Posted by : Gayle Hartley

Apart from the beautiful and varied landscape, the heat of the andalucian sunshine and the passion of the people, Andalucia is well known throughout the world as a very social and friendly place especially when it comes to enjoying food. Andalucia, the largest and southernmost region of Spain is famous for its gastronomic culture which involves long lazy lunches and many hours socialising over a tapa.

It is said that the andalucians and indeed the Spanish eat more food than their European counterparts. This may be true, but it is the manner in which the local people approach their meals that is so special.

First up is of course breakfast. However unlike the British where breakfast traditionally involves a large fry up or cereal topped with fruit followed by toast, the Spanish breakfast is the smallest of the day. Usually the day begins with a cup of tea or coffee or a glass of milk or a batido (chocolate milk drink). This is often accompanied by biscuits of some sort. In the ‘desayuno’ or breakfast section of the supermarket you will find all manner of biscuits from the healthy high in fibre ones to the kid’s varieties packed with calcium and chocolate for good measure.

The true Spanish breakfast however is usually between 10 and 11am. Bars suddenly become full of people enjoying a ‘bocadillo’ which is a large sandwich made with French style bread. This is usually served with coffee, often with a drop of the local liqueur or even a beer. It is not uncommon, as you drive through the villages, to see workers sitting around with their sarnies and a communal bottle of beer which is passed round for all to share.

Apart from the bocadillo at mid morning, other traditional Spanish breakfasts include bread or toast rubbed with garlic or tomato a sprinkle of salt and olive oil. Then there is the ‘pan con tomate y jamon’ which is bread rubbed with a ripe tomato, thin slices of Serrano ham and a drizzle of olive oil. As the Spanish don’t usually break for lunch until at least 2pm, this hearty mid morning snack is essential to keep them going.

Lunch is typically between 2 and 3pm but can go on until at least 4 or 5pm. This is especially true in Andalucia during the summer months as it really is too hot to do anything much and lunch time is an opportunity to have a good meal, get out of the sun and enjoy a siesta.

When a Spaniard says ‘medio dia’ he is referring to midday but here in Spain midday is not 12 o’clock but rather 2 o’clock as that is the midday break for lunch. Lunch is the largest meal of the day and can involve many courses, and not just for special occasions. There is usually a salad, followed by a starter. Then comes the main course with accompanying vegetables served separately. Then you will have dessert, coffee and sometimes liqueurs. Not surprising then that a long lunch break is required and a siesta a necessity after all that eating. The Spanish do enjoy a long walk after lunch and in cooler weather you will see families and friends out for an afternoon stroll to work off their large lunch.

Before lunch however, comes the famous ‘tapa’ tradition. Workers on their way home will often stop off in a bar to enjoy a drink and a chat with friends. This is the time when the tapas are usually at their best and you can get a little free sample of what is on offer for lunch in the bar that day.

After lunch and a siesta or a stroll, the working day usually begins again at four or five depending on the type of business. In some places shops don’t open again until at least six or even seven pm in the summer months. It is not surprising then that dinner is a very late affair. There are, however, plenty of opportunities in between lunch and dinner to take advantage of a ‘snack break’ to keep you going. After children finish school, they often enjoy ‘merienda’ which is just a drink and a biscuit. Then there is ‘la hora del aperetivo’ round about 7 or 8pm and pre dinner tapas anytime between 7 and 9 pm.

Due to the late lunch and seemingly constant snacking in between, dinner doesn’t usually happen before 9pm. Although smaller than lunch, the Spanish evening meal is still a social affair with the family sitting down together. Dinner can consist of two or three courses, or a bbq in the summer but sometimes it is just a yoghurt and fruit or something light such as a bowl of rice with vegetables or a bowl of soup. A light evening meal or supper is often the case during the winter months when children and parents have to get up early for school and work.

Holidays and fiestas however can often mean dinner at 10 or 11 pm and that is just the start of the evening. The Spanish are apparent night owls and young and old can be seen taking to the streets well after midnight enjoying the festivities or just frequenting the bars to chat and be social with friends over a drink and a tapa of course!

We mustn’t forget of course the constant slicing of and nibbling on the famous Serrano or Iberico ham throughout the day whenever the mood takes you!

You do wonder then, after so much food and drink is put away each day, how the Spanish are not as big as houses. The Spanish are very social people and enjoy a taste of something here and a nibble there with friends and family. Plus there is the healthy Mediterranean diet of fresh fruit and vegetables with local fish and meat produce accompanied by plenty of olive oil. It is the quality of the food along with the social way in which it is eaten that makes the gastronomic culture here so special.

Posted by : Groshan Fabiola

You can get people worried and anxious with the mere suggestion of following cooking low carb recipes routine or any other diet for that matter. Nobody wants to count what one is eating. But unfortunately we must, and have to do it. We should make it our daily habit. The best thing about Atkins’ Low Carb Recipes is you are allowed to eat stuff that you can’t imagine while undergoing a regular diet routine. You can eat eggs, shellfish, and lots of vegitables, cream, tea and coffee without milk, cheese, avocados, nuts, butter etc. Please also remember the stricts no-nos too while we are discussing all that we can eat. You can’t have fruits, potatoes, rice, pasta, and alcohol.

There are books published by Dr Atkins, which is full of interesting and easy to make Low Carb Recipes especially for people who’d like to follow the Atkins way of life. Atkins Diet recipes books are easy to get, and you can even order them online.

A normal Atkins day-to-day diet will look like this: Breakfast may comprise Italian sausage frittata with a cup of herbal tea. Lunch that people ideally prefer is tuna salad with mixed leafy greens topped with some bacon. Again dinner can be bacon cheeseburger, cauliflower and broccoli, with fresh fruit kebobs and if you are used to munching snacks then visit any low sugar high protein snack/salad bar!

Celery is a food that is low in calories and it’s also said that it helps to prevent cancer. Celery, Avocado and Walnut salad can be a very delightful option plus good to taste.

The new report from the researchers and scientists may be pretty close to finding out and proving why low-carb recipes or low carbohydrate diet, such as the one developed and promoted by Atkins diet, are more effective than low-calorie diets. In a paper published in the Nutrition Journal, researchers from SUNY Downstate Medical Center, show that low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets can be expected to be more effective for weight loss than low-fat diets.

There was a study conducted on Mexican women (the study was conducted on 1,866 of them) and it was found that women who got about 62 percent of their calories from carbohydrate were more than twice as likely to develop ****** cancer compared to women whose carbohydrate intake was less than 52 percent. Including more Low Carb Recipes in your daily food is a far healthier option

There are hundreds and thousands of Atkins recipes doing the rounds online. The secret  is to get organized. Prepare yourself in advance because tossing up atkins diet recipes is not going to be easy on a day to day basis. Being overweight is  hardly easy either. So instead of settling for the latter lets make peace with the former. And I am hardly trying to discourage you by saying it. I am trying to state facts without mincing words. Don’t let some vague surprises hit you on the face. The only surprise that you can be open to is the pleasant one – that you are losing weight and gaining self confident and good health. And Atkins Diet promises you that – if you follow them as per instructions. Atkins Diet recipes do what only Atkins Diet recipes can- Make you thin, fit, and happy. And all this with eggs, fish, butter……wow!

Posted by : Kyle J. Norton

In order to control glucose in the bloodstream, diabetics should meet with a dietitian to have an individualized meal plan designed for you, based on your eating habits, activity, lifestyle and diabetes treatment goals. The aim of any food guide or plan is to maximize your nutritional intake, at the same time minimize the risk of progression to diabetes and development of heart disease.

Your daily food guide: Total 100%

1. Carbohydrates: 50-55% such as whole grain, cereals, fruits, vegetables, recommended those with high fiber.

2. Protein: 25-30% such as red meat, milk products, eggs, white chicken meat, soy and soy products, recommended those with less saturated fat. Since meat contains high levels of iron, eating more white meat should add iron supplement into a diabetic’s diet.

3. Fat: 20%-25%. Avoid using Saturated fat

a) Monounsaterate fat: such as olive oil, canola oil

b) Polyunsaterated fat: such as sunflower oil, flaxseed oil.

Here are some examples of diabetic recipes: (Sources from The Complete Canadian Diabetes Cookbook, Edited by Katherine E. Younker, Robert Rose Inc. 2005)

1.Shrimp and Snow Pea Tidbits

Ingredients:

* 16 snow peas

* 2 tsp vegetable oil (10 mL)

* 1 tsp crushed garlic (5 mL)

* 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (15 mL)

* 16 medium shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tail left on

Preparation:

1. Steam or microwave snow peas until barely tendercrisp. Rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside.

2. In nonstick skillet, heat oil, sauté garlic, parsley and shrimp just until shrimp turns pink, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Wrap each snow pea around shrimp, fasten with toothpick. Serve warm or cold.

Serves:

4 to 6 or makes 16 hors d’oeuvres

Tips

- Buy snow peas that are firm and crisp, and have no blemishes.

- Medium-sized scallops would also be delicious for this very sophisticated hors d’oeuvre.

Make Ahead

If serving cold, prepare and refrigerate early in day.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving

Calories 39

Carbohydrate 1 g

Fiber 0 g

Protein 4 g

Fat, total 2 g

Fat, saturated 0 g

Sodium 27 mg

Cholesterol 28 mg

Choices Per Serving - D2 Meat & Alternative

2. Salmon Swiss Cheese English Muffins

Ingredients:

* 1 can (71/2 oz/220 g) salmon, drained

* 1/4 cup light mayonnaise (50 mL)

* 2 tbsp chopped green onion (25 mL)

* 2 tbsp chopped red onion (25 mL)

* 2 tbsp diced celery (25 mL)

* 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (25 mL) or 1 tsp dried dillweed (5 ml)

* 1 tsp dried dillweed (5 ml)

* 2 tsp lemon juice (10 mL)

* 4 English muffins, split in half and toasted

* 1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese (75 mL)

Preparation:

1. In food processor, combine salmon, mayonnaise, green and red onions, celery, dill and lemon juice. Using on/off motion, process just until chunky but not puréed.

2. Divide salmon mixture over muffins and spread evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil just until cheese melts, approximately 2 minutes. To serve, slice each muffin into quarters.

Serves:

8 or makes 32 wedges

Preheat broiler

Tips

- Tuna packed in water is a great substitute for salmon.

- You can also use the mixture as a dip if you purée it until smooth.

- Serve 2 whole halves as a light lunch.

Make Ahead

Make and refrigerate salmon mixture up to a day before. Stir before spreading on muffins.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving

Calories 149

Carbohydrate 15 g

Fiber 0 g

Protein 8 g

Fat, total 7 g

Fat, saturated 2 g

Sodium 213 mg

Cholesterol 14 mg

Choices Per Serving

1 Carbohydrate

1 Meat & Alternative

1/2 Fat

3. Tropical Smoothie (Source from Abbott nutrition Canada)

Ingredients

1 250-mL can cold Glucerna, vanilla

125 mL (½ cup) crushed pineapple

1 medium orange, peeled and sectioned

5 mL (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

5 mL (1 teaspoon) orange extract

5 ice cubes

Optional: 1 mL (¼ teaspoon) nutmeg

Nutrition information will vary with product used.

Preparation

* Blend Glucerna, pineapple, orange, extracts, and ice on high until well-incorporated and smooth

* Pour into glass and sprinkle with nutmeg and serve

I hope that this information will help, if you want to read more of the above subject please visit: diabetes-foodsandrecipes.blogspot.com/

Kyle J. Norton

http://diabetics–nutritionandmealplanning.blogspot.com/

http://diabetes–foodsandrecipes.blogspot.com/

Posted by : Muna wa Wanjiru

If you go to the restaurant and feel like having some special chicken dish, don’t make the mistake of ordering chicken fried steak, since you’d be in for a big surprise. Chicken fried steak is a great way of preparing beef, the name of which comes from the resemblances with fried chicken. Hence, this specialty is recommended to anyone who’d like a well-cooked piece of beef, and it definitely deserves better grades than any pork steak you may have tasted.

Chicken fried steak is known under a variety of other names, particularly in the United States, and confusions are something common: country fried chicken, chicken fried chicken or steak fried chicken. The origins of this popular dish are not very clear, but it is supposed to come from Europe, most probably from Germany since it resembles wiener schnitzel a lot.

How is chicken fried steak made? Once I give you the details you’ll see that you can cook it simply and quickly at home. The main condition for preparing a delicious dish is to cut the beef as thin as possible; then pound it on each side to make it tender and add some spices. Tenderizing is an absolute must-follow step since this type of meat is usually harder in texture; once the process is over, pass the beef through butter and flour while adding some further seasonings including pepper and salt.

Instead of butter you can use a combination of milk and eggs with seasonings, while as a substitute for flour, bread crumbs work great. Chicken fried steak is usually cooked in vegetable oil, as it is a lot healthier than lard and hot butter that were part of the traditional recipe. The preference goes for palm tree oil that is said to have less cholesterol than the sun-flower one, and nutritionists recommend this combination as being a lot healthier.

There are other advantages to cooking chicken fried steak than the rapid preparation mode; first of all the price for the meat cuts is lower than for other meat categories. Then, there are lots of ways to serve beef prepared like this: one can either go for mashed potatoes, boiled vegetables with dressings and salad, or cream gravy. There are no restrictions about the meal at which to serve chicken fried steak: it goes very well for lunch or dinner, but it is not at all uncommon to have it at breakfast with eggs for instance.

Posted by : Stuart Miles

The best diet recipes are those that are quick and painless. And painless recipes are very good indeed.

And there are all sorts of recipes in the world that are quick, but are they good for dieting? I have some suggestions for quick recipes for dieting, many from my own experience.

It’s best to start with breakfast because breakfast is renowned for being the most important meal of the day: Providing 30% of the body’s energy for the day.

When I was dieting, my breakfast meal consisted of the following:

Eggbeater omelet with various vegetables

Fruit sides

Skim milk

It’s not much but it’s certainly quick. An omelet only takes about 5 minutes to cook up, chop an onion or green pepper, toss them in, and you have a fantastic breakfast. I usually would have fruit on the side, like grapes or a cut up apple. Just to have a little more to fill me.

And you can’t go wrong with skim milk over conventional.

I remember my lunch meal to be a bit different but still pretty quick.

Grilled chicken, no seasoning or marinade (as much as I wanted it)

Brown rice

Water

The best thing about this dish, albeit it’s small, is that it’s incredibly simple. Anybody can grill chicken and I’d use my George Foreman grill to accomplish the feat. The rice takes about 5 minutes to cook, and water as a drink is always a solid choice when cutting calories.

Let’s not forget though, the importance of protein. And when I was dieting I always like to make myself a protein shake. For a lot of dieters this could be the best, quickest thing for them. After all, you simple toss stuff into a blender and turn it on.

A typical protein shake for me is similar to this:

Skim milk

Whey protein

Ice

Strawberries, bananas, and any other fruit you like

Not a whole lot to it, and it takes no more than five minutes!

I’ll leave dinner up to the consumer, as they are probably the most difficult meals to produce. Generally speaking though, sticking to a dinner with steamed veggies, lean meat like fish, or grains like rice are a good idea.

Personally, I’d make mostly whatever I had for lunch for dinner again.

A great idea though is to portion your food, no matter what the recipe is. This way you’ll never eat too much because the calories will always be small.

In the end, as far as quick recipes go, sticking everything in the blender is probably the best choice.