Cooking is Like Science

Cooking is Like Science
Cooking is Fun & Healthful!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Recipe: Protein Powder Balls made with Juice Plus+ Complete®

Protein Powder Balls made with Juice Plus+ Complete® 

 Use your own judgment and preferences on how soft or firm you want the protein powder balls to be.

1/3 honey
1/3 peanut butter
1/3 Juice Plus+ Complete® 

Combine ingredients with a spoon and form into balls. I would refrigerate them as they might be too soft if left at room temperature. Also, you can use any type of measurement. Whatever measurement you choose, just make the same measurement for each ingredient. I'm sure you can add variety by using chunky peanut butter or adding some chopped nuts. You could also add some oatmeal, but I would make sure it is refined or put through a blender or food processor. You can use the chocolate or vanilla flavor Complete®

Monday, November 28, 2011

Complete Energy Bars Recipe


Complete Energy Bars

            3 Cups Nature’s Path Organic Brown Rice Cereal
            2/3 Cup Trader Joe’s Natural Peanut Butter, smooth
            2/3 Cup Honey
            2 Scoops Chocolate Complete

            Mix all ingredients with your hand in a large bowl.  Press in an 8X8 pan,
            like Rice Krispy treats.  Refrigerate.

            Adjust peanut butter and honey to taste.  Best refrigerated because of
            natural peanut butter.


      Source: Debra Boone

Friday, November 4, 2011

Article on Benefits of the Banana

I thought this was interesting when I read it. I'm not sure of the accuracy though. I have heard many good reports about  bananas throughout my life, so I don't doubt this article being true, at least in part. The only downside I have heard about bananas is that if a person is trying to lose weight, then that person shouldn't eat bananas. Take a look at this article and see for yourself. Also, I am not told the name of the man who wrote the article or taught this.

The Amazing Banana

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class
about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the
effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting..
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way
again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose & glucose
combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained &
substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a
strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one
fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can
also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses &
conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst
people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating
a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of
protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you
relax, improve your mood & generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains
regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of
hemoglobin in the blood & so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.
So much so, the US Food & Drug Administration has just allowed the
banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to
reduce the risk of blood pressure & stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (
England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas
at breakfast, break, & lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.
Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist
learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help
restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without
resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a
banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach
&, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels,
while the milk soothes & re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if
you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep
blood sugar levels up & avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try
rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many
people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling &
irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous
system.

Overweight & at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in
Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like
chocolate & chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers
found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.
The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we
need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high
carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal
disorders because of its soft texture & smoothness. It is the only
raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler
cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity & reduces irritation by
coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling"
fruit that can lower both the physical & emotional temperature of
expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat
bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers
because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up
smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium &
magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of
nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the
heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain & regulates your body's water
balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby
reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help
of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of
Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk
of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to
kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin & place it on the wart,
with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a
plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you
compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the
carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A &
iron, & twice the other vitamins & minerals. It is also rich in
potassium & is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time
to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day
keeps the doctor away!"