Cooking is Like Science

Cooking is Like Science
Cooking is Fun & Healthful!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Juice Plus Introduction

Introducing Juice Plus +

The nutrition from 17 different fruits, vegetables, and grains

Orchard Blend:                                      Garden Blend:
  Apple                                                   Carrot    Cabbage
  Orange                                                 Parsley   Spinach
  Pineapple                                             Beet        Tomato
  Cranberry                                             Kale        Oat bran
  Peach                                                   Broccoli   Rice bran
  Acerola Cherry
  Papaya




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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Really Tender Pot Roast Tonight

I have heard that if you want to make your meat tender, before cooking it, let it soak in whey, buttermilk, or yogurt. I did that last night. I took a round roast and poured whey over it, and then some yogurt. Since it was frozen, instead of letting it sit on the counter overnight to defrost, I put the roast meat with the whey and buttermilk in a slow cooker (crock-pot). I cooked it on low all night, and then turned it to high during the day. I turned it back to low in the afternoon. I couldn't believe how well the beef broth turned out too. It was rich in color and has a nice flavor. I put salt on it at the end of cooking. I also put a bay leaf in the juice that the roast was cooking in. Maybe the secret was in the Penzey's roast beef seasoning, I don't know for sure. But it was flavorful and colorful and the roast was very tender. I will probably use the rest of the roast in other recipes. One of them will be stir fried rice with beef. I can even use the broth to cook the rice in. Yummy.

GMO Issues

I just thought you would like to know what is going on in the agricultural world. For years, I had heard the term GMO, which stands for Genetically Modified Organism, but I failed to understand what the issue was about that seemed so distressful to many people, particularly gardeners.
   With the ability to alter the nature of seeds by use of genetic engineering, plants can be developed that have special capabilities, like resisting certain bugs or diseases. So good, so far, right? Nope. Here's why; There is a large food company that owns many, if not most of the other smaller food companies. The name of this food/agriculture company is called 'Monsanto'. Many meat companies and produce are ultimately owned by Monsanto. Monsanto is continually coming up with ways to patent their food products. For example, they have a soy bean that is patented. The soy bean has been genetically modified to be protected from certain things like diseases and certain pests. All the other soy bean plants in the world do not have this resistance (because they are not genetically modified). So, let's say that people use Round-up in their gardens (which is also put out by Monsanto). It will have an effect on the plants that haven't been genetically engineered like the Monsanto ones. But the Monsanto ones will stand strong. And if someone is caught growing one of Monsanto's plants, that farmer or gardener could get in trouble with the law because there is a patent on the Monsanto plants. You would have to have special permission to use a soy bean as a plant if it is one that Monsanto produced. If you want to grow your own soybeans that are not from Monsanto, the soybean might not grow as well as the Monsanto ones. Little by little, Monsanto is taking over the entire food industry by doing this. It will come to the point where people won't even be able to do their own gardening anymore! There are people who have gotten into trouble legally for using Monsanto soy beans, as well as just having too much produce in their gardens!
   Having said all this, there are quite a few garden seed companies that sell 'heirloom' seeds. Some sell organic seeds as well. These seeds have not been tampered with and are good to use in the gardens. We need to be supporting the companies that sell these seeds. What we don't want to have happen is for Monsanto to end up having complete control over all food/agriculture decisions in the future.
   Also, I find it ironic that a man named Mike Taylor has been a lawyer for Monsanto, and also has played a part in being president of the FDA. I'm sure he has a hand in all this as well!
   Here is a link to an article from Dr. Mercola's web site on GMOs:
The researchers are calling on farmers in some parts of the country to stop planting corn with anti-rootworm genes altogether, or to plant such corn only intermittently ...  Mercola on Corn GMO

Friday, March 23, 2012

I love my T-fal Actifry Cooker

Here is the appliance I used tonight to 'fry' my sweet potatoes in. It doesn't use much oil, and doesn't require you standing over it while it is cooking. You just cut up the potatoes, and put a little oil on the bottom of the Actify cooker pan, lay the cut up potatoes on top, close the lid and turn it on. The potatoes are finished when they are a little browned. You can use other potatoes in this appliance as well. I got mine through amazon.com, and if you look on the sidebar on the right, one of the items that come up is the Actifry cooker. You can click on it and it will bring you to the page that has the information on it. The sidebar is on the right, but under a couple of other pictures.


                                    
                                               

                                                             T-Fal Actifry Low-Fat Multi-Cooker

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Organic Gardening Blog

Here is the url for my new blog on Organic Gardening. Right now I put a Youtube video on Organic Gardening.
http://gardens4all.blogspot.com/

Monday, March 19, 2012

Safety Tip- Please Read

I know this is a blog for health tips and recipes, but I want to make sure all of my readers are aware of the danger of not removing lint from the lint remover in your dryer. I have seen houses burn down because the people who live there left their dryers going while they went out. Your dryer comes with a pull out lint remover or some means to remove lint. You need to do this very often. Some instruction booklets say to do it every time you dry your clothes! If you don't, you could bring about a fire hazard. The heat from the dryer is so hot, and there is static electricity on the clothes and lint. It is better to be safe by taking a minute or two in order to remove all the link from the dryer. Please take this precautionary measure. I would hate to hear about your house burning down because your dryer caught on fire! And never, under any circumstances, leave your home with your dryer on. Please be careful!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Home Grown Sprouts

One of the easiest ways to garden is to grow sprouts. Growing sprouts is similar to hydroponic gardening. You don't need soil to grow sprouts. All you need is a Mason jar, special lids to work with sprouting (they come in sprouting kits.), seeds to sprout (mung beans are my favorite), and water (I prefer purified or filtered water). One thing to keep in mind is that once the sprouts start to grow, they grow really fast, so I just start out with a tablespoon of mung bean seeds and place them in the jar (the bigger the better). Add the filtered water to cover them well and leave them sit for a while in the water. Then drain off the water and lay the jar on its side, with a towel or something covering it (you don't want the sprouts to go through the process of photosynthesis). The sprouts will develop well even though they are covered. Rinse the bean sprouts three times a day (I let them soak a little too before I drain the water off). They should be ready to use in about 3-5 days. They go well in oriental meals, as well as additions to salads. They are versatile and are full of vitamins.
                                                     

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Blood Orange Roasted Corn Recipe from Noble Juice

This recipe looks really good! I thought I would post it here. I got it from a QR scan on a bottle of tangerine juice.

Blood Orange Roasted Corn

By 
Blood orange makes a tasty twist on roasted corn on the cob.
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 ears of Corn
  • 1 cup Noble blood orange juice
  • Garlic salt
  • Paprika

Directions:

  1. Place each ear of corn on a large piece of foil and wrap the foil up the sides of the corn.
  2. Sprinkle each with 3-4 tablespoons of Blood Orange Juice, 1 tablespoon of garlic salt and a few pinches of paprika. Wrap the corn completely in foil.
  3. Grill for 7-8 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with paprika and serve!                                       Here is the url for this recipe: http://noblecitrus.com/site/recipes/side-dishes/blood-orange-roasted-corn/

What Does Juice Plus+ Do For Your Health?

Here are a few key things that Juice Plus does for your health. This is taken from the booklet, "The Recipe For Better Health is as Simple as 1-2-3"

1. Delivers key phytonutrients that are absorbed by the body.
2. Reduces oxidative stress.
3. Positively impacts markers of systemic inflammation
4. Helps support a healthy immune system.
5. Helps protect DNA.
6. Positively impacts several key indicators of cardiovascular wellness.

     Results of independent clinical research studies published in peer-reviewed journals.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Quark / Yogurt Maker - Small Kitchen Appliances - German Corner LLC

Quark / Yogurt Maker - Small Kitchen Appliances - German Corner LLC

Here is a yogurt maker that you can use to make quark with as well. Quark is made with buttermilk and is similar to yogurt. It is used in many European recipes.



Juice Plus Representative Potential

I just had a thought. First of all, I am not a great business person, but I do know that Juice Plus is a great product that people will gladly use because of the health benefits. I don't believe that the Juice Plus business is MLM either. Having said this, if anyone out there is interested in becoming a Juice Plus representative, let me know. I can help you get started. I also have access to people who have been in this business for a long time and will be able to answer any questions that I can't.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Making Homemade Buttermilk

     I know there are probably a couple of ways to make buttermilk, but I will post the way I make it here. I got my starter from Cultures For Health and made the starter mixture. From that first batch, many new batches have come out of it.
   I take the buttermilk that I made and from that I take 1/4 of the batch and add enough (preferably whole) milk to make a cup. I put that combination in a small mason jar, and cover it with cloth or a napkin, then let it sit on the counter for about 18-24 hours. When the mixture is thick, I know I can put a lid on it and put it in the fridge. Sometimes, I put it in the freezer and take it out when I want to make another batch. If I want to make a recipe, and it calls for two cups of buttermilk, I have to make a new batch using 1/2 cup of the buttermilk mixture and add enough milk to make two cups to it.
  If you have a recipe that calls for buttermilk, but you don't have buttermilk in the house, you can substitute. Take a TBS. of lemon juice or vinegar and place it on the bottom of the measuring cup. Add enough milk to make one cup. I use a little more lemon juice than that and I don't think it will ruin it if you don't have the exact measurements. Just be careful if you are making a recipe that calls for adding baking soda to the mixture. Don't do what I did and put the whole mixture in a small Magic Bullet cup! You will end up with a mess!
  I found another page that tells about making buttermilk. The url is: http://www.livingonadime.com/homemade-buttermilk/
I haven't been to this web site before so I can't form an opinion on it other than it being a page that tells about buttermilk. The Cultures For Health one has a lot of recipes for yogurts and cultured foods, and starter mixes.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Health Tip on Hair and Skin

     All my life I have been receiving health tips, partly due to the fact that I have an aunt who was a hair dresser and almost can remember back when she was in school. (That was a really long time ago!)
      Here is one health tip I still remember. I still encounter this one today, as well; When you wash your face or your hair, first, use hot water (I remember experiencing this when I would go to the hair styling place!). Then, toward the end, turn the water to cold. Finish washing your face or hair in cold water, as cold as you can stand it. When the water is hot, it opens your pores, but the cold water helps them to close.
   Also, you could look into make-up and shampoo that is natural, or even better yet, organic. Here are the names of two companies that have safe products; Jafra (botanically composed) www.jafra.com, and, NYR Organic NYR Organics. I do have friends who sell these products, so if interested you can contact me for more info.
   Those products take care of your skin externally, but you still need to take care of your skin internally. That is where Juice Plus comes in. Taking Juice Plus every day is like taking your required 5 - 13 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. It affects all parts of your body, including your skin. Here is the url for Juice Plus; Juice Plus