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Cleaning a grill after each use is just as important as washing the pots and pans used for cooking in the kitchen. After removal of food, cover the grill and allow it to stay heated for fifteen minutes longer. This process will burn away a lot of the residual grease and grime.

While the grate is still warm, use a grill brush to remove any particles that are left behind. This prevents food from sticking on the grill making it much easier to cook on. Deep cleaning is recommended a few times during the spring and summer season. Of course, the more use a grill gets the more often a deep cleaning is needed.

Charcoal Grill

A common misconception with a charcoal grill is that the grill doesn’t need to be cleaned after each use due to the ash catcher. This not only catches ash but also catches food particles. If left, this will eventually produce excess smoke and bad flavors in food.

If the barbecue has a painted, a nonstick or an aluminum surface, use dish washing liquid, water and a plastic scrubber. Metal scrubbers will leave unsightly scratches.

* Remove the grates, spray them down with oven cleaner, and place them into a black plastic bag. Let them soak for several hours or overnight. Use a metal scouring pad, no-scratch scrubber or stiff brush to scrub them clean. Thoroughly rinse making sure to get the entire grate free from oven cleaner.

* Scoop or dump out any ash and food particles from inside the grill. Clean the inside and outside of the barbecue grill with soapy water and stiff brush, scouring pad, or non-scratch scrubbers. Rinse with water hose, and let dry.

* Once everything is dry, replace grates and rub them down with a paper towel and some cooking oil to prevent rusting.
Gas Grill

Before getting started, be sure to turn off gas line!

For Natural Gas: Turn off gas supply and open all valves for 3 minutes

For Propane Gas: Disconnect propane tank and open all valves for 3 minutes

Remember that many gas grills are made of aluminum products, so avoiding abrasive cleaners, oven cleaner, metal brushes and scouring pads is a must. There are many different types of no scratch scrubbers available for use on aluminum.

* Remove grates and burner covers from grill and put them in a black plastic bag. Pour a cup of ammonia into the bag; leave the bag in the sun for a day, then open it up and the buildup will easily hose off. After hosing, scrub any spots that may still have debris until all is removed. Rinse again and set out to dry.

* After removing grates, use a soft wire brush to remove any loose debris from the sides and inside the lid. Use a toothpick to clean in the small places around the burner. Use a shop vacuum to pick up this residue.

* Remove sear plate, and drip pan. Scrape with a putty knife to remove buildup. If your grill uses lava rocks, soaking them along with the sear plate and drip pan while cleaning the inside of your grill is recommended.

* Spray inside of grill with a cleaning solution made of 1 gallon hot water, 1 tsp. dishwashing detergent, and 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Use a scrub brush to remove all grease and grime. Rinse and wipe with wet cloth until all soap is removed.

* Check all burner holes to make sure they are clean and obstruction free.

* Wipe everything dry and replace all the cleaned parts. Once grate is dry, rub with paper towel and cooking oil.

* Give the outside of the grill a good scrubbing with hot water and dishwashing soap. Rinse and let dry.

Before the colonies were created, people were grilling. Using a wooden structure, the Arawak people roasted meat. The Spanish called this mechanism a barbacoa which eventually came to refer to spit style for pork. As the practice spread from region to region, competition began to see who had the best.

Henry Ford who gave us the Model T car had a cousin named E.G. Kingsford. When Mr. Kingsford noticed that manufacturing of the Model T produced a large amount of wood scraps, he came up with the idea of using them to make charcoal. This charcoal was sold under the Ford name in Ford dealerships. It wasn’t until Mr. Kingsford’s death that the company was renamed in his honor. Today, Kingsford’s charcoal is a staple of those who barbecue.

A welder named George Stephen is credited with inventing the grill while working for Weber Brothers Metal Works. Because he was tired of ashes being blown into his food, he cut a buoy in half, welded three legs onto it, fabricated a lid and voila! The beginning of today’s Weber grill!

In 1960’s Little Rock, Arkansas, William G. Wepfer and Melton Lancaster worked for the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company. Mr. Wepfer, as marketing director, was given the task of finding new ways to sell natural gas. He and Mr. Lancaster purchased a basic charcoal grill and modified it in Mr. Wepfer’s garage to burn natural gas. Thousands of people preferred it’s clean, and easy method of cooking as opposed to charcoal. Today the Wepfer gas grill is a household name.

So the next logical question is which type of grill is best? The answer is that it’s a matter of personal choice. Both charcoal and gas grills have advantages and disadvantages and before purchasing, a buyer should decide how the grill will be used and what flavor is expected.

A charcoal grill can produce heat up to 500 degrees and higher if the coal bed can be raised. This high heat is what’s needed if the grill is used primarily for foods that require direct heat. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chops, and crisp steaks with a rare middle for example, are best cooked by this method.

Charcoal delivers a flavor that can’t be reproduced. On the other hand, it takes a lot of practice to cook well on charcoal. It’s messy and hard to light. It takes time to heat up and the exact temperature it reaches is not known. There is no possibility for a quick adjustment and ashes make for a messy cleanup..

Gas grills offer convenience and control. They generally reach between 100 and 450 degrees although the more expensive models can achieve 700 degrees. They are easy to start and reach the set temperature quickly. Temperature levels are easily adjusted.

They offer indirect heating and are good for slow cooking meats like ribs, roasts, and whole chickens. While there are no flare ups to burn the food, the flavor will be whatever seasonings are chosen.

Gas grills can use accessories like a rotisserie and a side burner and cleanup is easy. However, gas grills have parts like the jets that can clog and will require maintenance. They will need serious scrapping or pressure washing once in a while to remove built up carbon and grease and may need replacements parts. Unless you can afford a high end model, most of the foods cooked will tend to be well done. Gas grills are usually more expensive than charcoal because of the convenience and accessories.

Whichever is chosen, keep a good set of tongs nearby for cooking and a good grill brush for cleaning.

You may have heard the term “negative calorie” food and wondered how that could be possible. Can a food have fewer than zero calories? Well, actually it can’t, but the term is used to describe foods that take more energy for our bodies to digest than the energy they provide us. For example, a stalk of celery has about 8-10 calories, but our body needs to use more calories than that to digest it.

Because of this, many people say that negative calorie foods like celery can help you lose weight. While there is some debate about this theory, most so-called “negative calorie foods” are very healthy for you for other reasons too, so eating plenty of them as part of your diet is certainly beneficial.

Negative Calorie Vegetables:

Asparagus

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Celery

Chicory

Dandelion

Hot Chili Peppers

Cucumber

Garlic

Green Beans

Lettuce

Onions

Pickles (but they are high in salt!)

Radish

Spinach

Tomatoes (technically a fruit, but listed here since most people think of it as a vegetable)

Turnip

Watercress

Zucchini

 

Negative Calorie Fruits:

Apple

Apricots

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Cranberry

Grapefruit

Honeydew

Lemon

Lime

Mango

Orange

Papaya

Peach

Pineapple

Quince

Raspberry

Strawberry

Tangerines

Turnips

Watermelon

 

Negative Calorie Proteins:

Abalone Clams

Bass

Catfish

Crab

Flounder

Mussels

Shrimp

 

Ways to Incorporate Negative Calorie Foods into Your Diet

Adding these foods to your diet is fairly simple. Make sure to keep plenty of your favorites on hand and consider the following:

• Make soups with vegetable-based stock.
• Instead of sautéing vegetables in oil, steam them. Add pepper, a little garlic and serve.
• Grab a watermelon or orange as a snack instead of oily potato chips.
• Instead of a soda, squeeze some lemon or lime into a tall glass of ice water.
• Choose lean meats for your main course or a negative calorie protein and instead of a starchy potato or rice, include plenty of negative calorie vegetables on the side.
• Serve a negative calorie fruit salad for dessert, instead of cake or ice cream.
• Instead of mashed potatoes, try mashed cauliflower. It’s delicious.
• Prepare more green salads and for a treat top with raspberries or strawberries.
• Add more seafood to your diet and the negative calorie options mentioned above make a great start.
• Use your favorite seasonings for seafood, instead of garlic butter. Whether it’s garlic, Cajun or Old Bay Spice, eliminating the butter goes a long way.

 

But do be warned, a diet consisting solely of negative calorie foods is not healthy, so simply make them a part of your balanced diet. The more fruits, vegetables and lean proteins you add to your diet, the healthier you’ll feel and maybe you’ll even trim that waistline.

According to the American Diabetic Association, most Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diets. The daily recommended intake is 20-30 grams each day, but if you’re like many others, you may only get about half that.

Everyone says you should get more fiber in your diet, but how? And more importantly, why do we need fiber?

Fiber is known to help in the prevention of cancers, heart disease and even diabetes. It can also help in weight regulation, reduce cholesterol and constipation. In short, it’s an important part of a healthy diet and long life.

Fiber is found only in plant-based foods and because many diets are focused on meats and refined carbohydrates, it’s no wonder that many diets lack it. While not all plant-based foods are equal in their fiber content, here are some foods high in dietary fiber:

• Apples, pears, bananas and raspberries.
• Bran cereal, whether it’s oat, wheat, rice or corn
• Oats, flax seeds
• Lentils; navy, white, kidney and black beans.
• Cocoa powder and dark chocolate
• Almonds, pistachios and pecans
• Avocado, kale, peas, winter squash and many other vegetables

Of course, it’s easy to say which foods are high in fiber, but how can you make sure that your diet is rich in fiber? Here are some approaches that might help:

• If you enjoy breakfast cereals, focus on bran cereals or grab yourself a nice comforting bowl of oatmeal.
• Add bran and flax seeds to baked goods like muffins, loaves and even cakes.
• Flax seed is also easily and discretely added to smoothies, yogurt and even soups.
• Oats can also be added to cookies, muffins and other baked goods.
• Juicing removes the fiber from the fruit. Make a point of eating fresh, whole fruits regularly.
• Fill your plate with vegetables before adding proteins and other carbohydrates.
• Speaking of carbohydrates, focus on unrefined carbs and forgo the refined flour and rice.
• Go meatless and eat more beans. They’re delicious and good for you.
• Eat more salad and fewer French fries. Pre-cut salad ingredients and keep them in your fridge for easy access.
• Keep a well-stocked veggie plate in your fridge at all times. You’re more likely to grab it if it’s all ready for you.
• Keep skins on vegetables, where possible. The most fiber is often found near the skin.
• Nuts are a satisfying snack that gives you a nutrition boost.
• Instead of sugary desserts, try a fruit salad to satisfy a sweet tooth
• Enjoy a little dark chocolate now and then. You deserve it.
• Read the label. When it comes to packaged foods, find the one with the most dietary fiber and nutritional value for you.

While it isn’t usually necessary to count the grams of your dietary fiber intake, focus on increasing the amount of unrefined plant-based foods in your diet. More plant-based foods not only means increased fiber, but more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, so indulge to your heart’s content.

If you’re looking for a way to create more heart healthy lunches, there’s good news. Being heart smart and enjoying delicious foods go hand in hand. As an added benefit, you’ll feel and look great too.

Here are 5 ideas for your heart healthy lunches:

• Spinach Salad with Chicken and Blueberries: Instead of a heavy lunch, try a wonderfully filling entrée salad. While you can use any type of lettuce in your salad and still be heart-smart, consider using spinach as your main greenery. Nutrient-rich spinach is high in folate and is proven to prevent heart attacks.  Add your favorite vegetables and a lean protein like a skinless chicken breast. Top with slivered almonds or walnuts and blueberries. Almonds and walnuts control blood lipids, while blueberries are full of antioxidants, all of which are important to your heart health.

 

• Roasted Veggie Wrap Sandwich: Take a whole-wheat tortilla and fill it with cooked brown rice and roasted vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and add a little light dressing of your choice.  Roasted vegetables like sweet red peppers, asparagus and broccoli are great choices. Red peppers have plenty of antioxidants and folic acid to promote heart health. Asparagus is rich in potassium, folic acid and soluble fiber, all of which are good for your heart. Broccoli packs a lot of nutrition and also is high in sulforaphane, which can help prevent clogged arteries. The addition of brown rice can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure; so eat up!

• Grilled or Poached Salmon: You can’t go wrong with salmon. It’s rich in omega-3s, which can dramatically reduce the risk of heart attack when eaten regularly. You can grill or poach salmon and serve it with a nice fruit salsa. Add a colorful green salad on the side and you’ve got yourself a delicious lunch.

• Tuna Salad Sandwich: While tuna is not as rich in omega-3s as salmon, it is still a very important source. Make your salad with yogurt instead of mayonnaise, mustard and finely chopped celery. Use whole wheat bread to boost your daily whole grain servings, which can help prevent heart attack. Top your sandwich with sliced tomatoes, which can help regulate blood lipids.

• Veggie Chili: A classic comfort food, when made with vegetable ingredients, chili is a very heart healthy lunch. Kidney beans are low in fat, high in soluble fiber and have omega-3 fatty acids. Use fresh tomatoes to make your sauce and load it up with vegetables.

 

If you’re ever unsure of what heart healthy accompaniment can go with your lunch, you’ll never go wrong with a vegetable plate with a yogurt-based dip. Load up with plenty of carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and any of your favorite vegetables.

Overall, keep your meals simple. There’s no need to worry about which vegetable has more health benefits than the other. Simply eating a variety of vegetables, whole grains and incorporating fish into your diet will place you on the road to a heart healthy lifestyle.

It’s true, the words healthy and holidays don’t always go together. While most people do indulge a little, it’s not necessary to go off the deep end to have a great time this holiday season. To keep your waistline from expanding to Santa-proportions, use these tips to keep you on track throughout the holidays.

It can be challenging when you attend that potluck lunch or dinner at Aunt Janice’s. It’s only polite to try everything, right? Stick with that approach and you’ll be headed down the slippery slope to horizontal expansion. You can still enjoy yourself without offending anyone. Here’s how:

• Choose smaller portions. You don’t need a mountain of mashed potatoes with a cup of gravy. Simply choose to eat less of each food and give your stomach time to settle before attempting to get any seconds.

• Use a smaller plate. Dinner plates are often larger than we need, and an appetizer plate fits all the nutrition required. While you may not want to try this at Aunt Janice’s dinner table, it’s great practice at your own home or when surveying a buffet table.

• Put more vegetables on your plate. You can’t go wrong with vegetables, but avoid adding butter and other sauces. Just a little pepper to bring out the natural flavor is all you need.

• Plan ahead. If you know you’re going to have a big potluck lunch at work, plan a light and healthy dinner. Or if dinner is going to be an indulgent event, choose a nice big salad with a little bit of whole wheat bread for lunch.

• If you receive treats, share them. If you’re at work, put them out on your desk and invite your co-workers to help themselves. If your home looks like a Hershey’s factory, consider donating your extras to the food bank.

• Reduce the sugar. Obviously, too much sugar is not good for you, but the consumption of sugar can lead to cravings for more sugar, creating a vicious cycle for your diet during the holidays.

• Reduce your alcohol consumption. Not only does it add extra calories, it loosens your inhibitions and can lead you to make poor food choices.

• Bring a healthy contribution. If you’re bringing something to a party, there is no rule that it has to be an indulgent sweet or savory treat. Try a fruit salad, healthy pasta dish or other healthy item.

• Steam your vegetables. When preparing your own meals or contributing to a potluck, steam your vegetables and add seasonings, instead of cooking in oil or adding unnecessary fat.

As you can see, there’s still plenty of room to enjoy food, friends and family this holiday season. Just curb your portions, choose healthier options and indulge a little now and then.

Cooking is a skill that is passed on from generation to generation. Unfortunately, many of those cooking approaches aren’t always in line with what we know now about eating more healthfully. Here are some simple strategies you can apply to your favorite meals to give them a healthier twist.

• Invest in some quality non-stick cookware. When you use quality non-stick surfaces, you can greatly reduce or even eliminate the oil required for cooking. For example, with a good non-stick griddle, no oil is necessary when making pancakes. Not only is that healthier, but pancakes without the grease taste so much better.

• Do less frying and more baking, steaming, poaching and grilling. Instead of fried chicken, coat and bake it instead. Instead of French fries, slice some potatoes; place them on a baking sheet and bake until golden.

• Choose leaner cuts of meat and trim fat before cooking. If you’re cooking with chicken, consider removing the skin first. Because this can dry out the chicken, you can cook with the skin on, but remove it before serving. However, realize that cooking with the skin on increases the fat and cholesterol of your finished product.

• Go meatless at least once a week. Not every meal needs to have meat. Try beans, tofu or just a nice meatless pasta. Very few meat-eating Americans are at risk of protein deficiency, so don’t worry about missing protein in a single meal.

• Eat fish at least once a week. Fish is a high quality protein that is generally low in fat. Many fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are a good source of minerals, making them a healthy choice that promotes heart health.

• Reduce the refined ingredients you cook with. Choose whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose white flour. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of canned. Instead of refined sugars like white sugar and corn syrup, choose sweeteners like unrefined honey or maple syrup.

• Cooking sprays are often touted as a healthy alternative to cooking with oils, but aerosol cans are probably not your healthiest choice. You can purchase spray pumps specifically for oil and use that instead.

• Instead of reaching for the butter or other unhealthy flavorings, experiment with herbs, spices and other flavors. Herbs and spices have vitamins, minerals and some even have antioxidants. Plus, they are fat-free and a healthy way to add a little something to your favorite foods.

• Reduce sodium by waiting to add salt after food is cooked, and only when it’s necessary. Avoid canned and other prepared ingredients in your food. Use fresh wherever possible.

 

If this list is full of changes you need to be making in your cooking, take it one step at a time. Choose one tip and make it a goal each week. Every little step toward healthier cooking and eating counts.

We all know cooking at home is a healthier choice over choosing the drive-thru or dining out. However, it’s important to remember that recipes are created simply for their texture and flavor, but don’t always take health into consideration. To make it easier for you to cook more healthfully, here are a few tips that you can use on a variety of recipes.

• For many recipes it’s easy to simply reduce the amount of fat or oil used to make cooking easier. Non-stick cookware means you need little or no fat when cooking on the stovetop. Greasing baking dishes is often unnecessary as well, but you may have to experiment a little.

• For fats and oils used for baking cakes and muffins, you can often substitute them with apple puree. For cookies, aim to replace about ½ the oil with puree. You can even aim for a more healthful impact by using highly nutritious sweet potato puree as a fat and oil substitute.

 

• If a recipe calls for saturated fats like butter or even lard, replace it with vegetable or olive oil. Of course, this won’t always work in recipes that call for creaming of butter. In those cases, you might try margarine or simply reduce the amount of butter.

• In baking, you can usually replace 1 egg with 2 egg yolks for the same desired result, but with less cholesterol.

• Try replacing at least half the white flour in a recipe with whole wheat. Many recipes will work with a complete replacement, so experiment a little. Your health is at stake.

• Many sweet recipes are sweeter than they need to be. Don’t be shy about reducing the sugars. Definitely do this where sweeteners are often added after cooking. For example, there is no reason pancake or waffle batter needs a lot of sugar when syrup, fruit and other sweet items are added afterwards.

• To salt or not to salt? In savory foods, salt is usually not necessary. For baked goods, while many may say otherwise, it’s not always necessary either. One exception is baked goods using yeast. Salt slows down the rising process and produces better texture, so it is likely necessary, but you can try reducing the amount of salt used.

• Try lower fat dairy products in your recipes. Instead of heavy cream, use half and half. Instead of whole or 2% milk, try skim. The same goes for sour cream, yogurt and cheeses. Just make sure to read the label for quality ingredients as lower quality products tend to add undesirable ingredients and chemicals to make their low fat varieties more palatable.

 

Overall, it’s important to try things out. The more you rework recipes and learn from your successes and even the failures, the easier it becomes to modify recipes on the fly.

 

With heart disease being the leading cause of death, it’s no wonder why there is plenty of talk about being heart healthy. While a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains that incorporate lean proteins and fish is key to a healthy lifestyle, there are a few foods that stand out in their healing power. Here are ten of them.

By no means is this an exhaustive list, nor is it a suggestion that these are the most heart smart foods. These are just ten foods to consider in your heart healthy lifestyle.

1. Blueberries: Full of antioxidants and folate, blueberries are known to fight heart disease, cancer and other illnesses. They also include plenty of fiber and vitamin C. Use them on top of your cereal and salads and add them to baked goods.

2. Tofu and soymilk: The soy-based products include plenty of healthy benefits and are rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium. Tofu is a great meat substitute and soymilk can replace the regular milk you drink and add to foods daily.

3. Oatmeal: Oatmeal is full of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, potassium, magnesium, soluble fiber and folate. It’s a great start to your day or you can add oats to your favorite baked cookies.

4. Spinach: This flavorful green vegetable includes calcium, fiber, potassium and B-complex vitamins. Use spinach in place of lettuce in salads and sandwiches. Cooked spinach is delicious as well.

5. Salmon: Oily fish are a good source of vitamins A and D and omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon has the highest concentration omega-3s, but tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring and anchovies are also good source. You can grill salmon; add it to a stir-fry, pasta or even a salad.

6. Flax seeds: These small seeds pack a nutritional punch and are easy to add to foods, virtually unnoticed. They are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, phytoestrogens and fiber. Add them to your breakfast cereal, yogurt or baked items.

7. Red wine: Now, here’s some great news. Red wine has antioxidants that can improve your good cholesterol levels. Enjoy a glass now and then, knowing it’s good for you.

8. Black and kidney beans: These beans are high in soluble fiber, B-complex vitamins and folate. Because they are low in fat, they’re a great protein source in your meals. Add them to soups, serve them over rice or make some chilli.

9. Almonds and walnuts: Another great source omega-3s, these nuts are great as a snack by themselves or added to other foods. They also have mono and polyunsaturated fats, magnesium and fiber.

10. Sweet potatoes: Not only do they taste good, but sweet potatoes also have plenty to offer nutritionally. They are a great course of beta-carotene, fiber and vitamins A, C and E. Eat them as a side dish or puree them into pancakes and muffins.

 

How can you incorporate these nutritious and flavorful foods into your diet? How about starting with a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, spinach salad for lunch and lovely grilled fish in the evening? And don’t forget that glass or red wine…it’s good for you!

Seasons seem to have their calling for specialty foods.  In the summer time, we are blessed with fresh fruits and the tantalizing smell of someone barbecuing.   In the winter depending on your Geographic’s you may have to huddle up by the fireplace with a fresh cup of whipped hot chocolate.

As much as we get to lavish in the fresh produce section in the summer, there are many foods that just seem to be too hot to endure in the summer and are more enjoyable in the winter.  The summer time also takes us outdoors to enjoy the many things we can’t do in the winter.  That usually leaves us with a lot less time to prepare those meals that take a little more tender loving care to prepare.

Let’s look at some of the winter foods that seems to warm our soul from head to toe while the winter chill taps at your windows keeping you indoors.

 

Oven Roast

An entire meal in one dish…  Chose your meat, slice up your potatoes, onions and carrots and let it simmer all day on low heat.  It would be an added treat to whip up some Yorkshire pudding to spread that delicious homemade gravy over.

Homemade Baked Pie

A fruit of choice or your favorite smooth cream pie… banana, coconut, pumpkin or chocolate.  A splash of ice cream or whipped cream on a warmed up slice gives you an extra sweetness to savor, even if it is cold outside.

Homemade Kitchen Soup

Everything you can find can go into a hearty soup…  A great way to use up those leftovers!  Cream soups like butternut squash soup can warm you from the inside out.  When it comes to homemade soup, let your imagination go wild.

Hot Apple Cider Seasoned with Fresh Cinnamon Sticks

Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are always great ways of warming the insides, but hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick is an extra little treat we sometimes forget about.

Homemade Baked Beans

Baked beans will definitely remind you of Grandma.  Canned beans were unheard of back then.  If you have a little bit of age behind you, then you know baked beans were a staple.  Very nutritional and filling!

Chicken and Dumplings

Another favorite from the past!  This meal is easy on the budget and cooked all in one pot.  Add your favorite vegetables on the side.

Chicken Pot Pie

Yes an entire meal all in one.  All the food groups covered.  Meat, potatoes and your favorite vegetables in a little gravy sauce, covered with a tender flaky crust.

Freshly Baked Cookies

This aroma is enough to spike anybodies sweet craving.  Even if you don’t normally eat cookies, you won’t be able to resist those warm soft cookies right out of the oven.  Oatmeal cookies are nutritional, but those chocolate chip cookies are just plain melt in your mouth delicious.

Beef Stew and Biscuits

This is an all in one hearty dish.  Covers all the food groups, warms you from the inside out and keeps you feeling full for a long time.

Chili and Toast

Homemade chili has so much good stuff in it.  You can even hide extra nutritional foods in here.  Puree what they don’t like and just tuck it in there.  They will never know they are getting a well balanced complete nutritional meal.

Roasted Chestnuts

Grab a great family movie, roast up some chestnuts, get the snuggies on and relax.  An extra protein and calcium rich snack everyone can benefit from.

Oatmeal

The old saying, oatmeal sticks to your ribs isn’t technically true.  But, it does stay with you a long time, which keeps you fueled up.

In the winter, there is nothing better than relaxing in your warm comfies with the aroma of a roast in the oven or the smell of fresh baked cookies filling the air.  The anticipation of how mouth watering juicy they are going to be when finally get to sink your teeth into it can make for a tantalizing day.

Winter meals are generally prepared with more time available, which means more TLC goes into them.  These are the type of meals that bond the whole family together.  The type of meals Grandma used to make that everyone waits for all day and then sits down together to enjoy.

It isn’t just the winter food that is soothing your soul it is the environment you have created within your home that is centered around a wholesome meal.  That soothes more than the soul.  A lot of love can deepen over a family dinner together.  These are cherished moments that will live in your family for generations to come.

There’s nothing more comforting than a nice hot meal on a winter’s day. The problem is, what many of us consider to be winter comfort foods aren’t always as healthy as we might assume.

Many comfort foods are high in simple carbohydrates like white flour and sugar, instead of healthier complex carbohydrates like whole wheat flour and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates can reduce our serotonin levels and make us tired (and even depressed), which is quite the opposite of what a comfort food should do. In addition, many recipes include ingredients high in fat, cholesterol and sodium, so curbing those is only going to help your waistline and overall healthy.

With all this in mind, let’s look at how the comfort foods we love can really be good for us.

• Macaroni and Cheese, Lasagne and Other Pastas: Use whole wheat noodles and replace any flour in the recipes with whole wheat flour. Add more vegetables and reduce the cheese and meat content.
• Fried Chicken: Instead of frying, try baking your coated chicken and don’t forget to use wheat flour and egg whites instead of a whole egg.
• Soups: Forego the canned varieties that are extremely high in cholesterol and make yours fresh where possible. It’s not as complicated as you might think and it tastes much better. When making your own soup, always skim the fat of your soup stock and use plenty of vegetables. If you don’t have time to make your own stock, choose the low sodium pre-made varieties.
• Chili and stew: Choose leaner cuts of meat. For example, a turkey chilli can be just as hearty and delicious as its ground beef counterpart. Of course, don’t forget to load up your chilli with vegetables. When making stew, always cut fat off the meat before cooking and use wheat flour for thickening your delicious meal. If serving bread, use whole wheat and reduce of forego the butter. A warm whole wheat baguette dipped in homemade chilli or stew just doesn’t need the extra added fat and cholesterol.

It doesn’t matter what your preferred comfort foods are, you can use these guidelines to prepare many of your favorite meals:

• Whole wheat flour replaces white flour.
• Olive oil replaces butter, margarine and other oils.
• Eggs whites replace whole eggs.
• Skip the butter on bread and vegetables. Use seasoning instead.
• Reduce sugar in recipes. Use ingredients like vanilla, cinnamon or other extracts to add sweet flavor.
• Choose leaner cuts of meat and cut off any visible fats before cooking. You can also remove skin from chicken, or to retain juiciness remove the skin before eating.
• Use skim milk instead of whole milk.
• Reduce salt in recipes dramatically. Most recipes don’t actually need salt, excluding ones that include yeast for leavening.
• Cook more meals instead of eating packaged ones.
• When in doubt, add more vegetables.

Eating healthy doesn’t mean avoiding your favorite comfort foods, but it could mean adjusting things a little. Keep these tips in mind when preparing your next meal to stay healthy, happy and trim this winter.

Have you ever had dumplings? Do you even know what they are? No one knows for certain where dumplings came from but the boiled or steamed balls of dough seems to be a universal food item. Let’s learn more about dumplings.

It is amazing how many cultures around the world have a type of dumpling. They can be made of flour, bread or potatoes. Some common dumplings include:

* Germans have the spaetzle and dampfnudel
* Italians enjoy gnocchi
* The Polish have pierogis and kopytka
* In France they eat quenelles
* The Chinese have jiaozi or pot stickers
* The Japanese eat gyoza
* In the U.S. we enjoy dumplings

It is believed that the ancient Romans were among the first cultures to cook and eat dumplings. In fact, one of the oldest cookbooks in the world, written by Apicius, describes the recipe. However, if dumplings did originate in Rome, no one knows for sure how they moved around the world.

Southern dumplings are generally served with chicken. Along with flour, Southern dumplings can be made with baking powder, eggs, shortening and salt. They can be rolled thin and then cut into pieces, rolled into a ball or pulled from the dough and cooked in gravy or broth.

Dumplings made in Ireland and other parts of Great Britain are similar to Southern dumplings themselves, however not exactly. Irish dumplings use self-rising flour, fat and cold water. These are added to stew, soup or casseroles. Herbs may also be added to the dumplings or even have cheese in the center of them. The dumplings will expand while they cook and are airy. In Ireland, dumplings can also be called doughboys.

With the many different types of dumplings throughout the world, you may wonder how they can be so universal. Obviously the dumplings won’t be exactly alike but it is interesting that so many cultures have them. Why not find recipes which will enable you to make each type and see which ones you like the best. It is possible that sampling dumplings from another culture may be a treat your entire family will enjoy.

Colder weather means you may be eating more soups and stews. Do you know what seasonings are best for these dishes and when it is best to add them? Take a look below to learn more about seasoning soups and stews.

When making soup, it is easy to fall into the habit of opening a can and heating it up. And while this might do in a pinch, there is nothing quite like homemade stock and fresh ingredients. Making soup or stew from scratch will definitely require more time but the results will be worth it. Your family will be able to taste the love that went into preparing this meal.

Start with the freshest ingredients possible. If you’re preparing a large pot of soup or stew, this means you will use fresh vegetables and herbs if at all possible. If you must use frozen or canned vegetables be aware that they may contain salt so you will want to taste the base before adding salt.

If possible, make savory stew and soup a day or two prior to serving them. This will give the ingredients a chance to “marry” and the seasonings to meld together. Be sure to test the soup or stew prior to serving it to see if additional salt or other seasonings are needed.

What do you do if you’ve accidentally over-salted your soup? If it isn’t too salty, you can place a whole, peeled potato into the soup and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes. This will help remove the excess salt. When it is time to serve, remove the potato and set it aside for use later.
If you prefer a bold or intense flavor in your stew or soup, wait until nearer to the end of the cooking process to add them. Adding herbs too early in the cooking process will cause the flavor to be much milder.

The following list provides herbs that you may not use often but that can add wonderful flavor when seasoning soups and stews:

* Cardamom is great in Middle Eastern foods.
* Coriander is also used in Middle Eastern dishes but is also used in Chinese foods.
* Rosemary is a great seasoning to use.
* Basil is a terrific addition to stews as are oregano, paprika and garlic powder.

Remember that you can also use wine to add flavor to some stew and soup recipes. Wine would be added at a ratio of 1/4 cup of wine to each quart of soup stock. You will also want to remember to reduce the amount of salt you use in the stock as the wine will intensify the saltiness of the meal.

What do you usually eat with your sandwich? Do you enjoy some chips, potato salad or maybe baked beans? If you’re tired of the same old, same old, consider these sandwich sides the next time you make a sandwich.

Many people don’t think much about what they pair with a sandwich. They may grab the closest thing at hand. However, you may want to try something different with your next sandwich. Consider the flavor of your sandwich and what would compliment it. You may also want to think about the things that would contrast with the sandwiches texture.

• Is your sandwich from a specific ethnic area? Your best bet would be to have a side that is traditionally the same. You’ll want the flavors to match, not contrast to the point you don’t enjoy either.
• Match the subtlety of the sandwich. If it has a delicate taste, you’ll want to add a side that is not too bold or spicy.
• If your sandwich has big flavors, you’ll want to have a side that is equally bold and hearty.

 

Consider what you would offer as a side if you were to make a falafel pita sandwich which is Israeli or Middle Eastern.  You wouldn’t want to serve French fries with this sandwich. Instead, find a recipe for couscous or Tabbouleh.

Chicken salad sandwiches are much more delicate in nature. A green salad or coleslaw made with vinegar would be a perfect accompaniment.

If you must have French fries with your sandwich, consider trying a different type of fries. Sweet potato fries are an entirely different taste than white potatoes. You may also want to try different ways to prepare the fries. Bake them with roasted garlic; baking also is less fattening than fried. You may also want to give chickpea fries a try.

What do you do if you don’t like coleslaw but want to serve something crunchy and fresh with your sandwich? Try broccoli salad instead. This is an easy salad to make either with store-bought broccoli slaw or by grating your own. Oriental cabbage salad is another option if you don’t like traditional mayonnaise-type coleslaw.

Blue corn chips can be served with hummus rather than potato chips and dip. You could also try offering a variety of different dips or salsas so you and your family can choose what appeals to you.

There’s no reason to settle for the same sides you’re used to having when you prepare sandwiches for a meal. Consider recipes for new sides your family has never tried before. Think about the taste and texture of the sandwich. Match bold flavors with bold and delicate textures with delicate tastes.  Then when you are searching for sandwich sides you’ll have other sides from which to choose.