Fun Healthy Diet

Super-Healthy Meal on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:53:00 +0000

Gail Simmons, who is the special projects manager at Food and Wine Magazine, is preparing a 3-course meal packed with supergrains and power proteins under $35!

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Healthy Vegetable Sushi Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:15:00 +0000

Great recipe: fun and healthy snacks for all the family - from eHow

Ingredients

8 inch tortillas
hummus
carrots
zucchini
string cheese sticks
1 cup uncooked brown rice

Step-by-step instructions with photos >>

15 Fun and Boo-tiful Halloween Recipes with Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:20:00 +0000

Looking for a special Halloween recipe? Check out my creepy collection! This is a list of 15 of the most fun and creative recipes for your Halloween party.

1. Halloween Marble Cake

From: Zoe Bakes blog

Super Yummy Marble Cake + Spiders On a Cake = Pure Fun!

2. Red & Black Candy Apples

From: mattbites.com

This is without a doubt the most fabulous Halloween treat ever.

3. Black Bean Cat Crudités

From: FamilyFun

Looking for a Halloween night snack that's both healthy and festive? This skeletal array fits the bill, no bones about it - just assorted fresh vegetables and a bowl of dip arranged in the shape of a spooky cat.

4. Pumpkin Waffles

From: smittenkitchen.com

One of the most delicious and original pumpkin recipes I've ever seen.

5. Chili-Filled Coffin Recipe

From: Taste of Home

Here's an easy main dish that's cute enough to double as a Halloween table centerpiece.

6. Squid Ink Pasta

From: No Fuss Fabulous

This delicious Squid Ink Pasta in Shrimp Cream Garlic Sauce is perfect for a Halloween adult dinner party.

7. Spellbinding Cookies

From: Bake It Pretty

Chocolate and vanilla cookie dough swirl together to make an irresistible conocotion sure to lure you in (and have you desperate for more).

8. Jack-o-Lantern Quesadilla

From: Shindig 411

Fun and simple Halloween recipe for a kids party.

9. I Scream Sandwitches

From: Martha Stewart

Make "sandwitches" and eat quickly. Wicked witches have a habit of melting - these ones, especially.

10. Ghostly Gathering

From: Sunset

These sweet, crisp meringues will delight kids of all ages.

11. Tombstone Cookies with Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème

From: Sunset

This is a true chocolate-lover's dessert: rich, thick puddings topped with chocolate wafer "dirt" and cookie "gravestones."

12. Spooky Spider Eggs

Frightingly fun (and very stylish) party idea.

From: Sunset

13. Salty Bones

From: Cooking with ChristyB

A fun Halloween recipe that is sure to impress your kids. Salty bones are super simple to make, fun to look at and even more fun to eat.

14. Spiderweb Pumpkin Cheesecake

From: ReadersDigest.com

Halloween desserts don't get any better than this creamy cheesecake crawling with melt-in-your-mouth spiders.

15. Chocolate Marshmallow-Ghost Cake and Mini Cupcakes

From: Martha Stewart

Don't be afraid of these friendly ghosts - they are easy to make. Creating enough to cover and peek out from behind a cake takes no time at all, especially with help from junior chefs.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

How to Stop Sweet Cravings and to Lose Weight (Fun Way)

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:58:00 +0000

No, it's not another "drink more water" advice. I know it doesn't work, just like many other popular diet tips and tricks. Been there, done that.

Do you love coffee? Who doesn't! I usually drink 1-2 cups a day. I don't put sugar in my coffee and drink it unsweetened hoping that this little sacrifice helps me in my weight struggle. And if you're a chocoholic like me, you know how difficult this struggle can be when you're trying to eat only healthy food.

After reading this article in National Geographic I thought that my "chocoholism" may actually be a form of "caffeine mania" plus craving for sweet. So I decided to make an experiment. When I felt like eating some chocolate (and when I say "some chocolate" I don't mean 1-2 cubes), I made myself a cup of coffee with one-half teaspoon honey (I also add milk). To my surprise, it worked! That evening I didn't have any more cravings. The same thing happened next day. Today is the day 3 and I don't want any sweets at all, so coffee is not needed.

It doesn't mean that I consume more caffeine now - I just move my daily cup of joe to the hour when I need it the most.

Yes, it's not healthy in the same way as drinking carrot juice or eating apples. But can carrot juice or apples reduce one's appetite and stop cravings? No, they actually do the opposite. So I choose drinking coffee instead of stuffing myself with sweets.

And what about the calories? Let's check it out:

Cup of coffee with milk contains about 16 calories.
White sugar (1 tsp) - 15
Honey - 20
Brown sugar - 15
We get 35-40 calories per cup!

Comparing to calories in chocolate (100 g):
Milk chocolate: 588
Dark chocolate: 544

What will you choose?

Orange Wednesday: Carrot Spicy Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:47:00 +0000

This healthy, simple and delicious carrot salad comes from Farida’s Azerbaijani Cookbook. Oriental cuisine has lots of wonderful recipes and this is one of them. It's great for any kind of diet as there's neither mayonnaise nor any other fat sauce used.

And regarding carrots - this really tasty root vegetable has been found to reduce the risk of cancer. Isn't it a good enough reason to eat more carrots?

Carrot Spicy Salad

Ingredients

4 medium carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup plain yogurt
3 gloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon golden raisins (optional)
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
parsley sprigs and black olives, to garnish

1. Grate the carrots using the coarse side of a box grater.

2. In a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and fry, stirring frequently, for about 7-10 minutes, or until cooked. Do not overcook: they should be soft but not mushy. I usually prefer them a little undercooked, for a fresher taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt and garlic, and mix well. Add carrots, raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

4. Serve chilled, garnished with black olives and parsley.

Read Also:

Adding Orange Color To Your Diet!
Why Green Vegetables Are Good For You
Free Organic Vegetable Gardening At Home

Orange Wednesday: Orange Banana Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:54:00 +0000

Looking for a perfect breakfast? This orange-banana-yogurt drink will fill you with energy and be a great start for your healthy day.

2 bananas
2 oranges or 1 cup orange juice
2 cups plain yogurt
2 tbsp honey

Combine all ingredients in blender, mix until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve with a pinch of cinnamon to get a nice aroma.

Orange Wednesday: Sweet Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:44:00 +0000

This Sweet Potato soup is soooo yummy but not overloaded with calories. It's an ultimate winter food but I like it so much that would definitely eat it all the year round. This specific recipe of soup makes a perfect match for the Orange Wednesday as it contains sweet potatoes, a pumpkin and carrots.

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes
2 cups of pumpkin
2 carrots
1 celery root
1 large chopped onion
3 sliced cloves of Garlic
Chicken stock
Some fresh thyme
1/2 a cup of rose wine.
1/2 a cup of cream (15% fat)
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp of oil olive

Directions:

Peel the sweet potatoes, the carrots and the pumpkin, and slice into large cubes.

Fry the onion in a pot with some olive oil until it gets yellow.

Add the garlic and the celery root, and keep frying for 1 minute.

Add the carrots, the sweet potatoes and the pumpkin, and keep stirring for 3 minutes.

Add some fresh thyme, the chicken stock and the wine, just enough to cover the vegetables, and bring to a boil.

Low the fire to medium hit, and cook for 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Remove the pot from the fire, fish out the thyme and blend with a hand blender until you get a smooth cream.

Return the pot to the stove, add the cream, the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for 5 more minutes.

Serve hot and garnish with some fresh thyme, a few drops of olive oil and a splash of pepper and nutmeg.

Enjoy!

More Cooking Videos: Easy2Cook.tv

Read Also:

Add Color To Your Diet
Black Beans Soup Recipe
How To Cook Broccoli Properly
Free Organic Vegetable Gardening At Home

Adding Orange Color To Your Diet!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:26:00 +0000

Our Colorful Diet Week continues with orange fruits and vegetables. Yay! Orange color is a happy color and orange recipes are yummy.

But what's actually so good about the orange food?

Orange fruits and vegetables are a great source of beta-carotene which is converted in the body to vitamin A. It strengthens the immune system and prevents several kinds of cancer. It's also good for eyes. Citrus fruits are also rich in vitamin C and potassium.

What orange products will be the best choice for your fun and healthy diet?

Carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, peppers, oranges and grapefruits - this is what you need. These fruits and veggies are low in calories and rich in fiber, contain vitamins and minerals that will do good to your body.

And now, on to delicious and healthy recipes for the Orange Wednesday!

Orange Wednesday:

Orange Wednesday: Sweet Potato Soup
Orange Wednesday: Orange Banana Smoothie
Orange Wednesday: Carrot Spicy Salad

Fun Facts About Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:37:00 +0000

How much do you think about vegetables beyond which ones are your favourite? How much do you really know about them? You may be surprised about the facts behind your favourite vegetables. Like why you cry when you cut onions or why people plant large patches of thyme in their garden. Keep reading to learn these facts and more.

Photo from stock.xchng

Quick Onion Fun Facts

A chemical reaction is the reason why people cry when they cut onions. When you cut an onion, it releases amino acids sulfoxides, which then turn into sulfenic acids. The sulfenic acids then mix together with enzymes from the onion to produce propanethiol S-oxide, which is a sulphuric chemical. The sulphuric chemical, being in a gaseous state, comes into contact with the water in your eyes and causes a burning sensation. In response to this irritation, your eyes release tears in an effort to remove the irritant.

As a side note, when the onion is being cooked, the heat inactivates the enzyme, so that it will no longer irritate your eyes.

There are a few things that you can do to prevent crying when you cut an onion. These include:

Wear safety goggles,
Run a fan to pull the sulphuric gas away from you,
Place the onion in a bowl of water and then cut it, and
Keep the onion in the fridge until you are ready to cut it, as the cold air in the fridge will slow the chemical reactions inside the onion.

Other Vegetable Fun Facts

I bet you didn't think onions could be that interesting, did you? Well here are some more interesting facts about other vegetables. See how many of these facts you already know.

Watermelons are actually vegetables! They are in the same family as cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
The world's largest watermelon on record weighed over 260 pounds.
In England, it is tradition to plant large patches of thyme because it is said that these patches are playgrounds for fairies.
Carrots can help you to see better in the dark. That's because carrots contain lots of Vitamin A, which helps to prevent "night blindness".
Frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than fresh vegetables. Fresh vegetables take a lot of time, once they have been picked, to reach the supermarket. The more time between picking and eating, the more nutrients they loose. Frozen vegetables however are usually processed and packaged on the same day they were picked; therefore they maintain the maximum amount of nutrients.
The top green leaves from beets can lightly boiled and then eaten, just like spinach. In fact, beet leaves are the most nutritious part of the vegetable.
Two common varieties of peas include snow peas and snap peas. Snow peas are picked before the peas inside have a chance to develop, so that the pea pod is still very flat and tender. With snap peas however, the peas are allowed to grow and then both the pod and the peas inside can be eaten either raw or cooked.

Hope that you have enjoyed reading these facts about vegetables. Please visit The Gardener's Escape to learn more fun and interesting facts about vegetables. Plus, you'll find lots of Gardening Tools that you can use to help you have the best garden on the block!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_Jones

Black Tuesday: Kasha As a Side Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:36:00 +0000

I'm almost 100% sure that Kasha (Buckwheat Kasha) is not on your usual menu. Too bad. Why?

Here are 3 reasons why you should become friends with Kasha:

1. Because kasha is a very healthy food. Buckwheat is wheat-free and gluten free, rich in protein, high in fiber with none of the cholesterol or fat.

2. Because kasha is a very tasty food (when properly cooked). In Medieval Russia, kasha was considered to be a festive meal, often cooked for weddings and royal feasts.

3. Because kasha is a very easy-to-cook food.
See for yourself!

Kasha (Buckwheat Groats Recipe) - from Russian Cuisine

This is the basic recipe, you might want to enrich it with onions, garlic, mushrooms and herbs.

Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat groats (kasha)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
Salt and pepper

Tip: Wash buckwheat grains before cooking and sort out the bad grains.

Directions

Heat buckwheat in a nonstick skillet over low heat stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes or until golden. Pour over boiling water, add salt and oil/butter. Cover and cook, without stirring, for about 10 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork; remove from heat and let stand for 3 minutes before serving. Kasha usually served with cold baked milk or butter but you can also serve it with nonfat white cheese.

Read Also:

More About Kasha History and Health Benefits
Black Tuesday: Black Beans Soup Recipe
Black Tuesday: Black Bread Sandwich Ideas

Black Tuesday: Black Bread Sandwich Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:53:00 +0000

What makes a sandwich both healthy and delicious? Here are a few tips for making your sandwich good for your diet menu and yummy.

First, make sure you use a proper bread. As a big fan of Russian Black Bread, I would recommend trying to make a sandwich with this kind of bread. However, using any whole-grain bread is also OK.

Second, choose your favorite vegetables for a filling. Think of fresh, thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, crunchy carrots and onions - what can be healthier?

Next, you should pick low-fat products for the nutritious part of your sandwich. Nonfat cheese, eggs and mushrooms could be good for vegetarians; chicken, turkey and low-fat beef - for meat eaters; tuna, salmon and sardines - for fish lovers. Avocado works well in sandwiches too, although it's high in fat, so try to avoid eating avocado snacks too often.

Finally, don't forget about the dressing. Olive oil works well with all veggies, pesto sauce is usually combined with tomatoes and some types of cheese, low fat mayonnaise could be used for an egg salad sandwich and lemon juice, of course - it's a must when it comes to a fish sandwich.

The variety of healthy sandwiches is really huge, you just need to find your favorite and put it in your lunch box! Healthy diet IS fun, isn't it?

Read Also:

Add Color To Your Diet: BLACK Tuesday
Top 5 Reasons Why Green Vegetables Are Good For You
Green Monday - Easy & Healthy Avocado Recipe
Free Organic Vegetable Gardening At Home

Black Tuesday: Black Beans Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:05:00 +0000

This Black Beans Soup recipe is the first in the Black Tuesday menu. It's especially comforting when the weather is cold.

Ingredients

250 g black beans, rinsed and soaked in the cold water for 12 hours

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 dried chili pepper, peeled and sliced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp lemon juice

Yogurt or sour cream and parsley for garnish

Directions

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil, add onions and saute until golden. Add garlic, chili pepper, carrots, celery and stir. Pour in the broth, add beans and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Put a half of the soup to a blender. Puree until smooth and return to the saucepan, mix well. Add the lemon juice and adjust seasonings. (If the soup looks too thick add some water to desired consistency).

Top each serving with a sour cream or a yogurt and a parsley.

And have a Happy Black Tuesday!

Add Color To Your Diet: BLACK Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:23:00 +0000

The Colorful Diet Game continues this week with a Totally Black Menu for Tuesday.

I can hear you thinking: black healthy food? Doesn't it sound weird? Maybe just a little, since we, dieting people, are used to green lettuce, red sweet pepper and orange juice.

In the next posts I'll share with you my recipes for a Black side dish, a Black soup and a Black snack - all easy to cook and healthy, of course.

Read Also:

Do You Know What Diet Actually Is?!
Beauty Salad - Russian Women Ultimate Morning Snack
Best Green Vegetables for Your Fun Healthy Diet

Are You Exhausted? 5 Healthy Energy Boosters for Tired Moms and Dads

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:49:00 +0000

If you're a parent, I'm sure you sometimes feel weary and tired, maybe even frustrated. I do. And I hate when it affects my child.

So, here are some great ways to fight fatigue and get some extra energy.

1) Coffee
This quite controversial beverage appears to be an ultimate source of energy for many of us. Angelina Jolie, for example, prefers to have a cup of coffee instead of eating a breakfast.
But is the habit of drinking coffee is good or bad for our health?
Recent studies indicate that coffee may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
On the other side, coffee is obviously not good for everyone and can be harmful for some of us.

* If you're pregnant or suffer from heart disease, try to limit or avoid coffee.

* If you're a coffee addict on a diet, don't put milk and/or sugar in your coffee.
* If you're a green person, look for organic types of coffee.

2) Dark Chocolate
Good news for chocoholics like me - dark chocolate is not only delicious and stimulating, it's also good for health! Researchers believe that the dark chocolate helps to lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol. It also contains antioxidants, which protect the body from aging.
Be careful: chocolate is still full of calories, so eat a little. OK, I know that "a little" is not really possible, so eat as little as you can :)

3) Good Shower
I love water, and water loves me. My morning must begin with a good hot shower, then I can forget about a sleepless night I had because my baby was teething and be ready for a new day. Others prefer to take a cold shower in the morning.
Anyway, good shower works wonders for your energy.

4) Aromatherapy
Essential oils with fresh citrus and peppermint scents can easily wake you up. You may want to use aroma candles and vaporizers to fill your space with revitalizing fragrances. (Don't forget about the dosage recommendations to avoid any bad reactions).
As for me, I adore roses, their divine aroma always makes me feel happy.

5) Cuddle up with your kids
Sometimes when I feel tired, I just need to hold my baby in my arms and to smell his gentle hair, which immediately fills me up with joy and energy.

Hope these ideas help you to feel more fresh and energized throughout the day and have more fun with your kids.

Eat Spinach! (More Green Recipes)

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:26:00 +0000

I know I've promised to do some research on a spinach and to come up with some original spinach recipe.

Actually I've found plenty of healthy spinach recipes, please take a look at these 5 I liked the most.

1. Garlic Spinach

This is a delicious recipe for garlic spinach. It's a great way of using up a glut of spinach and works well with baby spinach leaves or even winter spinach. Continue >>

2. Fillet of Sole with Spinach & Tomatoes

Fish, spinach, tomatoes and garlic combine classically in a quick, delicious supper. Serve with steamed new potatoes and a glass of white wine. Continue >>

3. Spinach and Yogurt Dip

Absolutely delicious spinach and yogurt dip. Can be served plain or with pita or any other of your favorite bread. Continue >>

4. Spinach and Beans

This easy recipe uses fresh, in-season spinach, lightly cooked with beans of your choice. It works well with butterbeans, cannelloni beans or even black-eyed beans or chick peas. Continue >>

5. Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Refreshing spinach salad with goat cheese, walnuts and onions mixed together for a successful summer combination. Continue >>

Find more spinach recipes at:

Spinachrecipes.org, Spinach-recipes.com, Eatingwell.com

Green Monday - Spring Asparagus with Lemon

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Another green recipe for your colorful and healthy diet comes from Chef John's video recipe blog which is highly recommended to all of you who love food and fun (fits me perfectly)!

Chef John's recipes are yummy, flavored with his great sense of humor. I liked this one: Pan-seared Spring Asparagus with Lemon, Balsamic and Parmesan but there are plenty of other great dishes inside. Worth giving a try!

Read Also:

Add Color To Your Diet!
Top 5 Reasons Why Green Vegetables Are Good For You
Best Green Vegetables for Your Fun Healthy Diet

Green Monday - Easy & Healthy Avocado Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Is your diet boring and exhausting you? It shouldn't be! Let's add some color to your diet!

Continuing talking about green vegetables and their health benefits, I'd like to share with you my favorite quick and healthy avocado recipe. Remember that about 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat (the good one but still...) So don't overdose and everything will be fine.

The best and actually the only commonly used avocado recipe is a Guacamole. Many others are just different variations of this great recipe. It can be called "Avocado Dip", "Avocado Salad", "Avocado Relish" and even "Avosalsa" :)

Of Aztec origin, Guacamole was originally made by mashing ripe avocados, with a molcajete (mortar and pestle) and adding tomatoes and salt.
To this basic recipe I usually add a minced onion, some lemon juice and olive oil. To make your meal a bit more nutritious use also boiled eggs (also finely chopped). Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with dark (full-grain wheat) bread. Your 100% healthy avocado snack is ready.

If you're going to make Guacamole to feed your baby, please have a look at this recipe.

Green Monday - Broccoli Gratin

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:25:00 +0000

As promised, here's The Best Broccoli Recipe ever! And I mean it cause I tried plenty of them.

This one is my favourite, it's both delicious and healthy.

The great thing about this recipe is that it's kind of universal as you can easily replace some ingredient with other if you want to make your gratin more dietetic or just don't have some specific ingredient ready at hand.

And of course it's easy to make. I don't like sophisticated recipes that much :)

Let's start with the basics.

Ingredients:

750 g broccoli (cut in florets)
500 g soft white cheese/sour cream
2 onions (thinly sliced)
3 eggs
3 tbs flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
3 tbs butter
salt
pepper

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180-200°C (350-400°F).
Step 2: Cook the broccoli in salted water. You can use these tips on cooking broccoli. Then drain well and arrange in a lightly buttered baking pan.
Step 3: In a small frying pan, saute the onions in 2 tablespoons of butter until fragrant.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, combine the white cheese/sour cream, the eggs, the flour and stir until smooth.
Step 5: Pour the cheese sauce into the baking pan (over the broccoli) and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden.

Now here are some of the finer points:

1. How to turn this recipe into more dietetic?
Just choose the low fat white cheese. It works perfectly for this gratin! You may also decide to get rid of that Parmesan topping because of the extra fat. That's ok with me too, but keep in mind that these really few additional calories worth the fine taste.

2. How to diversify the Broccoli Gratin?
Now this is the fun part as you may play with this recipe to your heart's content.
What I usually do:
- Use different kinds of white cheese (feta cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream) and mix them all together.
- Add some other veggies to broccoli. A marrow, a pumpkin and a potato are the best matches. Boil other vegetables together with broccoli (step 2). Don't forget that to some veggies it takes more time to get cooked than to the others.
- Mushrooms! Champignons, portobello, porcino - whatever you like - dramatically upgrade this recipe. Cut mushrooms in slices and mix with the onions (Step 3). Add some butter or water, if necessary.

3. How to make this Gratin more spicy?
That's very easy: add some garlic (1-2 minced cloves) to the onions and fry them together (see Step 3). If that's not spicy enough for you, add a hot pepper :)

4. Is this recipe good for kids?
Yes, it is. Though you'd better not make the Gratin too spicy and try to use natural, healthy products.

That's all, nothing complicated but really delicious and healthy dish.

Read Also:

How To Cook Broccoli Properly
Best Green Vegetables for Your Fun & Healthy Diet
Free Organic Vegetable Gardening At Home

How To Cook Broccoli Properly

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:02:00 +0000

Here are some tips on cooking broccoli from Allrecipes

Pick the Perfect Floret

What to look for when shopping for broccoli:

The best broccoli will have dark green tops with lighter green stems.
Buds should be tightly closed, with no mushy spots or signs of yellowing.
The stalks should feel firm and crisp, never limp or wobbly.

Cook it, Cook it Good

Perfectly cooked broccoli is an appetizing bright green with a mild, pleasant flavor and a tender but firm texture. To avoid overcooking, uncover once it’s done and serve right away. You can also plunge it into an ice bath to stop the cooking - this will preserve the color, flavor, and nutrients.

And here's one more so you never say broccoli is boring! :)

How To Properly Prepare Broccoli

Read Also:

Top 5 Reasons Why Green Vegetables Are Good For You

How to get your children to eat more veggies
Add Color To Your Diet!

Best Green Vegetables for Your Fun Healthy Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:39:00 +0000

Ok, I knew that green vegetables are good for health, I just didn't know how much good they are.

There's so much written about it that I felt a bit lost in all that information. So I decided to start with some research on green vegetables and then continue with my Green Monday Fun and Healthy recipes.

Well, here's my Top 5 Green Vegetables that are not only healthy but also really tasty.

1. Broccoli

It's so dietetic and so healthy and it can also be so yummy if you cook it right. It's high in vitamins C, K, and A, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and selenium. Broccoli's also nice: meals with broccoli look like pieces of art. Broccoli definitely gets number 1!

2. Avocado

It's not leafy and actually it's not even a vegetable but it's green, healthy and one of my favorites. Be careful: about 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat (the good one but still fat...) So don't overdoze and everything will be fine.

3. Lettuce

There's no diet without lettuce as it's a great source of fiber and very low in calories. The secret with lettuce is to get the right proportion with other veggies and with a dressing.

4. Cucumber

Simple but good: poor in calories, rich in fiber and vitamins!

5. Spinach

Spinach is known mostly as a rich source of iron and calcium. I have to confess: I'm not really familiar with this one though I know it's full of healthy benefits. Promise to do some homework and to come up with some delicious recipe of spinach :)

Didn't get into the top but also worth mentioning:

Asparagus, Zucchini, Cabbage, Kale, Green Beans, Celery, Green Pepper, Swiss Chard...

Next time I'll share with you a great broccoli recipe - for those who doubt broccoli's culinary values and those who just want to eat healthy and have fun at one time.

Thanks Wikipedia for the help with the research.

Top 5 Reasons Why Green Vegetables Are Good For You

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:23:00 +0000

Moving on to Green Monday (from the Add Color to Your Diet post), I'd like to talk a little bit about health benefits of green vegetables.

1. Green leafy vegetables provide our body with many essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, and K, folate, iron and calcium.

2. Regularly eating green leafy vegetables reduces the risk of heart diseases.

3. Increased consumption of green vegetables may prevent some kinds of cancer.

4. Spinach, kale, broccoli, and other green leafy vegetables lowers the risk of developing cataracts.

5. Green vegetables are rich in fiber which is really good for health and is especially recommended for weight loss.

You may say: all right but I just don't like the taste...

In my next posts I'll prove that green vegetables can be delicious, you just need to know how to cook them properly so they are yummy and (don't forget!) healthy.

Red Sunday - Russian Borscht

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:11:00 +0000

I'm really enjoying this Red Sunday as there are so many tasty recipes with RED ingredients.

I wanted to write about Borscht (Red-Beet or Beet-Root Soup) but then I came across this nice video recipe and decided not to waste your time in reading.

Watch and enjoy!

P.S. If you'd like to make this recipe healthier - just don't add sugar!

P.P.S. If you prepare the same but without any meet, you also get a very tasty and a very dietetic soup ;)

Red Sunday - Italian Style Tomato Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Today I'm continuing the Colorful Diet concept with a great Italian recipe. As we're still at Red Sunday I suggest to prepare a delicious Tomato Pasta for your lunch.

Here's a very successful variation of Tomato Pasta Sauce from cuisine.com.au:

Ingredients:

150ml olive oil

4 onions, finely shredded

2 garlic cloves, finely shredded

1 tbsp sea salt

Freshly ground white pepper

400g tin whole tomatoes

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 bunch basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, turn heat to low and continue to cook until very soft, about another 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar and half the basil. Simmer until thickened and tomatoes have cooked out. Stir through remaining basil just before serving.

In order to make this yummy recipe a bit more healthy, use a whole wheat pasta.

The Mediterranean Cuisine is known for its wonderful tasty and healthy food. So there's no reason not to make it part of your Fun and Healthy Diet!

Red Sunday - Royal Fruit Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:40:00 +0000

As I promised in one of my previous posts, I'm going to share with you my favourite recipes that will add bright colors to your diet.

Let's start from Sunday, it'll be totally RED DAY which means that in every meal we'll add some Red ingredients.

For your breakfast I suggest to prepare a king of the diet food - Royal Fruit Salad! It's simple, healthy and very tasty.

Fruit Ingredients:
strawberries
bananas
apples
honeydew melon
kiwi fruit
any other fruit you like :)

All fruits should be fresh and sliced.
I won't give you exact quantities as I think everyone has his own preferencs.
If you're a big fan of strawberries (as I am), don't hesitate to make it the main component of the salad.

The secret of this recipe is in its dressing.

You'll need for it:
juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons of berry juice 2 teaspoons of chopped mint leaves

Toss together all the fruit ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine lime and berry juice, add mint and stir.
Cover with this dressing the fruits in a large bowl.

This Royal Fruit Salad can be easily made into filling breakfast by adding some plane nonfat yogurt and granola.

Enjoy your red & healthy breakfast!

Do You Know What Diet Actually Is?

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 02 May 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Before I continue, I'd like to ask if you really know what is diet. Many people associate the word "diet" with a restricted food regime BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.

Here's the Wikipedia's definition for diet:

In nutrition, the diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism.[1] Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. Although humans are omnivores, each culture holds some food preferences and some food taboos. Individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy. Proper nutrition requires the proper ingestion and equally important, the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and fuel in the form of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dietary habits and choices play a significant role in health and mortality, and can also define cultures and play a role in religion.

So diet is just the way we eat. And it's our personal choice to have healthy and tasty meals every day which also helps to be in a good shape. I also suggest to be creative about it and to add a little fun to your diet=food=nutrition.