Baking Thoughts for Summer Foods

Summer is a great time of year for baking. The natural response to the warmer weather would be to enjoy the outdoors rather than baking in your kitchen, but it is quite the opposite.

Although you are working in the heat of the oven, the snacks you can create are enough to cool you off while enjoying the process of creating deserts yourself. The countless flavors that are fitting for the summer atmosphere will make you forget about the heat in the kitchen.
Many baked goods also do well when served cold or frozen, making them perfect to help you cope with and enjoy the summer. When it comes to baking in the summer, fruit is often the centerpiece.

Strawberries, mangoes, limes and a wide variety of melons are commonplace. Homemade cream mixed with berries also finds its way into many summertime desserts. Muffins and pastries with exotic fruit flavors also stand out this time of year.

Then there are the cakes. From decadent to fun, there is an abundance of variety available when it comes to summertime cakes. Using fruit for baking is wildly popular in the summer. The sweet juicy flavors refresh the palate and provide a wonderful touch to recipes that fit the warm weather.

Making jam is also popular in the summer. Taking your favorite fruits and turning them into jams and preserves is not only delicious, but also relatively easy. It is a baking activity fit for the entire family. If you really want to make the activity outstanding, bake your own bread to go along with the jam.
You can even bake the bread over a fire when you are out camping for a perfect culinary adventure. Pies are also a popular use for sweet, summertime fruits.

If a classic pie does not quite fit your style, you can use piecrusts, cookie dough or even basic pizza dough to make fruit pizza. Make the dough yourself, use yogurt or a similar spread able food for your sauce and spread fruit around the dough to make an irresistibly sweet delight. Muffins and pastries are also very popular baked goods for the summertime.

Mixing your favorite fruits into your favorite variety of muffin dough can make a perfect summer breakfast. Peaches, strawberries, raisins and bananas make for wonderful ingredients in your muffins and pastries with these fruits are a perfect baked good for your sweet tooth. Kiwi, pineapple and blueberries also go wonderfully in your muffins and pastries in the summertime. A great part of summer baking is cakes.
Fresh fruits find their way into cakes as well. Banana cakes, strawberry shortcake, pineapple cakes and others are all extremely popular when the weather heats up.

Fruit filled cheesecakes also tend to be baked frequently in the summertime. You can also login onto www.cajuns-recipes.com. Including ice-cream with your cakes is a great way to keep everybody cool. Another summertime trend is making cakes in exotic shapes. Whether it is a watermelon cake both in flavor and in design or a towering castle of confectionary delight, the options for cake design in the summer are infinite.

Other popular elements of design are flowers, butterflies, vines and collections of fruit. As if the fruit muffins, pastries and cakes are not enough, summertime baking also features includes ice cream.

Bake some French toast or Belgium waffles then add your favorite ice cream, fresh fruits and any other toppings you may enjoy. You will have yourself a dish to cool the summer heat and delight your taste buds simultaneously. When you have exhausted these recipes, you can try making your own scones or fried dough. Another option is to make your own jam to go with your dough. If there is still more that you want to do, try fondue. Melt some chocolate or peanut butter and add in your homemade jams, this allows you have all the dips you could need. Bake some fried dough, mix in fresh fruit, and dip it all together to liquefy your dessert.

Baking in the summer has endless possibilities. However, in the end it all boils down to using a wide variety of fresh fruits. Whether you are making jam, bread, muffins, pastries, and cakes or enhancing your ice cream, the key to baking in the summer is in the fruit.
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Healthy Homemade Dogs Treats

By serving your dog with healthy homemade dog treats you are giving them a treat they will definitely enjoy having. If you can learn to make your own healthy homemade dog treats, you can control the ingredients they contain. This is especially important if you have a dog that has a special diet or is allergic to the common ingredients that are in normal, store bought treats.
For dogs on a diet, you can provide them with treats designed to fit in their daily calorie intake.

There are some finicky dogs out there who only have a taste for certain foods and will refuse to eat anything else making it hard for owners to find any treats to please them. With healthy homemade dog treats, you will be able to remove the artificial ingredients such as colors, additives, fillers, and byproducts that are bad for your dog. Animals need a pure alternative to the left over ingredients used in their food and homemade healthy dog treats give them just that. The store brand treats are created from preservatives the manufacturer adds to keep these treats on the shelves longer and to prevent spoilage.

Healthy homemade dog treats will not have any of this mess in them that might cause your dog to be sick. Only the most natural and highest quality ingredients go into your special pooches treats. You can add fresh vegetables, fresh meats, and other soft, clean ingredients instead of offering them dry, stale, biscuits out of a box that has been on the shelf for months or years before you buy it. When you are baking your own healthy homemade dog treats, you can be flexible in the ingredients you choose to add.

Many different combinations can be used to create different special flavors they like. Dogs love flavors like cheesy garlic, chicken, peanut butter, and beef. There are also recipes available that will allow you to make healthy homemade dog treats that taste like chocolate but, in reality, have no chocolate in them. Chocolate, of course, is a bad thing to feed your dogs and cats because it contains ingredients that could make them very sick. So next time don’t complain that your dog is not healthy, serve her best healthy homemade dog treat.

About the author:
You might not be knowing that most of the dog diseases are due to bad dog food. Prepare the best healthy dog food recipe for your dog. Dog Food Secrets is a guide that explains the healthy homemade dog food recipes with pictures. Check out Dog Food Secrets Review and don't let your dog die young. Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

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Revival Diet Vanilla In Vogue Milk Shake Wonderful, creamy vanilla dances gracefully across the palate in a deeply satisfying encounter and an elegant, persistent finish. 15 Milk Meal Shakes

Healthy Fast Food Menu Options

Fast food restaurants have gotten such a bad rap in the past few decades as a major reason for the obesity epidemic in the US, that many of them have felt compelled to defend their existence.

Recently, the head of McDonald's, one of the most often cited restaurants in the blame for obesity, defended his restaurants saying that they were not responsible for the obesity rates in children.I must agree with him that it is no one's direct fault that there are increasing amounts of obese children as well as adults, but the sad truth is that here in the US there are a combination of factors in our culture that promote obesity and will continue to unless we change our ways.

According to statistics, obesity rates have tripled in just the past thirty years in adults. If that doesn't tell you something is amiss, then I don't know what does.In response to pressure from consumer and health advocates, many fast food restaurants have come up with lighter menu options and healthier choices for kids meals to do their part in at least offering the option to be healthier. The rest is up to the customer or the parents of children who are eating there, and that is where the true education and enlightenment must come in, which is a difficult thing to control.Wendy's, one of the most popular fast food chains, has started to offer mandarin oranges as a side option, which is a lot healthier and less caloric than french fries or a loaded baked potato. They also offer side salads with light dressings, and have quite a nice little menu of low fat salads that would tempt anyone's taste buds. In fact, Wendy's probably has one of the best salad menus of any popular fast food chain right now in my opinion.

They still have their triple stacked burgers and fries too for those who want the true naughty fast food experience, but those who are watching their weight or are just generally health conscious now have choices that are more palatable than they have been in the past.

McDonalds has also jumped on the healthier offerings bandwagon, and has salads to choose from, although not as impressive nor as tasty as Wendy's, and instead of french fries as their only choice for sides, they also now offer fruit and nut parfaits and apple dippers, a favorite with kids, which is sliced apples with a low fat caramel dipping sauce.They even have offered active meals for adults which include salads, bottled water, and a free pedometer and health guide. A recent news story where a man lost significant weight eating at McDonalds no doubt fueled the popularity of apple dippers and their fruit and walnut parfait, both of which he ate almost exclusively while on his diet.

I recently went to the drive thru at a local Taco Bell, and even they have added a lighter menu to their offerings. The lighter menu offers some of the same traditional tacos, burritos and soft tacos, only they hold the cheese and load up more on the veggies, salsa and lettuce to make the meal lower fat and higher fiber, as well as lower in overall calories.

Subway is one of my favorite fast food places to grab a quick and healthy bite to eat while controlling calorie intake. They offer a whole line of subs that are low fat as well as 400 calories or less, perhaps slightly more on some but not much over the 400 calorie mark, which is ideal for a lunch or a dinner since it is calorie controlled.

Their offerings include subs on high fiber bread, which is delicious, and low fat meats such as roast beef, turkey and ham. You should order them without the cheese, which I've found to not be such a big deal since the cheese is very thin and doesn't provide much additional flavor anyways.

Just ordering without cheese saves you roughly one hundred calories. They have such a great selection of fresh veggies to pile on that you won't even notice you're eating a healthy, low fat meal. Choices include spinach leaves (my personal high fiber, high iron favorite), cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, pepper, pickles, and black olives (to be used sparingly, they are high in fat).

Add to that the fact that they have some great condiments that are fat free like their onion sauce and their honey mustard, and you've got a delicious low fat meal that will make you feel energized instead of lethargic, and keep you fuller longer than a burger and fries will.Burger King, McDonald's oldest rival, also has some healthy menu options. They do offer a veggie burger made by Morningstar, which is quite tasty, however if you want to make it low fat skip the mayo, which they apply copiously unless you ask them to hold it. Add extra tomato and lettuce and maybe a little mustard for some flavor, and you've got a low fat burger replacement. Hold the cheese though of course.

Burger King also offers a nice list of salads and some low fat dressings to accompany them as well for a low fat, high fiber meal with protein such as chicken.

There is also a grille chicken sandwich that if ordered without the mayo is a somewhat healthy choice. However, unlike McDonalds, they seem to be lacking in the other more novelty healthy foods that keep it interesting, meaning they are probably sticking with their core audience who stops for burgers and fries.

And there you have it. That's just a quick summary of some of the healthier choices offered by today's most popular fast food restaurants here in the US. Hopefully we will start to see more healthy competitors opening their doors in the same neighborhoods, and that at least will give us a better chance at getting something that is healthy, but also interesting.

Lose 10 pounds the yummy way

Get Your Cooking Act Together With Modern Up-to-date Kitchen Organizers

Take a look in your kitchen and see if you have any type of kitchen organizers in place. If you don't then surly your kitchen is one where everything clangs and bangs when ever you work in it. Your drawers are full of cooking tools piled in with one another and all of your pots, pans and strainers are stacked together in various semi organized piles in your cabinets.

A Restaurant Kitchen
Have you ever had the opportunity to walk through a professionally organized restaurant kitchen? Do you think that they pile everything together the way that you do? Hell no they don't! Thats because they have a bottom line to address and they can spend time rummaging through drawers full of a tools when they have orders to get out.

A Well Organized Kitchen
Everything is in its place, using some type of kitchen organizer. Even the food and spices that they use are kept together in a cupboard or a walk-in, using some type of organizer.
If anything is needed, its right where it belongs on its organizer hanger or trey.

Island Kitchen Organizers
If you have been watching cooking shows and have any plans on getting your kitchen groove on the way that the people on those shows do then you have to get yourself dialed in with kitchen organizers. Heck! There are even “island” styled butcher block surfaced organizers that hold everything that you need below.Get Your Kitchen Act Together!

A spice rack is definitely a must also, to keep all of your spices readily at hand. Also, if you are still keeping all of your knives in a drawer, no one will ever accept you as a gourmet chef until you have all of your knives organized in a counter top knife organizer.

Why do we eat so much pizza?

As I sit at lunch time eating my pizza looking across the street at the salad place. Knowing I should have got a salad instead of this pizza. I want to know why do they make it so darn good. If its not good for us shouldn't they just , stop making it. But noooooooooooo, they continue to make them better and betters. Today I had a Mexican pizza it was like a taco, but on crust. UMMMh it was delicious. I tried to limit myself to pizza only every now and then. That means 3-4 times a month, which is great . Did you notice how I rationalized that. My cholesterol is high, so I knowi it s not good for me.

Shouldn't that matter to someone?

Only me. The one pizza spot I was hooked to P.H. I could not believe how good they are. The even have a nerve now to put extra cheese in the dough. Like you need more calories. My daughter got a job there, and she brought so much at home, we actually go sick of it. Plus she explained how the dough was sprayed down with grease too. That is probably what make it so darn delicious. So actually cured of them. There should be pizza anonymous club because I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like it. My new thing is to a least get a pizza that has some vegetable or lettuce or tomatoes on it.

I feel like I am eating a little more healthier. We American create more problems then solutions. It seems to me if there are so many things out there that are so delicious, but we do not need to be eating it. We are slowly killing ourselves because of joy of eating. Perhaps we need to start production more things that are healthy. And not make the healthy things so much more expensive. No wonder we pick the unhealthy over the healthy, it also cheaper.

Something really is wrong with this picture.

About the Author
Vanessa Brown, enjoys swimming, bicyling, and skating.

Food: Sweet and Sour Vegetables

This dish can also be made by adding strips of meat to the vegetables, stir-fry the strips of chicken, pork or beef in the garlic and onions and remove from the pan but keep warm. Then adding any seasonal vegetables and stir-fry as above. Return the cooked meat to the pan to combine at the end. You can also use up pre-cooked meat in this dish, left-over roast chicken works well. Try marinading the cold chicken for half an hour or so in a little soy sauce, sesame oil and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, before adding to the stir-fry to heat through. Drain water chestnuts and bamboo shoots , rinse well, add fresh water and allow to stand until ready for use. Have all ingredients prepared and ready to cook. Prepare sauce ahead of time. :

Pour about 1 oz of the wine into a deep cook pot - preferably lined. Turn heat to high. When wine gets hot, add lecithin - if youre using it - and stir vigorously. Saute carrots for about five minutes before other vegetables, then drop in pepper, cauliflower, onions, green onions, garlic and ginger.

Begin stirring immediately and vigorously. When vegetables have softened, add small amount of wine, broccoli and pea pods with vigorous stirring. Saute for a few minutes and cover.
If too dry add a small amount of wine. Cook for about three minutes. Add tofu - if used - pineapple, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, stir thoroughly, cover and cook for an additional two or three minutes. :

Have all ingredients for sauce in a measuring cup, stir well and pour over vegetables and stir.
Turn heat to medium, stir constantly until sauce just barely bubbles and thickens.
Serve with basmati rice or quinoa - or whatever. Wash all the vegetables and cut into bite size pieces. Place the 3 quarts water in a saucepan and bring to a vigorous boil.
Add all the cut vegetables to the boiling water and turn off the heat at once.
Let vegetables stay in the water for 2 minutes. Drain off water and spread out the vegetables to dry on a platter. When vegetables are cooled, pack the pieces at random tightly into a glass jar or plastic container. In a saucepan, mix marinade ingredients and bring to a boil.
Remove from stove to cool. Pour marinating liquid over the vegetables until they are completely covered. Cap the container or jar and store in refrigerator.
Ready you are Sweet and Sour Vegetables
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Nutritionally Smart: Seven Simple Ways to Eat Healthier (with Strawberry Orange Sorbet recipe)

The key to better health is learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy nutrients. The choices we make greatly affect our health. Making a few simple healthy and nutritious changes in our dietary choices can have a profound and positive impact on our health, well-being, energy levels and life span. For instance . . . • Healthy proteins provide the amino acids our bodies require to build and repair lean body mass (like muscles, skin, hair and nails), and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and chemicals. Good sources include wild salmon, beans, legumes, soy products (tofu, tempeh, TVP), seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) and nut-butters (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.). • Unhealthy proteins are loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics (like beef, lamb, beacon and sausage).

While they give your body the needed amino acids, they also clog arteries and compromise your immune system. • Healthy fats are unsaturated fats (mono and poly), omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Good sources of these fats include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, ground flax seeds and walnuts. They help your body absorb fat-soluble antioxidant micronutrients like vitamins A, E, D, and K, and lycopene. • Unhealthy fats are saturated fats and trans fatty acids (trans fats), like butter and margarine. These fats contribute to heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension and obesity. • Healthy carbohydrates are high in fiber and are considered complex carbohydrates. Good sources include rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat, broccoli, squash, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans and whole fruit.
These help lower cholesterol, aide digestion, regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduce caloric intake.

• Unhealthy carbohydrates are high in sugar and are called simple carbohydrates, like candy, white bread, sodas, ice cream, cake and cookies. These spike blood sugar and insulin levels, and increase caloric intake (they are considered empty calories). Eating nutrient-dense foods that are high in antioxidants, photochemical and fiber help the body function optimally, promote overall well-being and improve digestion. These nutrients also help fight and prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes, strengthens the immune system, slows the aging process, increases energy and improves cognitive performance. Additionally, as we age our appetite lessens, making it even more critical to choose foods wisely. When every bit counts, picking foods with the highest nutritional profile is more important than ever.
An easy way to make your nutritional choices is to look for foods that are bright in color, for they usually contain more beneficial vitamins, minerals and photochemical. For example, red and pink grapefruit have the heart-healthy cancer-fighting antioxidant photochemical called lycopene while white grapefruit does not. Here are seven more simple ways to start eating healthier.

1. Switch from iceberg lettuce to romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce has more vitamins and minerals like vitamins A and C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium and potassium. It also has more fiber than iceberg lettuce.

2. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice naturally has more fiber and riboflavin, and less sugars than white rice. It is digested slower and is more filling.

3. Switch from white bread to whole-wheat or whole-grain bread. Whole-wheat and whole-grain breads have more fiber, iron and potassium. Slice per slice, they are more filling and satisfying than white bread.

4. Drink iced teas (black, green and herbal) instead of sodas. Black, green and herbal teas provide antioxidants and photochemical that enhances your health. Unlike sodas, you can control the sugar content when brewing your own iced teas.

5. Choose whole-grain or whole-wheat cereals with bran instead of sugar-coated cereals. Whole-grain cereals and whole-wheat cereals with bran naturally have more protein, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin than sugar frosted cereals. Besides having less sugar, they are metabolized slower and are more filling. So you have more energy during the day and you will not get hungry right away.

6. Switch from cow’s milk to fortified soymilk. Soymilk contains no cholesterol or hormones, and is extremely low in saturated fat. It also provides is flavones and other beneficial photochemical that promote good health. Fortified soymilks also contain easy to absorb calcium, vitamins D and B6, and some even add extra antioxidants (like vitamins A, C, and E), folate and omega-3.

7. For dessert, have frozen fruit sorbet instead of ice cream. Frozen fruit sorbet is fat and cholesterol free and has more fiber. It is also loaded with antioxidant vitamins A and C, and contains beneficial photochemical. To get you started, try Monique N. Gilbert's deliciously nutritious homemade sorbet recipe. It is cholesterol-free, and high in antioxidants and fiber.

Strawberry Orange Sorbet
1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup fortified soymilk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
Blend in a food processor or blender for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Place in the freezer until ready to serve. Makes about 2 servings .