The Art of Cuisine

Icebox Key Lime Pie

Icebox Key Lime Pie Authentic Key lime pie used to be a simple, no-cook dessert—but it contained raw eggs, a no-no in modern times. We wondered if we could develop an eggless refrigerator recipe as bright and custardy as the original. Here’s what we discovered:

In lieu of using egg yolks, we found the right ratio of instant vanilla pudding, gelatin, and cream cheese thickened our pie filling into the perfect, smooth consistency. Don’t be tempted to use bottled lime juice—tasters thought it tasted “artificial.” A full cup of fresh lime juice produced a pie with bracing lime flavor. Lime zest added another layer of flavor, and processing the zest with a little sugar offset its sourness and eliminated the annoying chewy bits.

Icebox Key Lime Pie Serves 8 to 10

Test Kitchen Discoveries

Be sure to use instant pudding that requires no stovetop cooking for this recipe. We use regular supermarket (Persian) limes-tasters thought bottled lime juice lacked depth of flavor. We much prefer our easy homemade crust to store-bought versions.

Crust

8 whole graham crackers , broken into smaller pieces

2 tablespoons sugar 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted   (I use Smart Balance Butter)

Filling

1/4 cup sugar 

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

8 ounces cream cheese , softened    (I use low fat)

1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk   (I use low fat)

1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix 

1 1/4teaspoons unflavored gelatin 

1cup fresh lime juice from 6 to 8 limes

1teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse crackers and sugar in food processor until finely ground. Add melted butter in steady stream while pulsing until crumbs resemble damp sand. Using bottom of dry measuring cup, press crumbs firmly into bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Bake until fragrant and browned around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool completely.

2. For the filling: Process sugar and zest in food processor until sugar turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Add cream cheese and process until combined, about 30 seconds. Add condensed milk and pudding mix and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. Stir gelatin and 2 tablespoons lime juice in small bowl. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds; stir until dissolved. With machine running, pour gelatin mixture, remaining lime juice, and vanilla through feed tube and mix until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.

3. Pour filling into cooled crust, cover with plastic, and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 2 days. To serve, let pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing.

How-to-CookTip of the Week: Key Limes vs. Persian Limes

Key lime aficionados praise the fruit's distinctive flavor and fragrance compared with those of conventional Persian limes, but we wondered if our tasters could tell the difference. We sampled both varieties plain and in Key lime bars. Tasters were split over which variety made the better bar—until they considered the amount of work involved: for a half-cup of lime juice, we had to squeeze three Persian limes. With Key limes, it took almost 20! But  would presqueezed, shelf-stable bottles of Key lime and regular lime juice do in a pinch and level the playing field? To find out, we went back to the tasting lab.

What's in your protein drink? 

The Latest Reviews

This article appeared in July 2010 Consumer Reports Magazine.

Here are the average amounts of metals we found in three servings of these protein drinks. The maximum limits for them in dietary supplements proposed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia are: arsenic (inorganic), 15 micrograms (µg) per day;cadmium, 5 µg; lead, 10 µg; mercury, 15 µg. Amounts at or exceeding those limits are in bold. Experts said three servings a day is common.

Foods & Tips to Lengthen Your Life

Nuts

Sprinkle two ounces on your cereal or salad each day to reduce your LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 14 percent.

Fruits and Vegetables

Eat five, 3/4 cup servings daily to lower your blood pressure, slash your risk of cancer, and lower your heart disease risk by 21 percent.

Fish

Have three servings every week (good choices include baked trout or broiled wild salmon). Women of childbearing age and young children should stick to two servings a week and avoid large predatory fish, such as swordfish, albacore tuna, and shark. You'll cut your risk of heart disease and stroke by 14 percent.

Dark Chocolate

Savor two ounces with a minimum of 60 percent cocoa content each day, and your risk of cardiovascular disease dips 11 percent.

Garlic

Add just one clove (cooked or raw) daily to pasta, salad, or a stir-fry to drop your LDL cholesterol. This can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by 38 percent.

Wine

Sip a five-ounce glass each evening to cut your risk of heart disease by 32 percent.

Drastically Reducing Calories May Lengthen Your Life

I ran into something interesting an article from on the NatualNews.com website by Deanna Dean from www.CalorieRestriction.org that had some great information for you to think about. I do believe eating less will help you to have less health problems that are cause from being overweight. In addition, to this lowering your calorie intake, if you start cutting back on sugars and white flours help as well. Don’t over indulge in eating too much meat either, because that has been proven to do more harm than good.  My book called 8 Easy Steps to Create the Body You’ve Always Wanted  goes over foods that burn calories, foods that help you from aging, foods that can reduce wrinkles. I am not too familiar with the CR diet but from what I can see, it reminds me of the Mediterranean Diet or the Omega Diet. There are so many diets out there that we get bombarded by and to be honest cutting your calorie intake and your sugars, your white starches,  increase your omega 3’s, and fruits and veggies. In addition, eating your proteins first thing in the morning or at a meal will help you lose weight and get proper exercise. That is why I like my protein shake because I am in a rush some morning and I just quickly in a shaker container mix my Isagenix shake and I am full until lunchtime.  This works perfect for me being a busy single mom that is on the go all the time.

There is a growing body of believers, especially longevity-seeking Baby Boomers, who believe that by drastically limiting the amount of food they consume, they will slow the aging process and extend their life. It's a radical, controversial premise; the less you eat, the longer you'll live. I am not sure you should go to this extreme because I believe too much of anything and too little of anything can be harmful in the end.

CR, calorie restriction, doesn't mean deprivation or starvation, but it does require eating fewer calories than the body is accustomed to receiving and it flies in the face of conventional recommended daily calorie intake guidelines. That is why I think doing the Isagenix shake is even healthier because of the reduce calorie and all the notorious and vitamins in the shakes. The best thing is you don’t feel hungry. Trying to lower your calorie count should be a gradual change too. You will be in pain going from one extreme to another. I think each day make a change. This is for overall health not just weight loss.  You can maintain your perfect weight and have less health problems down the road. You will not need to buy prescriptions because you will not need them. Just think of all the money you will save by just cutting back on what you eat. Your food cost will be a twenty or thirty percent less and you will not have doctor bills and high prescription costs.

Typical diets focus on weight loss, but CR is a different kind of diet that reduces long-term calorie intake and promotes the consumption of nutrient dense foods. This pursuit holds the elusive promise of lengthening the human life span, and even -- as some submit -- immortality. I believe portion control besides cutting back on all the sugars would help most people reduce weight fairly quickly. Of course, you need to exercise and drink plenty of water.

There are many compelling arguments to support the longevity issue, but advocates believe that at the very least, following CR precepts will enhance your health right now by minimizing body fat, inhibiting cell mutation, lowering blood glucose levels, decreasing inflammation, activating brain-alertness, promoting deep restful sleep, increasing energy levels and creating a more youthful biological age. I know with drinking a protein shakes and eating one to two lower calorie meals a day.

Recent studies from the National Institute on Aging, Harvard University, and Washington University concur and say that a calorie-restricted diet includes many benefits, one of them being extending human life. Lab studies dating back to the thirties show that mice and all sorts of laboratory critters, when placed on a severely restricted diet, lived fifty percent longer than the oldest members of their peer community.

Biosphere 2 seemed like a study out of a science fiction novel; nevertheless, it proved an unintended point. In 1991 in the Arizona desert, eight scientists sealed themselves inside an airtight terrarium to prove they could live isolated for two years in a self-sustained ecosystem. Something went terribly wrong and they realized they couldn't grow enough food for them to survive the two years. Without Roy Walford, a UCLA pathologist and team physician, the entire team would have starved to death, but fortuitously he had been studying calorie restriction for decades and was able to parse their meager food supply thereby drastically cutting their calories for the duration of the experiment. You would think when they emerged from their habitat they would be gaunt, pasty and in need of medical help; quite the opposite. They were healthier in almost every respect than when they had sealed themselves in two years prior. Dr. Walford later wrote a book, Beyond the 120-Year Diet: How to Double Your Vital Years.

While there is no specified meal plan with CR, the recommendation is to eat twenty to thirty percent less than accepted conventional recommendations for healthy calorie intake. Sugar, saturated fats, and most dairy products are shunned. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the mainstay foods, which make up the bulk of the diet, but savvy people already know that these particular foods are the ones hallowed as the basis of a healthy diet anyway.

Be forewarned though lest you rush to throw everything out in your refrigerator. It has been shown that without an accompanying healthy lifestyle, including exercise in particular, strict calorie restriction can lead to loss of bone density. A one year study of 46 participants at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, conducted by Dennis T. Villareal M.D. revealed that individuals in the CR group not only lost weight, but also lost an average of 2.2% of their bone density in the lower spine, 2.2% at the hip and 2.1% at the top of the femur, all high risk areas for fracture. An article in the Archives of Internal Medicine - JAMA, states that without exercise, restricting calories may lead to bone density loss.

This would seem to be the green light; if we exercise and restrict calories maybe then we can live forever, but not so. Other studies have shown that if people with very little body fat drastically cut calories they can actually do more harm than good to their health. Therefore, we have to count every calorie, know if our body fat is appropriate, exercise enough to keep our bones strong -- then it could be worth it.

The fountain of youth, living forever; the temptation to jump on board is tantalizing. The prudent thing to do is proceed with caution, understand the positives and negatives, and keep a discerning mind. It might be wonderful to live a long life, but not if it's one burdened by osteoporosis and fractured bones.

Over all I do believe that lowering, your calorie intake will help you live longer and healthier lives. I am not saying do a drastic change just a gradual change by each week lower the amount you eat. Americans eat far too much at each meal. I like eating half of my meals and eating snacks throughout the day.

Source:

www.Chef-Linda.com

Oprah.com

Naturalnews.com

Your choices are important—

On the surface, today is another Shake Day - but it's really much more than that. Today I am making choices to help remove the barriers that stop me from experiencing peak health and wellness.

Since I have been on the 30-Day System, I know my body has been nourished with nutrients that Isagenix master formulator selected to strengthen my body from the inside out. The targeted nutrients in Isagenix® products bridge the gap between the low level of nourishment in regular food and the high level necessary to attain optimum health.

Over-farming, pesticides and poor food choices have created an incredible burden on our health. The rising obesity epidemic speaks more to the lack of proper nourishment than gluttony or lack of discipline.

If a body isn't receiving the nutrients it needs, it will attempt to get more nutrients by triggering food cravings and hunger pangs. This can lead to overeating, which in turn contributes to obesity and poor health.

With each Shake and Cleanse Day, you are providing your body with nutrients designed to help you reach your best possible health. You are retraining your body to be hungry only when it requires nutrition.

Every moment that you're on the Cleansing and Fat Burning System contributes to your long-term health and success.

Early Morning

Drink IsaLean® Shake.

Mid-Morning

Take 1 Natural Accelerator™. Eat a healthy snack, if desired—1 - 2 IsaDelight™,1 Isagenix Snacks!™, small organic apple or 5 - 6 unsalted almonds.

Noon

Healthy 400 - 600 calorie meal.

Mid-Afternoon

Take 1 Natural Accelerator™. Eat a healthy snack, if desired.

Evening

Drink IsaLean® Shake.

Every Day

Drink water—at least half your body weight in ounces.

Drink one to two ounces of Ionix® Supreme.

Take 1 to 2 capsules of IsaFlush!®.

Mom Knows Best...

Mom always said, "Eat your veggies." She might not have known about antioxidants, but they're a big reason why she was right.

Antioxidants are substances that help protect or repair damage to cells from "free radicals," which are formed when the body burns oxygen forenergy. They can boost the immune system and may help fight diseases, including cancer.

Vitamins A, C and E, beta carotene (the stuff in carrots), lycopene (found inred fruits and veggies such as tomatoes and watermelon), lutein (in leafygreens and egg yolks) and selenium (found in a variety of foods) are some antioxidants. If  you don't always follow mom's advice, nutritional supplements can help you bridge the gap.

 For more information about this wonderful product, that has changed mylife, my friends & families life, and many of my clients. I have had 100% successrate with each of my clients. I cannot give a 100% guarantee that you will havethe same results but Isagenix sets you up with all the tools to succeed youreally cannot lose at this if you follow the instructions. This is one of mysecrete weapons to keeping the weight off and staying in a size 5.

www.chef_lindag.isagenix.com

What If You Could...

Have the Body You Have Always Dreamed of?

Discover the "Secret Weapon" to Optimal Health !

in my 206 page e-book, I will illustrate the following: 

·        How to Lose Weight & Be The Healthiest You Have Ever Felt

·        How to Gain Energy

·        How to Optimize Your Health - You Will Feel The Best You've Felt In Years

·        How to Keep Your Body Out Of Fat Store Mode

·        How to Determine The Right Food to Eat

·        How to Identify Fat Burning Foods

·        How to Build a Step By Step Meal Plan Using Provided Sample Menus

·        How to Jumpstart Your Weight Loss

·        Weight Loss Recipes

You too can start to reach your health and weight loss goals, even if you NEVER SUCCEEDED at losing weight or you have that stubborn weight that will not budge. Right here on this page you have found the plan that will help you CREATE THE BODY YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED. Click below......

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I am sorry, I haven't had time to blog about my Isagenix journey in the last couple of weeks. I am still on the program and going strong...

Yes, that is right. I am still at it. I even went on vacation and brought little Isagenix travel shake packets that were perfect to travel with. I have this Isagenix Shaker container that stirs/ whips up my shakes. It was perfect to bring. My girls and I went to Disneyland and I would have a shake every morning for breakfast and meal replacement bar for lunch. They have several places that have fruit cups, salads, and the hotel we stayed at The Camelot Inn had free breakfast that I used for snacks it was one less thing I had to worry about and my girls enjoyed getting to go and pick out whatever they wanted. The hotel had a lot of fresh fruit that I would get and bring back tomy room for snack time. I would get bananas, apples, and oranges. They also had a market at the hotel and I got nuts for a snack as well. The Isagenix snack were perfect for a sweet treat. This was perfect to do while on vacation and I saved so much money $$$ by doing this that I could get my kids some nice gifts and even have money left over. Boy is the food expensive at places like these. 

There was a few times so far that I was having a bad day and foundthat I would go for a bag of chips and I have had a one ice cream when I was onvacation but I still lost two inches and a total of 10 lbs. Most of the time Igrab for an IsaDelight Chocolate and I don't even want the ice creamanymore.  I only had a total of 15 to take off. That last five pounds isall I have and I am perfect in a bathing suit, just in time for summer. Woo Hoooo....

From being on Isagenix I don't need to do this often. I got off tracklast year and gained 15 extra pounds because of my long hours of working andnot getting enough sleep and exercise. Well, I am back on track.

Here is a Few Tips about Emotional Eating

People who are prone toemotional eating consume food to soothe unpleasant emotions, such as anger,anxiety or fear. Plus, chaotic emotions can bring about an almost irresistibleyearning for food.

Because food consumption is tied to emotions rather than fulfilling physical needs, overeating is common.

Medical experts, such as the Mayo Clinic, acknowledge that emotional eating canbe the most difficult component to control for those who want to lose weight. But,there are steps that can help control these difficult urges.

Discover your triggers by writing down what you eat and how you're feeling atthe time.

When you're upset, instead of eating take a walk, talk to a friend or dosomething else to comfort yourself.

Keep healthy snacks in your kitchen so when you reach for something, you'llfind fruit instead of cookies.

The Mayo Clinic also acknowledges that certain foods release a small amount of"mood-elevating" hormones. These foods can help satisfy the urge toeat uncontrollably. One of those foods is chocolate.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "For example, when you eat enticing foods, such as chocolate, your body releases trace amounts of mood- and satisfaction-elevating hormones... Related to this is the simple fact that the pleasure of eating off sets negative emotions."

IsaDelight™ is our healthy chocolate treat that can help reduce emotionaleating urges because it's a pleasure to eat! It's also low in calories andfilled with amino acids and B vitamins that may reduce physical, as well asemotional, cravings for food.

.

You can get a handle on emotional eating. Identify your eating triggers, findways other than eating to cope with upsetting emotions and keep healthy snacks around, including IsaDelight™!

Here are some Amazing IsaDelight fans

IsaDelight™Stops My Food Cravings!

"I don't know how I got through the day before IsaDelight™. I used to gethungry and tired especially around 4 pm. Two of those happy chocolates stops myfood cravings and boosts my energy.* I'm also dropped down one dresssize!"

Dr. Suzanne H. Sonoma, CA

My Mood Mellows Right Out

"I haven't felt this good in 20 years.* After two pieces of IsaDelight™ -my whole body relaxes and my mood mellows right out. I loved this chocolate somuch I gave it to all my office staff. This is the happiest medical office intown!"

Dr. Robert B. Stuart, FL

*Results may vary.

Have a terific day

Chef Linda

http://chef_lindag.isagenix.com

Grilled Asparagus with Garlic Butter

Serves 4 to 6.   Published May 1, 2010.  From Cook's Illustrated.

This recipe works equally well on a gas or charcoal grill. Make sure the fire is medium-hot (see “Gauging Fire Temperature” for guidelines on how to tell). If using a gas grill, cook the asparagus with the lid up. Use asparagus that is at least ½ inch thick near the base. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it cannot withstand the heat and will overcook. Age affects the flavor of asparagus enormously. For the sweetest taste, look for spears that are bright green and firm, with tightly closed tips.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted ( I use smart balance butter)

3 small garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

1 1/2 pounds thick asparagus spears , ends trimmed (see note)

1/4 teaspoon table salt

Ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for cooking grate (I use Olive Oil)

Instructions

1. Combine butter and garlic in small bowl. Brush asparagus with butter mixture, sprinkle with salt, and season with pepper to taste.

2. When grill is medium-hot, scrape grill grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill asparagus, turning once, until just tender and caramelized, 2 to 5 minutes per side (move asparagus as needed to ensure even cooking). Transfer asparagus to platter and serve.

NOTE: Technique Gauging Fire Temperature

Grilling recipes commonly describe grill fires as hot, medium-hot, medium, and medium-low. To gauge your grill's temperature, spread lit coals over the bottom of the kettle, preheat the grate for 5 minutes (on gas grills, preheat with the lid down and all burners on high for 15 minutes), and see how long you can hold your hand 5 inches above the cooking grate. If you can hold it for only 2 seconds, your fire is hot; for every 1 to 2 seconds beyond that, consider the fire another grade cooler.

BBQ Macaroni Salad

This recipe is perfect for Fathers Day it is from the Cook's Country website.  Macaroni Salad Most recipes for barbecue-flavored macaroni salad drown the pasta in ketchupy barbecue sauce, creating a salad that is much too sweet and sticky. Here's what we discovered about how to produce a well-balanced smoky and spicy side dish.

Test Kitchen Discoveries

A combination of mayonnaise and barbecue sauce is more effective than barbecue sauce alone, as the tang of the barbecue sauce is balanced by the neutral creaminess of the mayonnaise.This salad works best with a sweet, smoky-flavored barbecue sauce. If the salad sits and becomes dry, adding a little warm water will make it creamy again. BBQ Macaroni SaladServes 8 to 10

We like the sweet, smoky flavor of Texas Best or Bull's-Eye barbecue sauce here, but feel free to substitute your favorite. As the salad sits, it can become dry; just before serving, stir in a few tablespoons of warm water to bring back its creamy texture.

Table salt 
1 pound elbow macaroni 
1 red bell pepper , seeded and chopped fine
1 rib celery , chopped fine
4 scallions , sliced thin
2 tablespoons cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon hot sauce 
1 teaspoon chili powder 
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch cayenne pepper 
1cup mayonnaise 
1/2cup barbecue sauce (see note above)
Ground black pepper 

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool, then drain once more, briefly, so that pasta is still moist; transfer to large bowl.

2. Stir in bell pepper, celery, scallions, vinegar, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, and let sit until flavors are absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise and barbecue sauce and let sit until salad is no longer watery, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Check seasonings before serving.)

Print Friendly Copy

Source www.cookscountry.com

Thank you Chef Donna for sharing your article with us. It has a lot of great information and yummy healthy recipes too. I have to share this with everyone.

Please keep the information coming,

Chef Linda

Article from SouthTown Star

May 20, 2010

Great tasting fruits and vegetables begin with proper storage. Remember the first in, first out rule: Use whatever is oldest first and rotate your produce to ensure freshness and reduced waste. Take time to learn the specific storage, ripening and eating characteristics of your favorite fruits and vegetables. This way you are insured of the most nutritious impact.

Remember, all kinds of fruits and vegetables count towards the daily requirement: fresh, frozen, canned and dried. Some can be left at room temperature to ripen, then refrigerated, to be used within a few days. If frozen, store at 0 degrees or less and use within six months or before the "use by" date on the package. Canned fruit or vegetables sometimes have a shelf life of two years, but check the "use by" date and store at room temperature (about 75 degrees). Store dried items in a cool, dark place or check package to see if they should be refrigerated after opening. Most will last four months to a year, but again check the "use by" date.

Today we are highlighting the luscious strawberry with tips on how to select, store and prepare.

Did you know

On average, there are 200 tiny seeds on every strawberry.

Select: Shiny, firm strawberries with a bright red color. Caps should be fresh, green and intact. Avoid shriveled, mushy, moldy or leaky berries.

Store: Do not wash strawberries until ready to eat, preferably before cutting. Store in refrigerator for one to three days.

Benefits: Fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free, high in vitamin C, high in folate.

5 Ways to serve

1. For taste and texture for any salad: Add sliced berries to spinach or other mixed greens with toasted, chopped walnuts, few tablespoons of gorgonzola cheese and toss with a low-fat balsamic vinaigrette.
2. In a drink: Freeze whole strawberries, grapes and bananas; blend with just enough juice to make a frozen smoothie or as a lemonade (see recipe).
3. With seafood: Add to a shrimp ceviche
4. A berry breakfast: Top pancakes or waffles with sliced berries and whipped cream or toss on cereal.
5. As a simple dessert: Dip fresh berries in melted chocolate or chocolate whipped cream, or simply drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

2 cups water

2 cups granulated sugar

4 pints fresh strawberries

2 cups ice cubes

6 medium lemons, fresh, juiced to equal 1 cup

2 cups cold water

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan and bring to full boil over high heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved and boil for three minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Puree berries in blender, add ice and blend until smooth. Pour cooled sugar syrup and pureed berries into a large pitcher. Add additional cold water and lemon juice and stir together. Serve in chilled glasses and garnish with mint sprig.

STRAWBERRY-MANGO MARGARITA COMPOTE

Another versatile recipe I found that can be used as a fruit salad, dessert or as a topping on a nice fish filet is courtesy of www.delish.com. Mangoes and strawberries make a great marriage of flavors. Splashes of tequila, triple sec and lime add a kick. For a kid-friendly version, substitute fresh orange juice.

2 cups halved or quartered hulled strawberries

2 cups diced mango (2 small or 1 large)

2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons each tequila and triple sec

Place strawberries, mango, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, tequila and Triple Sec in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes for the flavors to meld. If desired, serve in margarita glasses; rub the rims with additional lime juice and dip in sugar, then spoon in the compote.

To use as a relish over a grilled or baked fish filet, make sure the strawberries and mango are diced smaller.

Written By Donna Ondriska

Let me know what cooking class you like? I am taking a poll... No Obligation to attend. More Info....

If You Do not Prevent Type II diabetes Now,

 You will certainly Hate Yourself Later

Diabetes type 2 is amongthe most common kind of diabetes. Lots of Americans seem to be identified ashaving type 2 diabetes, and more are unconscious they're at high risk. Somegroups have a very higher risk for developing diabetes type 2 than others.

Diabetes type 2 is muchmore common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and AsianAmericans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, in addition to the agedpeople.

In diabetes type 2,either one's body will not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore theinsulin. Insulin is needed to the body to be able to use glucose for energy.Whenever you eat food, the body reduces all the sugars and starches intoglucose, that's the basic fuel for any cells in the body. Insulin takes thesugar from your blood in to the cells. When glucose increases in your bloodrather than going into cells, it can result in diabetes complications.

You have the capability toenhance and protect your well being. With proper nutrition and physicalexercise and by making good life style choices (like not smoking), you possiblycan feel better, stronger, and healthier, and will reduce your risk of diseaseslike the cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and heart stroke.

What is a Healthy Weight?

There's a great way todiscover in case your current weight puts you in danger of developing seriousdiseases. Visit www.diabetes.org/bmi and take the Body MassIndex (BMI) test. The results will allow you to decide if you need to stressabout your weight.

Better You Consume, Better You Experience

Below are a few basicguidelines to assist you and your family make healthier food decisions.

 * Eat plenty of fruit and veggies.

 * Choose whole grain foods over processedgrain products.

 Try brown rice instead of white. Substitutewhole wheat bread for white.

 * Eat fish 2 to 3 times weekly.

 * Select leaner cuts of meat like the onesthat end in "loin."

 * Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.

 * Eat low fat dairy

 * Drink water and calorie-free non-carbonateddrinks.

 * Use liquid oils for cooking as analternative to solid fats.

 * Reduce high calorie snacks like chips,cookies, cakes, and regular ice cream.

 Consider baked chips and reduced caloriesnacks. Or have a bit of fruit instead.

 * Be careful about your portion sizes. Eventoo much "healthy" food can cause fat gain.

Tips:

 * Compare labels of similar foods, then selectthe one with smaller amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

 * Adults should consume lower than 2400 mg. ofsodium on a daily basis. If you have hypertension, you should target even less.

 * Try adding spices and herbs within yourcooking to take the place of salt for enhancing flavor.

A little bit Work out Goes further

Anything that gets you upand moving is designed for you. Some tips about what it may do:

 * Reduce your risk of developing diabetes type2 symptoms

 * Lower your risk of cardiovascular diseaseand stroke Lower high blood pressure and cholesterol

 * Reduce blood glucose (sugar) levels in caseyou have diabetes, which often can lower your risk of developingdiabetes-related complications

 * Alleviate anxiety * Allow you to slim down

 * Offer you more energy

 * Make it easier to sleep better

 * Build stronger bones and muscle mass

It’s not necessary to goto a gym, play sports or use fancy equipment.

Of course, you mustdiscuss with a medical expert before beginning any exercise routine.

In case you have Diabetes.

Maintaining a healthydiet and staying active are a lot more important if you have diabetes.

Well-balanced meals mighthelp keep your glucose (sugar) level as nearly normal as possible.

Being active also helpsyou lower your blood glucose. In case you increase your physical activitylevels, you might possibly

take less insulin ordiabetes pills. For anyone who is very inactive, have heart disease or maybe ahistory of foot ulcers, talk to your doctor about safe exercise to suit yourneeds.

Check your blood glucose before exercising. If it's under 100 mg/dl, eat some fruit, crackers or have aglass of milk or juice.

Check it again after exercising to know how your blood glucose reacts to exercise. Bring a snack if you will be active for a few hours.

About me -Patricia Harriswrites for the <http://www.diabeticmenus.org

Her personal hobby sitefocused on tips to eat healthy to prevent and manage diabetes.