil; add meat and brown. Drain fat; add rest of ingredients. Simmer 1 hour uncovered.


Chef Tom Cooks

Diabetic Salad Dressing

Thanks Chef Tom for another great tasting and healthy recipe.

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/16 tsp. paprika
Artificial sweetener to substitute for 4 teaspoons sugar

Combine and refrigerate.

Yield: 1 cup.

Chef Tom Cooks

Spice Up Your Cooking With Herbs

A great article that will help you create great recipes by using herbs. I wanted to share.

Whether you grow them yourself or buy them at the grocery store, herbs are a healthy and delicious way to season foods without extra calories.

By Diana Rodriguez

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Print Email

No one wants to eat bland food, but ladling on sauces and gravies just adds excess fat and calories to your diet. Fortunately, calorie-free herbs add flavor without all that extra baggage, and they’re easy to use.

Herbs are edible, fragrant plants that add flavor and nutrients to many types of foods. By playing with herbal variations in your recipes, you can get a completely different taste every time you cook. Stock up on dried or fresh herbs at the grocery store or farmers’ market, or grow your own herbs indoors or out.

Fresh Herbs, Dried Herbs: What’s the Difference?

The biggest differences between dried herbs and fresh herbs are the taste and the potency of the herb, says registered dietitian Sandra Meyerowitz, RD, LD, MPH, founder of Nutrition Works in Louisville, Ky. Fresh herbs have a subtler, fresher taste, and you’ll need a much greater quantity of fresh herbs than dried herbs for the same taste effect. Be sure to follow recipe directions closely.

As for nutritional benefits, dried herbs and fresh herbs are similar, but not exactly the same, says Meyerowitz. “Leaving dried herbs around for a long time can diminish their potency.” Phytonutrients, the natural components in herbs that provide health benefits, diminish with age.

When choosing dried herbs, she advises, it’s best to buy organic so you’re sure the herbs have not been irradiated. When you're buying fresh herbs, whether at the grocery store or a farmers’ market, be sure to get them as close as possible to the day you plan to use them.

Preparing Fresh Herbs

Before cooking with fresh herbs, you'll need to wash them carefully. Rinse the herbs underneath running water, then place them on a paper towel or shake them off to dry. If you're cleaning large leaves like basil or a large bunch of parsley, place them in a bowl of cool water and swirl it around. Transfer the herbs to a clean bowl of water and continue to rinse until the water stays clear. Then dry them off and prepare them for cooking. Generally, you just want to use the leaves, not the stems, of the herb.

Storing Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs need air to keep them fresh. Store them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag; just make sure that the bag is either open or that it has air holes poked in it. Keep them in the crisper for the most freshness.

Another way to keep herbs fresh is to place them in a glass or vase like flowers, making sure to cut off the ends immediately before placing them in about an inch of water. Put them in fresh water each day, and keep them stored in the refrigerator. Use them as soon as you can, as the flavor can become weaker with time.

Growing Your Own Herbs

Growing herbs is not difficult. Here are some herbs that won’t challenge your green thumb and will add delicious flavor to your meals:

• Oregano and basil for pasta dishes and sauces
• Rosemary and thyme for chicken and vegetable dishes
• Dill for cauliflower, cucumbers, and fish and fish sauces
• Parsley for fish, soups, vegetables, and tomato sauce
• Mint for salad, beverages, and desserts
• Marjoram for stews, soups, and eggs
• Cilantro for Mexican and Thai dishes
• Tarragon for yogurt and sour cream, beans, and roasted chicken

Besides being easy to grow, fresh herbs are convenient to just pluck as you need them, clean them, and add them to your dish. Try to pick herbs in the morning when the flavor will be best and the herbs will be at their freshest.

Growing your own herbs allows you to control how they’re grown — you can rest assured that they're pesticide-free and grown in organic soil when you have your own indoor or outdoor herb garden. You'll need to follow individual growing instructions for each herb because each one grows best in certain soil and temperature conditions; some may need sun while others prefer shade, and some may require more space to grow than others.

Whether you opt for fresh or dried, herbs are great ingredients in healthy recipes, allowing you to enjoy meals that are full of flavor, while sparing you the extra calories.

Diabetic Chicken Cacciatore

Another great recipe sent to us by Chef Tom

Ingredients
1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup tomato sauce

1 16-ounce can whole plum tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine (or cooking wine)

1/4 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. oregano

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 chopped onion

4 half chicken breasts, skinned, boned

2 Tbsp. fat-free chicken broth



Directions
Heat liquid chicken broth in a non-stick skillet and brown chicken, onion, and garlic. Add all other ingredients except mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer about 30 minutes.
Add mushrooms, cook 10 minutes more. Remove chicken from pan, boil down sauce until slightly thickened. Serve over cooked rice.


Chef Tom Cooks:

Carrot Cabbage Slaw

I've tried this one and it's wonderful!

1/2 head cabbage
1 sm. onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 pkg. Artificial sweetner (such as sweet n low)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Shred cabbage and carrots. Finely chop onion and celery. Mix together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together sweetner, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Pour over shredded vegetables and refrigerate.

Makes 10 servings.

Chef Tom Cooks

How Fermented Foods Aid Digestion

Another great article that I wanted to share.

Kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, and yogurt are all surprisingly good for your digestive system. Get some ideas for adding a fermented food or two to your diet.

By Madeline Vann, MPH

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

If you think about fermentation at all, you probably think about alcohol. But there are many other kinds of fermented foods — such as yogurt — out there. Fermented food uses microorganisms to convert sugars into lactic acid, creating a signature sour taste.

That sour taste — which many people may find unfamiliar — should not be equated with unhealthy or expired. In fact, including fermented foods in your diet a few times a week or more could be beneficial for your health.

Fermented foods include:

• Miso. A paste made of fermented soy beans, it forms the base of soups or glazes.
• Sauerkraut. This familiar condiment is made of finely shredded fermented cabbage.
• Sourdough bread. Real sourdough bread is made with milk and other foods that have been allowed to ferment before making the bread dough.
• Kefir. A fermented drink made from milk.
• Yogurt. Yogurt includes live bacteria called probiotics.
• Kimchi. A traditional Korean dish made from pickled vegetables like cabbage or radish.
• Buttermilk. Buttermilk also includes probiotics.
• Natto. These fermented soybeans are a traditional Japanese breakfast dish.
• Poi. A fermented paste made from taro root.
• Tempeh. A cake made of fermented soybeans.

The Benefits of Fermented Foods

“Fermentation is almost like the beginning of digestion,” explains dietitian Sheah L. Rarback, MS, RD, director of nutrition at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida. Because of this process, for example, many people who can’t tolerate milk can comfortably eat yogurt.

Fermented foods are not always labeled as such. For example, you may see the term cultured instead of fermented, but these terms refer to foods that have similar health benefits. Foods that are labeled “pickled” are also fermented foods. Also, fermented foods may contain probiotics.

These good bacteria provide the digestive health benefits associated with fermentation.

Rarback says fermented foods “are a way to put your colon back into balance. Also, the fermented foods even help your body digest, absorb, and get better use of the foods you’re eating.” You may need to eat these foods more if you are taking antibiotics or if you have other health conditions that make it hard to digest foods. Some people are less able to digest certain enzymes as they get older. “Fermented foods counter that process,” Rarback says.

Getting Fermented Foods in Your Diet

Even if you know that including kefir or miso in your diet is good for you, adding them into your weekly meal plan can be a bit more challenging. The taste of fermented foods — even a well-known supermarket item like sauerkraut — may seem a bit exotic or unfamiliar.

Rarback advises taking baby steps and gradually increasing your consumption. “Any time you’re adding new foods into the diet, don’t overload,” she says. The last thing you want to do is get turned off or overwhelmed by the new palate.

For example, Rarback says she enjoys plain Greek yogurt now that she has been including it in her diet for a while.

Manufacturers are responding to the public’s wariness with new products. Kefir is a good example. It is increasingly available with added flavors, such as strawberry.

You can also turn to the Internet for recipes and ideas. “A lot of these foods are not a part of our typical diet, so go online and look up miso cooking, for example,” suggests Rarback, who says she took a macrobiotic cooking class that taught her how surprisingly simple it is to prepare miso soup or a miso glaze for fish.

“Just because it’s exotic and new doesn’t mean it’s difficult,” she says.

She also warns against prepackaged foods. For example, you may not get the same fermentation benefits from prepackaged sourdough bread or just-add-water miso soup as you would if you made it yourself or bought it from a local authentic vendor.

Some fermented foods come with a lot of salt. “You still need to read food labels,” says Rarback, who says that people who are watching their salt may need to pay careful attention to the details of the fermented foods they want to try.

Blueberry Crisp - Another Chef Tom Recipe

This is another recipe sent to me from Chef Tom. If you like blueberries, you will love this one!

2 cups Blueberries -- fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon Flour
1 tablespoon Splenda

--Topping--
1/2 cup Oatmeal (slow cooking- not quick)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Flour
1 tablespoon Splenda
2 tablespoons Butter or Margarine -- melted

Blend together flour and Splenda in a large bowl. Mix with blueberries and
place in a 9x9 inch baking dish or pan.

Topping-
Mix all topping ingredients together in a large bowl. Sprinkle on top of
blueberry filling in pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.


Chef Tom Cooks

Choosing Kids' Breakfast Cereals

The statement below has been a fact of breakfast life for as long as I can remember so when I ran across this article about choosing their cereal, I had to share.

You want a breakfast cereal that is high in fiber and low in sugar. Your kids just want the one in the coolest-looking box. Here are 10 tips for choosing a healthy breakfast cereal.

By Beth W. Orenstein

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

A supermarket’s cereal aisle is loaded with breakfast cereal choices — enough to make your head spin. How do you, as a parent, choose wisely so your kids are eating a healthy breakfast? The key is to read the nutritional information and not the marketing slogans shouting from the brightly colored boxes.

Here are 10 tips for choosing a healthy breakfast cereal that will deliver great kids’ nutrition:

1. Go for high fiber. A healthy breakfast cereal should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving, says Suzanne Farrell, MS, RD, a Denver-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “Breakfast is an excellent time to sneak more fiber into your kids’ diet.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s soluble or dietary fiber as long as it has at least 3 grams, she says. The higher the fiber content of the breakfast cereal, the longer they’ll feel full after eating it.

2. Count the calories. “A good guideline is a cereal that has about 150 calories or fewer per serving,” Farrell says. Check the serving size. “The serving size of some of your more dense cereals may be smaller than you’re used to.” A good serving size is 3/4 to 1 cup. Your kids should feel full if they eat that amount.

3. Look for low sugar. “I love for the sugar content to be in the single digits,” Farrell says. “So anything that’s less than 10 grams is okay. A rule of thumb is to stick to those that are 6 to 8 grams.” No one type of sugar is better than another, Farrell says. Some studies suggest that consuming high-fructose corn syrup can trigger the body to crave more sweets. High-fructose corn syrup is one of the more popular sugars added to foods, including breakfast cereals, Farrell says, “but sugar is sugar, whether it’s high-fructose corn syrup or molasses or honey, and the body will metabolize it as sugar.”

4. Don’t be fooled by granola. People assume that granola is a healthy breakfast food. “But some granolas can be high in sugar, fat, and calories,” Farrell says. If your kids like granola, buy them some, but use it sparingly. “Think of it as a condiment for the top of a lower-calorie, lower-sugar cereal,” Farrell suggests. Also beware of cereals labeled “low-fat” or “fat-free” as they may actually be higher in sugar and calories. Read the label and see for yourself.

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5. Get the “whole” picture. As with all foods, breakfast cereal ingredients will be listed in the order of their highest to lowest concentration. When looking for the best in kids’ nutrition, you want the very first ingredient listed on the cereal box to be a whole grain. It could be whole wheat, whole oats, or whole oat flour. “When you see the world ‘whole,’ it’s indicative of whole grain,” Farrell says. Just "wheat" alone, however, does not necessarily mean whole wheat.

6. Run hot and cold. Both hot and cold cereals can meet the criteria for healthy breakfast choices, Farrell says. “I buy both and give my daughter the option of whether she’d like hot or cold each day. Variety is key,” she adds. “You want to change it up.” Of course, hot cereal can be especially comforting on a cold morning. Make it with milk to add some protein to the meal.

7. Consider going generic. Choosing brand names over store or private labels doesn’t really matter, Farrell says. Store-brand or generic cereals can be just as nutritious as the brand names. “In these economic times, it’s definitely worth it to check out the generic. Definitely give those a chance,” she advises.

8. Organic isn’t a must. When it comes to cereal, organic is not superior, Farrell says — it’s more a matter of personal preference. If you want your kids to eat only organic, buy organic cereal, but it’s not necessary for kids’ nutrition, she says. When it comes to putting fruit on top of the cereal, that’s where you may want to choose organically grown, she explains. And keep in mind that a cereal labeled “natural” doesn’t mean it’s any better either, Farrell says. It still could be high in sugar and sodium.

9. Go for the vitamins and minerals. Most breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, enough to supply approximately 25 percent of the daily value. Some have much more. If your kids are taking vitamins, 25 percent is good. If not, maybe you want those with a higher percentage.

10. Pick what your kids like. You might buy the best cereal in terms of kids’ nutrition, but if they don’t like the taste, they won’t eat it, and you’ve wasted your money. If they only want high-sugar cereals or ones with chocolate bits, give them some, but in small amounts. Mix their favorites with yours, Farrell says. That way you both will be happy.

Don’t let the choices in the cereal aisle overwhelm you. Read labels, not marketing slogans, and look for breakfast cereals that are high in fiber, low in sugar, and fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Diabetic Apple Pie - Chef Tom Cooks

From time to time Chef Tom Cooks will be adding diabetic recipes to the site. Today he has given us a dish perfect for the up-coming holidays.

Yield: 8 Servings

2 Pie crusts. Use your own favorite
8 Medium apples tart are best.
4 Tablespoons Butter or margarine
4 Tablespoons Ground cinnamon
8 packets Sugar substitute (like Equal, Splenda, etc.)
1/2 cup Raisins (optional)

Put one pie crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Use a fork to prick the bottom crust in several places. Using one of the Tablespoons of butter, dot the bottom crust with small pieces of butter. Next put on two of the apples, sliced, peeled and cored. On top of that sprinkle two packets of sugar substitute and a tablespoon of cinnamon. Next sprinkle 1/8 of a cup of raisins, if you're using them. This completes one layer. Start again with the butter, then the apples, etc. Make 4 layers, using all the remaining ingredients. This will give you an over-flowing pie. Place the top crust on pinch the edges and put a vent in the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes. The pie is done when the crust has turned a nice golden brown.


Chef Tom Cooks

Vegetable Pita Pizzas

Quick Info:

Servings
Contains Wheat/Gluten
Contains Dairy
Vegetarian
Most Popular
Diabetes-Friendly

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 113, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 291mg, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Total Fat: 2g, Carbs: 20g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Protein: 5g

Exchanges: Vegetable: 0.5, Starch: 1, Fat: 0.5

Carb Choices: 1.5

Recipe Source:

Ingredients

• 2 large pita, whole-wheat
• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup(s) assorted fresh vegetables (such as small broccoli or cauliflower florets, red sweet pepper strips, sliced fresh mushrooms, and/or chopped carrot)
• 1/4 cup(s) pizza sauce
• 1/4 cup(s) cheese, mozzarella, shredded

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place pita bread rounds on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, coat an unheated small skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add the vegetables; cook and stir until crisp-tender.

3. Spread pizza sauce on pita bread rounds; sprinkle with cooked vegetables and cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes more or until light brown. Serve warm.