Yay for carriageable cookware

This is miso soup being cooked at 4 in the morning. Yay. This isn't really significant in any way, it's just me messing with a new thing I got.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Pa9s4-tgk&hl=en

Eating Healthy When Eating Out

Eating out can be a lot of fun and convenient. Mom especially loves a night out of the kitchen. But guess what suffers from a night out on the town -- your waistline. With Mount Rushmore-sized portions and dietary disasters larding every menu, restaurants are dangerous places for your health and your weight. It's important to get your priorities straight when choosing where to dine out and what to eat.

Most mistakes are made within the first and last 10 minutes of any restaurant experience. You can use these tips for "book-ending" meals the healthy low glycemic impact way:

·          Skip the free bread and ask for cut-up raw vegetables instead.
·          Order oil and vinegar on the side and dress the salad lightly yourself -- relying on the server or chef to do so gets you about 400 extra calories per salad.
·          Ask to replace the potato or rice with sautèed vegetables.
·          If you really want dessert, order one for the table and have just a few bites.

When life steers you out of the kitchen, here are your best bets for a few of the more common types of restaurant choices.

Mexican: Fajitas, black beans, refried beans (no lard), avocados, guacamole, brown rice, jicama, grilled chicken or fish, ceviche, camarones, and arroz con pollo (rice with chicken).
Italian: Sauteed vegetables, salad, seafood salad, fish with olive oil, whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce. Skip the al fredo sauce.
Mediterranean: Hummus (chickpeas), tahini (sesame paste), tabbouleh (cracked-wheat salad) bean soup, lentils.
Asian: Seaweed salad, sea vegetables, miso soup, edamame, sashimi, sushi, any vegetables that are not fried, such as bok choy, bamboo shoots, green beans, snow peas and water chestnuts, fresh spring rolls, moo shu chicken or vegetables, and drunken chicken.
American: seafood, fish with olive oil, chicken, petite steak, grilled or baked options

Also, don't forget to steer clear of anything that has fried in the description. Sauces and gravies should be avoided or at least asked to be on the side. Vegetables soups with broth are better options than creamy soups. Check the whole menu - you may find healthy side options with other entrees to replace your entree's side dish. Don't be afraid to ask your waiter for a healthy substitute. Remember, the restaurant wants to make you happy so you will become a returning customer. 

Grandma's Homemade Chicken Soup

There is nothing quite like a hot, soothing bowl of homemade chicken soup, especially when your sick or when the weather starts getting cold. I am sure many of us have fond memories of Mom or Grandma fixing up a hot bowl of chicken soup when we were younger. Remember how comforting it was and how good it made you feel? I sure do and I look forward to making chicken soup at least once a month during the cold days of winter. I am going to share with you one of the most delicious recipes for chicken soup, passed down to me from my Grandmother. It is quite easy to make and I promise you will enjoy this again and again...

I rarely follow exact measurements while cooking, so the ingredients below are approximated. Please forgive me in advance..

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Chicken Breasts on the Bone, Skin on

3 Large Celery Stalks Sliced (Reserve Leaves)

3 Large Carrots Sliced

1 Medium Onion Chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic Crushed

2 Medium Russet Potatoes Cubed

1 Cup of Small Pasta for Soup (Orzo, Ditalini)

Water

Chicken Stock

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Grated Italian Cheese (Optional)

Bouquet garni of Thyme, Sage and Rosemary (Instructions Below)

DIRECTIONS

Step 1 - Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts skin side down and brown.

Step 2 - Add water and chicken stock to the pot. Add a 50/50 mixture of water and chicken stock. The chicken stock gives the soup a boost in flavor. Add enough liquid so that the chicken is completely submerged, plus a little more.

Step 3 - Add celery leaves, garlic and Bouquet Garni (instructions follow). Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer. Cook chicken on a low simmer until you can easily pull the chicken off the bone. One chicken is done, remove it from the pot and place it on a large plate. Remove the garlic and bouquet from pot and discard.

Bouquet Garni Instructions/Description

A bouquet Garni is just a fancy French name for a bundle of herbs that can be added to stocks, soups and stews. When translated to English it means: "garnished bouquet". It is very easy to make. You can either tie the bundle together using strings or you can wrap it in cheesecloth. I like to use the cheesecloth as it keeps the herbs contained so that they do not fall off and become part of the soup. If you don't mind the herbs in the final soup, you can wrap it with string. This bundle of herbs will impart a deliciously rich flavor to the broth.

Step 4 - Add the onion, potatoes, celery and carrots to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Step 5 - Add your pasta and cook along with vegetables until pasta is al dente.

Step 6 - While the pasta is cooking, pull chicken from the bone and shred into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to the pot and stir.

Step 7 - Serve. Top with grated cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Fucoxanthin - What is It?

What is fucoxanthin?

People lose weight fast with fucoxanthin, an ingredient found in seaweed that naturally reduces fat by increasing your metabolic rate. Fucoxanthin is a compound that is found naturally in red, green and brown seaweed, all of which is commonly used in Asian foods like sushi and miso soup. As you age your metabolism gets slower and normal dieting doesn't give you the results you expect anymore. Fucoxanthin is an easy way to lose weight fast.

Does fucoxanthin help you lose weight fast?

Although it is known that fucoxanthin studies have shown to be effective for fast weight loss in animal studies, there have been recent studies done on human subjects that also showed this. There have been recent studies in both humans and animals that showed taking fucoxanthin supplements helps to reduce body weight as well as significant losses in visceral fat, decrease in liver and abdominal fat, and an increase in energy expenditure. Subjects taking the fucoxanthin supplements lost an average of 14 pounds, 11 pounds more than the placebo group. There are numerous studies being conducted on both humans and animals to determine the efficacy of fucoxanthin for fast weight loss, but also for its other benefits which includes being a super antioxidant.

What are the other effects of fucoxanthin?

Fucoxanthin, as a carotenoid it helps to protect cells from the damage done by free radicals. Studies have also shown that fucoxanthin promotes the creation of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. Fucoxanthin has been shown to decrease insulin and blood glucose levels, an anti-diabetes effect, in animal studies. Scientists believe that this is because it promotes DHA production. The omega-3 fatty acid DHA is the healthy substance that is found in fish oil and fish like salmon.

Weight-loss tips:

Healthy weight loss should be taken at a conservative pace, with drastic starvation diets and other unhealthy tactics to be avoided. Fucoxanthin can be used to aid healthy fast weight loss in combination with eating a healthy balanced diet and normal exercise.
A good way to keep yourself motivated for fast weight loss is by keeping track of your progress with a weight loss chart.

Everyone wants to lose weight fast, but keeping that weight off should be the ultimate goal. Keeping a regular exercise routine with at least thirty minutes of cardio everyday will help you keep in shape. Using supplements like fucoxanthin can give you that extra bump and motivation to continue eating healthy and working out regularly.

You should also identify unhealthy foods in your diet that you can eliminate in order to maximize long-term results. Choosing less-fatty foods and increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables and fiber in your diet can go a long way. Calorie-counting on a daily basis isn't entirely necessary, but identifying high-calorie items that are consumed on a regular basis like sodas or juices with your lunch can help you find the reason for that 5 or 10 pound gain in weight. Small changes in your diet and daily habits can result in large losses in fat and weight loss.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Outtakes from the macrobiotic cooking/comedy skit "Miso Soup."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvd0CDmJ78&hl=en

All You Can Eat Sushi Buffet at Tomokazu Japanese Restaurant (Vancouver, Canada)

Tomokazu Japanese Restaurant 201-1128 West Broadway Vancouver, BC, Canada phone 604-677-0426 As featured on dineouthere.com: www.dineouthere.com "all you can eat" sushi buffet Here are the dishes and items featured in the video: wasabi (Japanese horseradish) green tea chopsticks ebi sunomono (shrimp and vermicelli salad) tuna tataki (cooked on outside) spinach gomae (with sesame paste) miso soup raw oysters (kaki pon) assorted sashimi (raw fish) tuna and salmon spicy salmon sashimi salmon teriyaki agedashi tofu oyster motoyaki (baked) prawn tempura nigiri sushi maki sushi (rolls) Alaska roll California roll (very popular) BC Roll (salmon + skin) futomaki + seafood cones yam tempura roll chopped scallop cones Abalone sushi (rare) Cost of meal was around $22 CAD per person. Video and editing by Geoff Peters Closing music by Geoff Peters Band (Live Jazz band in Vancouver, BC, Canada). Jazz band web site: www.gpeters.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlyVX0AMQ9s&hl=en

Rice Bran Oil - Is It Really The Healthiest Oil And The Best Cooking Oil?

Many people ask me: Is rice bran oil a good oil the best cooking oil? Is it the new revolutionary healthiest oil? Is this the all-in-one cooking oil solution? Not exactly. It is one of the better choices of all the bulk cooking oils available, but not without a down side. Lets review oils and healthy fats; the good, the bad and the plain ugly.

What is rice bran oil?

It is the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of whole brown rice. Rice bran oil has a mild, nutty flavour. Promoters call it "The Healthy Oil". One label says rice bran oil is "nutritionally balanced, versatile - perfect for BBQs, frying, baking and salad dressing". My research suggests it is healthier to some degree, but use it in small quantities, for roasting and frying.

Is it the healthiest oil? - The advantages of rice bran oil

High smoke point - does not degrade easily at high temperature

Has a long shelf life.

Low viscosity (more runny) - need less oil to cook in and is less absorbed by foods.

Virtually free of trans fats

More Vitamin E complex and other anti-oxidants than other cooking oils- these help keep it stable and protect against free-radical damage.

Rich in tocotrienols - powerful form of Vitamin E

Contains a Gamma Oryzanol - a powerful antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering agent

Problems with fats and oils - including rice bran oil

In modern Western countries most people eat too much high calorie fat. A low-calorie diet is one of the keys to avoiding cancer and many other diseases. B
ut the biggest issue are the problems with the type of fats we consume.
We eat:
Too much saturated animal fat, toxic "trans" fats and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Too little Omega 3 and fat-soluble antioxidants such as vitamin E

Rice bran oil is better than other oils in many respects - but has a seriously imbalanced ratio of too little omega 3 to too much omega 6.
Bulk polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola and corn are dangerous to our health because they are processed with high heat and generally poor quality. These oils also contain and imbalanced ratio of Omega 3 to omega 6. They should be completely avoided.

Our food has changed - we used to get enough omega 3... now we don't!

The best primary source of omega-3 is seafood - although flaxseed and hempseed oils are notable exceptions. Dark leafy green plants and free-range eggs provide useful amounts too.
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate a diet of fresh plant and animal foods - including a lot of seafood. This provided a balance of omega-3 to omega-6 of about 1:1. This is what our bodies are designed for.

Nowadays we eat way less seafood and large amounts of grains and seeds - most of it processed. Since the 1960s when seed oils began to replace saturated fats our intake of omega-6 has doubled - and omega-3 consumption is about 1/10 of what it should be. This has created a dangerous imbalance. Overconsumption of oils with this omega 3 to 6 imbalance has been implicated in higher rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and skin disorders.

Can I eat deep fried food if I use rice bran oil?

Of all the bulk cooking oils available, rice bran oil is one of the better choices for high temperature cooking. If you occasionally eat deep-fried food this is perhaps the best option. However I do not recommend deep-fried food. Any oil heated to high temperature will suffer some degradation and produce dangerous free radicals. In addition to this deep fried foods contain too much oil to be considered healthy.

The key to eating healthier fats and oils: eat more seafood, whole foods and fish oil supplements and reduce consumption of seed and grain oils. Olive oil remains the best choice for regular use in cooler cooking: dressings, dips, baking and moderate-temperature frying. We also use rice bran oil, sesame oil and clarified butter for pan-frying and roasting. ANY of the cheaper vegetable oils consumed in quantity can cause problems.

Copyright Wild Health