Takeaways London

Takeaways - London Food Savings?

2011-08-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

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COOKING OF GRAINS.

2011-03-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

All grains, with the exception of rice, and the various grain meals, require prolonged cooking with gentle and continuous heat, in order to so disintegrate their tissues and change their starch into dextrine as to render them easy of digestion. Even the so-called "steam-cooked" grains, advertised to be ready for use in five or ten minutes, require a much longer cooking to properly fit them for digestion. These so-called quickly prepared grains are simply steamed before grinding, which has the effect to destroy any low organisms contained in the grain. They are then crushed and shredded. Bicarbonate of soda and lime is added to help dissolve the albuminoids, and sometimes diastase to aid the conversion of the starch into sugar; but there is nothing in this preparatory process that so alters the chemical nature of the grain as to make it possible to cook it ready for easy digestion in five or ten minutes. An insufficiently cooked grain, although it may be palatable, is not in a condition to be readily acted upon by the digestive fluids, and is in consequence left undigested to act as a mechanical irritant.

Water is the liquid usually employed for cooking grains, but many of them are richer and finer flavored when milk is mixed with the water, one part to two of water. Especially is this true of rice, hominy, and farina. When water is used, soft water is preferable to hard. No salt is necessary, but if used at all, it is generally added to the water before stirring in the grain or meal.

The quantity of liquid required varies with the different grains, the manner in which they are milled, the method by which they are cooked, and the consistency desired for the cooked grain, more liquid being required for a porridge than for a mush.

All grains should be carefully looked over before being put to cook.

In the cooking of grains, the following points should be observed:

1. Measure both liquid and grain accurately with the same utensil, or with two of equal size.

2. Have the water boiling when the grain is introduced, but do not allow it to boil for a long time previous, until it is considerably evaporated, as that will change the proportion of water and grain sufficiently to alter the consistency of the mush when cooked. Introduce the grain slowly, so as not to stop the sinking to the bottom, and the whole becomes thickened.

3. Stir the grain continuously until it has set, but not at all afterward. Grains are much more appetizing if, while properly softened, they can still be made to retain their original form. Stirring renders the preparation pasty, and destroys its appearance.

In the preparation of all mushes with meal or flour, it is a good plan to make the material into a batter with a portion of the liquid retained from the quantity given, before introducing it into the boiling water. This prevents the tendency to cook in lumps, so frequent when dry meal is scattered into boiling liquid. Care must be taken, however, to add the moistened portion very slowly, stirring vigorously meantime, so that the boiling will not be checked. Use warm water for moistening. The other directions given for the whole or broken grains are applicable to the ground products.

Place the grain, when sufficiently cooked, in the refrigerator or in some place where it will cool quickly (as slow cooling might cause fermentation), to remain overnight.

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CIRCUMSTANCES IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF MEAT.

2011-03-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

During the period between the birth and maturity of animals, their flesh undergoes very considerable changes. For instance, when the animal is young, the fluids which the tissues of the muscles contain, possess a large proportion of what is called albumen . This albumen, which is also the chief component of the white of eggs, possesses the peculiarity of coagulating or hardening at a certain temperature, like the white of a boiled egg, into a soft, white fluid, no longer soluble, or capable of being dissolved in water. As animals grow older, this peculiar animal matter gradually decreases, in proportion to the other constituents of the juice of the flesh. Thus, the reason why veal, lamb are white, and without gravy when cooked, is, that the large quantity of albumen they contain hardens, or becomes coagulated. On the other hand, the reason why beef and mutton are brown, and have gravy , is, that the proportion of albumen they contain, is small, in comparison with their greater quantity of fluid which is soluble, and not coagulable.

The quality of the flesh of an animal is considerably influenced by the nature of the food on which it has been fed ; for the food supplies the material which produces the flesh. If the food be not suitable and good, the meat cannot be good either. To the experienced in this matter, it is well known that the flesh of animals fed on farinaceous produce, such as corn, pulse, &c., is firm, well-flavoured, and also economical in the cooking; that the flesh of those fed on succulent and pulpy substances, such as roots, possesses these qualities in a somewhat less degree; whilst the flesh of those whose food contains fixed oil, as linseed, is greasy, high coloured, and gross in the fat, and if the food has been used in large quantities, possessed of a rank flavour.

It is indispensable to the good quality of meat, that the animal should be perfectly healthy at the time of its slaughter. However slight the disease in an animal may be, inferiority in the quality of its flesh, as food, is certain to be produced. In most cases, indeed, as the flesh of diseased animals has a tendency to very rapid putrefaction, it becomes not only unwholesome, but absolutely poisonous, on account of the absorption of the virus of the unsound meat into the systems of those who partake of it. The external indications of good and bad meat will be described under its own particular head, but we may here premise that the layer of all wholesome meat, when freshly killed, adheres firmly to the bone.

Another circumstance greatly affecting the quality of meat, is the animal's treatment before it is slaughtered . This influences its value and wholesomeness in no inconsiderable degree. It will be easy to understand this, when we reflect on those leading principles by which the life of an animal is supported and maintained. These are, the digestion of its food, and the assimilation of that food into its substance. Nature, in effecting this process, first reduces the food in the stomach to a state of pulp, under the name of chyme, which passes into the intestines, and is there divided into two principles, each distinct from the other. One, a milk-white fluid, the nutritive portion, is absorbed by innumerable vessels which open upon the mucous membrane, or inner coat of the intestines. These vessels, or absorbents, discharge the fluid into a common duct, or road, along which it is conveyed to the large veins in the neighbourhood of the heart. Here it is mixed with the venous blood (which is black and impure) returning from every part of the body, and then it supplies the waste which is occasioned in the circulating stream by the arterial (or pure) blood having furnished matter for the substance of the animal. The blood of the animal having completed its course through all parts, and having had its waste recruited by the digested food, is now received into the heart, and by the action of that organ it is urged through the lungs, there to receive its purification from the air which the animal inhales. Again returning to the heart, it is forced through the arteries, and thence distributed, by innumerable ramifications, called capillaries, bestowing to every part of the animal, life and nutriment. The other principle the innutritive portion passes from the intestines, and is thus got rid of. It will now be readily understood how flesh is affected for bad, if an animal is slaughtered when the circulation of its blood has been increased by over-driving, ill-usage, or other causes of excitement, to such a degree of rapidity as to be too great for the capillaries to perform their functions, and causing the blood to be congealed in its minuter vessels. Where this has been the case, the meat will be dark-coloured, and become rapidly putrid; so that self-interest and humanity alike dictate kind and gentle treatment of all animals destined to serve as food for man.

Eating For A Healthy Heart

2011-03-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Bad cholesterol or a bad diet is something we all

experience at some point in time. It's impossible

to eat healthy our whole lives, even though we may

try hard to do it. Eating healthy for your heart

is something everyone should try to do, especially

when it comes to restoring health and reducing

heart attacks.

Your heart and food

We know these things for sure - a diet high in

saturated fats will help raise your cholesterol,

which is a risk factor for heart disease. People

that are obese are more prone to heart disease. A

diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure,

leading to inflammation and even heart disease.

To help prevent heart disease and improve your health,

put the tips below to good use.

Eat plenty of fish

Herring, sardines, and salmon are all excellent sources

of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Other fish are great

to, although Omega 3 may help to get your cholesterol

down to a healthier level.

Choosing healthy fats and oils

Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease.

It's found in meat, butter, and even coconut oil. You

should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are

down and you are at a healthy weight. Even those

that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for

their main sources of protein.

Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils will help

you to protect your heart. Olive oil is an ideal

choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping

sauce.

Plenty of fiber

Fiber can help you control your cholesterol. You

can find fiber in whole grain products to help

control sugar absorption as well, which will help

you keep your digestive system healthy.

Choosing carbohydrates

Eating for your heart involves staying away from

sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and

pastries. Eating a lot of sugar isn't good for

your heart disease at all. Healthy carbohydrates

involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown

rice, and a lot of vegetables. You should make

fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.

Healthy cooking methods

Stir frying and sauteing with olive oil or canola

oil are both great methods, as you shouldn't dip

your food in batter and fry it anymore. If you

cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the

oven in foil.

Instead of frying your fish you should always bake

it. Steaming your vegetables can help maintain the

most nutrients. You should use cream sauces or lots

of butter anymore either. When you eat vegetables,

try squeezing lemon juice on them or using your

favorite seasonings.

As you make the proper changes to your diet, keep in

mind that it takes time for them to become habits.

Eating healthy is always great for your body and your

lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and

the prevention of heart disease.

Eating Healthy For Students

2011-03-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

For students, eating at college is an entire new

ball game, with late night pizza delivery and food

from buggies. Even though some of these quick and

simple options taste great, they are probably

not healthy for a student's body.

The food choices students make can affect whether

or not they are able to remain awake during class

and whether or not they will come down with

mononucleosis when it hits campus. The problem

is not only about eating junk food, it's more

about not getting the proper proteins, carbs,

vitamins, and minerals that people need.

When it comes to defending against illnesses,

vitamins and minerals are very important. Just

because they are important, isn't a reason for

students to run out and stock up on vitamins and

supplements. It's best for students to get their

nutrition from food.

You can find vitamin C in citric fruits, Vitamin

A in milk and diary products, and vitamin E in

nuts, whole wheat products, and even green leafy

vegetables. This is the ideal way to get

nutrition, as your body relies on these vitamins

for many reasons.

When you eat on campus, skip on the soda's and

go right to the juice machines. Explore the

different entrees available and go to the salad

bar where there are fresh vegetables. You can

also try putting some broccoli and cauliflower

in the microwave for steamed vegetables. There

are always healthy cereals and plenty of fresh

fruit available in dining halls as well.

Always remember that eating healthy isn't just

about avoiding greasy foods. Eating healthy

involves getting a balanced diet and getting the

right nutrients and vitamins to keep your body

in peak performance - or at least awake during

Eating Healthy For Vegetarians

2011-03-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style

of eating. The rules still apply with healthy eating,

although you should add variety, balance, and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat,

whether it be hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, or even fish.

Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by the type of

food they are or aren't willing to eat. For example,

Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal flesh yet they

will eat eggs and most dairy products. A Vegan on the

other hand, will avoid all food that has any trace of

animal origin.

Because they don't eat meet, vegetarians will often

wonder how they'll get enough protein. Although you may

not realize it, the average American actually consumes

more protein than he actually needs. For the lacto-ovo

vegetarian, dairy products are an excellent source of

protein. Vegans on the other hand, get their protein

from nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Along the lines of beans, there are several to choose

from, including green or red lentils, peanuts, split

peas, pinto, soy, kidney, and many more. Some of them

you are already familiar, such as kidney beans in

chili, refried beans in Mexican dishes, red beans and

rice, and pinto beans. Although some beans taste good

as they are, others are available with different flavors

to help enhance their taste. Nuts are hihg in protein,

although they deliver a lot more fat than beans, which

means you should enjoy them in moderation. By having

one cup of cooked beans, you'll get the same amount of

protein as eating two ounces of meat!

The nutrients of concern for vegans, who avoid all types

of animal food, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D.

In the average North American diet, the primary source

for B12 is animals. To have an adequate intake of B12,

vegans should reguarly consume vitamin B12 supplements or

foods, which contain vitamin B12, such as soy products

or milk.

For calcium, vegans can rely on orange juice or soy

milk, as they are fortified with calcium. Beans and

leafy green vegetables will also contain some calcium as

well.

Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food

groups, controlling your vitamins and calcium intake is

something you should always do. This is very important

for eating healthy, as well as staying healthy. If you

control what you eat, you'll have many years of healthy

Eating Healthy On A Budget

2011-03-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

If you have problems serving healthy foods because

of the prices, you'll find these tips to be just

what you need to eat healthy on a budget.

1. Eliminate junk food

Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way

to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are

usually the ones requesting junk food. Shopping

alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only

buy the foods you need.

2. Water or milk instead of soft drinks

You can still enjoy your favorite drinks at a

sporting event or night out, although you should

stick with the smallest size when shopping to save

money and calories. Children and even adults need

milk or milk products on a daily basis. Milk will

also help you get strong and provides calcium for

healthy bones and healthy teeth.

3. Buy fruits in quantity

Whne they are in season, buy fruits in quantity

and freeze any extras. You can buy several pounds

this way, and freeze extras to have them when the

fruit goes out of season. Wash the fruit well,

remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then

freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4. Meats and beans

Meats and beans are the best sources for protein.

Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot

of fat. Canned beans are a great deal as well,

as they give you protein at a great price.

5. Beans as a substitute

You should use beans a substitute for meat on a

frequent occasion. There are several varieties,

so you can prepare them in a crock pot, so when

you return home they are ready to consume.

The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times

per week. If you experience gas after eating

beans you should try washing them, covering them

with water, bringing the water to a boil, then

draining it off and refilling the pot.

6. If you live in a coastal area or an area

where fish are around, make that an integral

part of your diet. You can catch them from the

lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7. Peanut butter is great for those on a budget

as it's popular with almost everyone. You can

use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot

dogs. It does need to be refrigerated, although

bigger jars can last you for weeks.

8. You should fill up with foods that have a high

content of water. Watermelon, salads, and even

sugar free gelatin are all great examples.

Eating healthy is always something you can't go

wrong with. You can eat healthy for just a few

bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a

budget. Now, you don't need a lot of money to have

the lifestyle and health you've always wanted.

Eating Healthy On The Run

2011-03-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

Whether your traveling on the go or around the

home, you don't need to give up healthy eating

simply because you are on the run. The fact is,

healthy eating is even more important when your

trying to keep up with a busy schedule.

Having a good diet will help your body to handle

stress better. As you hustle about, a healthy meal

is probably the last thing you think about. The

following tips can help you eat when your on the go.

Restaurants

With tempting menus, large portions, and a festive

atmosphere, it's easy to skip healthy eating. It's

okay to splurge every now and then, although you'll

pack on a lot of weight if you make it a habit.

When you eat out at restaurants, always be smart

about it.

Airports

An airport can be a very stressful place, although

you shouldn't scrap your diet because of it. Eat

because you are hungry, not because of stress,

boredom, or to kill time.

In your car

Keep some healthy snacks in your car at all times,

so that when you get hungry - you have them.

At home

Evenings and mornings are busy times in most homes.

Making the time to eat can be hard, although you

shouldn't run out the door without eating breakfast

first. Cereal with milk, a banana, muffin, or even

a bagel is a great way to start the day.

Anytime you are on the go, always make sure that you

make the right food decisions. You can take healthy

food with you if you need to, so that you have it

when you need it. Eating healthy on the go is easy

to do, once you know how. Never sacrifice healthy

food for junk, as your body will regret it later.

ABC OF SOUP MAKING.

2011-03-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

Lean, juicy beef, mutton, and veal, form the basis of all good soups; therefore it is advisable to procure those pieces which afford the richest succulence, and such as are fresh-killed. Stale meat renders them bad, and fat is not so well adapted for making them. The principal art in composing good rich soup, is so to proportion the several ingredients that the flavour of one shall not predominate over another, and that all the articles of which it is composed, shall form an agreeable whole. To accomplish this, care must be taken that the roots and herbs are perfectly well cleaned, and that the water is proportioned to the quantity of meat and other ingredients. Generally a quart of water may be allowed to a pound of meat for soups, and half the quantity for gravies. In making soups or gravies, gentle stewing or simmering is incomparably the best. It may be remarked, however, that a really good soup can never be made but in a well-closed vessel, although, perhaps, greater wholesomeness is obtained by an occasional exposure to the air. Soups will, in general, take from three to six hours doing, and are much better prepared the day before they are wanted. When the soup is cold, the fat may be much more easily and completely removed; and when it is poured off, care must be taken not to disturb the settlings at the bottom of the vessel, which are so fine that they will escape through a sieve. A tamis is the best strainer, and if the soup is strained while it is hot, let the tamis or cloth be previously soaked in cold water. Clear soups must be perfectly transparent, and thickened soups about the consistence of cream. To thicken and give body to soups and gravies, potato-mucilage, arrow-root, bread-raspings, isinglass, flour and butter, barley, rice, or oatmeal, in a little water rubbed well together, are used. A piece of boiled beef pounded to a pulp, with a bit of butter and flour, and rubbed through a sieve, and gradually incorporated with the soup, will be found an excellent addition. When the soup appears to be too thin or too weak , the cover of the boiler should be taken off, and the contents allowed to boil till some of the watery parts have evaporated; or some of the thickening materials, above mentioned, should be added. When soups and gravies are kept from day to day in hot weather, they should be warmed up every day, and put into fresh scalded pans or tureens, and placed in a cool cellar. In temperate weather, every other day may be sufficient.

Various herbs and vegetables are required for the purpose of making soups and gravies. Of these the principal are, Scotch barley, pearl barley, wheat flour, oatmeal, bread-raspings, pease, beans, rice, vermicelli, macaroni, isinglass, potato-mucilage, mushroom or mushroom ketchup, champignons, parsnips, carrots, beetroot, turnips, garlic, shalots and onions. Sliced onions, fried with butter and flour till they are browned, and then rubbed through a sieve, are excellent to heighten the colour and flavour of brown soups and sauces, and form the basis of many of the fine relishes furnished by the cook. The older and drier the onion, the stronger will be its flavour. Leeks, cucumber, or burnet vinegar; celery or celery-seed pounded. The latter, though equally strong, does not impart the delicate sweetness of the fresh vegetable; and when used as a substitute, its flavour should be corrected by the addition of a bit of sugar. Cress-seed, parsley, common thyme, lemon thyme, orange thyme, knotted marjoram, sage, mint, winter savoury, and basil. As fresh green basil is seldom to be procured, and its fine flavour is soon lost, the best way of preserving the extract is by pouring wine on the fresh leaves.

For the seasoning of soups, bay-leaves, tomato, tarragon, chervil, burnet, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, mace, black and white pepper, essence of anchovy, lemon-peel, and juice, and Seville orange-juice, are all taken. The latter imparts a finer flavour than the lemon, and the acid is much milder. These materials, with wine, mushroom ketchup, Harvey's sauce, tomato sauce, combined in various proportions, are, with other ingredients, manipulated into an almost endless variety of excellent soups and gravies. Soups, which are intended to constitute the principal part of a meal, certainly ought not to be flavoured like sauces, which are only designed to give a relish to some particular dish.

Eating Healthy On Vacation

2011-02-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

It can be very tempting to abandon your good sense

of healthy eating on vacation. Although you may

strive for healthy eating, it's easy to drift off

and grab an ice cream cone here and there. There

are however, ways to watch what you eat on

vacation.

It's easier than ever these days to request a low

fat or vegetarian meal on airplane flights. If

you choose to instead drive to your destination,

the quest to find healthy food can get a bit more

complicated.

Rather than simply relying on greasy foods for

nutrition, pack some nutritious foods in a cooler

full of ice packs. Fruits and vegetables, crackers,

yogurt, and sandwiches are all great to have with

you on the road.

Once you arrive at your hotel, you should do

yourself a favor and turn the minibar key down - as

this helps to avoid the temptation. If your hotel

offers a continental breakfast, stick to fruits,

cereals, and proteins. If your hotel has a stove

or microwave, consider bringing your own healthy

food with you.

If you simply must eat out, do so only when you

are hungry. Restaurants will usually serve large

portions, so be careful. If you do go a bit over

on a meal, simply cut back on the next.

If you find it hard to fit in three square meals

a day, try to fit in six smaller meals or snacks,

as your body needs fuel every four hours or so.

When you eat out, avoid appetizers. Whatever you

do, do not miss any meals.

When it's possible, you should avoid eating large

meals at night. When your body gets ready for

sleep and slows down, it also burns calories at a

much slower pace. Never eat bread before bed, and

make sure to avoid the butter. Choose fish or

poultry for your meal instead, and include

vegetables as a side dish.

Even though it may sound hard, eating healthy on

vacation isn't really that difficult. All you have

to do is use a little will power, and pass up

foods that you know aren't good for you. This

way, you'll enjoy healthy eating and a healthy

lifestyle wherever you go.

The next time you go on a vacation, always remember

that eating healthy is a way of life. You can

afford to get something you crave, although you

shouldn't make a habit of it. One ice cream

cone or a pizza isn't going to matter - as long as

you know when to stop.

Eating Healthy When Eating Out

2011-02-25T08:15:00.000-08:00

If you go out to a restaurant to eat, you probably

watch your calories very closely. To assist you

with your calorie watching when dining out, these

tips will help you make the most of it.

- Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side,

as this way you have control over how much you add

to your meal.

- When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you

should ask that the food be grilled without butter

or oil, or prepared with very little or either or.

- Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout

for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based

sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat

and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted

as a vegetable!

- You should always try to drink water, diet soda,

or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain

alcohol.

- If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half

of the dessert will equal half of the calories.

- When you choose a soup, remember that cream

based soups are higher in fat and calories than

other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as

most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty

fast.

- When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead

of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa

is very low in calories and provides a healthy

alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.

- When you are full, stop eating. Listen to your

body and what it tells you.

- If you get full, take half of your meal home.

The second portion of your meal can serve as a second

meal later. This way, you get two meals for the

price of one.

- If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers

or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.

- If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked

potato or steamed vegetables instead of french

fries.

- Always look for food on the menu that's baked,

grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types

of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and

are usually much lower in calories.

- Plain bread or rolls are low in both fat and

calories. When you add the butter and oil, you

increase the fat and calorie intake.

- As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes

with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and

vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as

well as many vitamins and minerals.

- Choose foods made with whole grains, such as

whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice.

- If you crave dessert, look for something with

low fat, such as berries or fruit.

- Always remember not to deprive yourself of the

foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit

into a well balanced diet.

Facts About Nutrition Labels

2011-02-23T04:26:00.000-08:00

The nutrition label located on each and every food item,

will tell you all the information about that food. For

some however, this information isn't exactly that reader

friendly. Fear not, as it's actually easier than you

think.

Serving Size

This size is based on the amount people eat. Similar

food items will have similar serving sizes, thus making

it easier to compare 2 foods of the same category.

% Daily Value

This indicates how food will fit in a 2,000 calorie

diet. This will help you to understand if the food

has a lot, or just a little of the important nutrients.

The middle section

The nutrients you'll find listed in the middle section

are the ones that are most important to your health.

This information can help you to calculate your daily

limit of fat, fiber, sodium, and other nutrients.

Vitamins & minerals

The percent daily value found here is the exact same

as the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins

and minerals.

Now that you know what the nutrition label actually

means, it'll be a lot easy to eat healthy. Eating

healthy is a great thing - especially when you use the

nutrition label to assist you with your food choices.

Fight Stress With Healthy Eating

2011-02-21T02:50:00.000-08:00

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend

to make poor food choices that will actually

increase stress and cause other problems. To get

the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress,

follow these simple tips.

Always eat breakfast

Even though you may think you aren't hungry,

you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast

makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and

sugar levels during the day, so you should always

eat something.

Carry a snack

Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car,

office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood

sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and

the fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and energy

bars all have the nutrients you need.

Healthy munchies

If you like to munch when you're stressed out,

you can replace chips or other non healthy foods

with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even

sunflower seeds.

Bring your lunch

Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food

for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually

eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack

a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few

times a week, you'll see a much better improvement

over eating out.

Stock your home

As important as it is to get the bad food out of

your house, it's even more important to get the good

food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu

of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the

week, list the ingedients you need, then go shop

for it. This way, you'll know what you want when

you need it and you won't have to stress over what

FIVE FISH SOUPS.

2011-02-18T23:01:00.000-08:00

Fish stock.

-----------

Ingredients:- 2 lbs. of beef or veal (these can be omitted), any kind of white fish trimmings, of fish which are to be dressed for table, 2 onions, the rind of 1/2 a lemon, a bunch of sweet herbs, 2 carrots, 2 quarts of water.

Mode:- Cut up the fish, and put it, with the other ingredients, into the water. Simmer for 2 hours; skim the liquor carefully, and strain it. When a richer stock is wanted, fry the vegetables and fish before adding the water.

Time. 2 hours.

Note. Do not make fish stock long before it is wanted, as it soon turns sour.

Crayfish soup.

--------------

Ingredients:- 50 crayfish, 1/4 lb. of butter, 6 anchovies, the crumb of 1 French roll, a little lobster-spawn, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of medium stock or fish stock.

Mode:- Shell the crayfish, and put the fish between two plates until they are wanted; pound the shells in a mortar, with the butter and anchovies; when well beaten, add a pint of stock, and simmer for 3/4 of an hour. Strain it through a hair sieve, put the remainder of the stock to it, with the crumb of the rolls; give it one boil, and rub it through a tammy, with the lobster-spawn. Put in the fish, but do not let the soup boil, after it has been rubbed through the tammy. If necessary, add seasoning.

Time. 1-1/2 hour.

Eel soup.

---------

Ingredients:- 3 lbs. of eels, 1 onion, 2 oz. of butter, 3 blades of mace, 1 bunch of sweet herbs, 1/4 oz. of peppercorns, salt to taste, 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, 1/4 pint of cream, 2 quarts of water.

Mode:- Wash the eels, cut them into thin slices, and put them in the stewpan with the butter; let them simmer for a few minutes, then pour the water to them, and add the onion, cut in thin slices, the herbs, mace, and seasoning. Simmer till the eels are tender, but do not break the fish. Take them out carefully, mix the flour smoothly to a batter with the cream, bring it to a boil, pour over the eels, and serve.

Time. 1 hour, or rather more.

Note. This soup may be flavoured differently by omitting the cream, and adding a little ketchup.

Lobster soup.

-------------

Ingredients. 3 large lobsters, or 6 small ones; the crumb of a French roll, 2 anchovies, 1 onion, 1 small bunch of sweet herbs, 1 strip of lemon-peel, 2 oz. of butter, a little nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 1 pint of cream, 1 pint of milk; forcemeat balls, mace, salt and pepper to taste, bread crumbs, 1 egg, 2 quarts of water.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the lobsters, and beat the fins, chine, and small claws in a mortar, previously taking away the brown fin and the bag in the head. Put it in a stewpan, with the crumb of the roll, anchovies, onions, herbs, lemon-peel, and the water; simmer gently till all the goodness is extracted, and strain it off. Pound the spawn in a mortar, with the butter, nutmeg, and flour, and mix with it the cream and milk. Give one boil up, at the same time adding the tails cut in pieces. Make the forcemeat balls with the remainder of the lobster, seasoned with mace, pepper, and salt, adding a little flour, and a few bread crumbs; moisten them with the egg, heat them in the soup, and serve.

Time. 2 hours, or rather more.

Oyster soup -1.

-------------

Ingredients:- 6 dozen of oysters, 2 quarts of white stock, 1/2 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1-1/2 oz. of flour; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste.

Mode:- Scald the oysters in their own liquor; take them out, beard them, and put them in a tureen. Take a pint of the stock, put in the beards and the liquor, which must be carefully strained, and simmer for 1/2 an hour. Take it off the fire, strain it again, and add the remainder of the stock with the seasoning and mace. Bring it to a boil, add the thickening of butter and flour, simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the boiling cream, pour it over the oysters, and serve.

Time. 1 hour.

Note. This soup can be made less rich by using milk instead of cream, and thickening with arrowroot instead of butter and flour.

Oyster soup -2

--------------

Ingredients:- 2 quarts of good mutton broth, 6 dozen oysters, 2 oz. butter, 1 oz. of flour.

Mode:- Beard the oysters, and scald them in their own liquor; then add it, well strained, to the broth; thicken with the butter and flour, and simmer for 1/4 of an hour. Put in the oysters, stir well, but do not let it boil, and serve very hot.

Time. 3/4 hour.

Prawn soup.

-----------

Ingredients:- 2 quarts of fish stock or water, 2 pints of prawns, the crumbs of a French roll, anchovy sauce or mushroom ketchup to taste, 1 blade of mace, 1 pint of vinegar, a little lemon-juice.

Mode:- Pick out the tails of the prawns, put the bodies in a stewpan with 1 blade of mace, 1/2 pint of vinegar, and the same quantity of water; stew them for 1/4 hour, and strain off the liquor. Put the fish stock or water into a stewpan; add the strained liquor, pound the prawns with the crumb of a roll moistened with a little of the soup, rub them through a tammy, and mix them by degrees with the soup; add ketchup or anchovy sauce to taste, with a little lemon-juice. When it is well cooked, put in a few picked prawns; let them get thoroughly hot, and serve. If not thick enough, put in a little butter and flour.

FRUIT COCKTAILS.

2011-02-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

Cocktails made of a combination of fruits are often served as the first course of a meal, usually a luncheon or a dinner, to precede the soup course. In warm weather, they are an excellent substitute for heavy cocktails made of lobster or crab, and they may even be used to replace the soup course. The fruits used for this purpose should be the more acid ones, for the acids and flavors are intended to serve as an appetizer, or the same purpose for which the hot and highly seasoned soups are taken. Fruit cocktails should always be served ice cold.

Grapefruit cocktail.

--------------------

The cocktail here explained may be served in stemmed glasses or in the shells of the grapefruit. If the fruit shells are to be used, the grapefruit should be cut into two parts, half way between the blossom and the stem ends, the fruit removed, and the edges of the shell then notched. This plan of serving a cocktail should be adopted only when small grapefruits are used, for if the shells are large more fruit will have to be used than is agreeable for a cocktail.

2 grapefruits 2 oranges 1 c. diced pineapple, fresh or canned Powdered sugar

Remove the pulp from the grapefruits and oranges. However, if the grapefruit shells are to be used for serving the cocktail, the grapefruit should be cut in half and the pulp then taken out of the skin with a sharp knife. With the sections of pulp removed, cut each one into several pieces. Add the diced pineapple to the other fruits, mix together well and set on ice until thoroughly chilled. Put in cocktail glasses or grapefruit shells, pour a spoonful or two of orange juice over each serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar, garnish with a cherry, and serve ice cold.

Summer cocktail.

---------------

As strawberries and pineapples can be obtained fresh at the same time during the summer, they are often used together in a cocktail. When sweetened slightly with powdered sugar and allowed to become ice cold, these fruits make a delicious combination.

2 c. diced fresh pineapple 2 c. sliced strawberries Powdered sugar

Prepare a fresh pineapple, and cut each slice into small pieces or dice. Wash and hull the strawberries and slice them into small slices. Mix the two fruits and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Place in cocktail glasses and allow to stand on ice a short time before serving.

Fruit cocktail.

---------------

A fruit cocktail proper is made by combining a number of different kinds of fruit, such as bananas, pineapple, oranges, and maraschino cherries. Such a cocktail is served in a stemmed glass set on a small plate. Nothing more delicious than this can be prepared for the first course of a dinner or a luncheon that is to be served daintily. Its advantage is that it can be made at almost any season of the year with these particular fruits.

2 bananas 1 c. canned pineapple 2 oranges 1 doz. maraschino cherries Lemon juice Powdered sugar

Peel the bananas and dice them. Dice the pineapple. Remove the pulp from the oranges in the manner, and cut each section into several pieces. Mix these three fruits. Cut the cherries in half and add to the mixture. Set on ice until thoroughly chilled. To serve, put into cocktail glasses and add to each glass 1 tablespoonful of maraschino juice from the cherries and 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

2011-02-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

A lot of studies and research has shown that kids

who eat breakfast perform better in school and

have a healthier diet. Eating breakfast will help

promote the proper growth and maximize school

performance as well.

Breakfast is often times a victim of the morning

time crunch. Even though you may be tempted to

skip breakfast, you can simplify your morning

routine by following these 8 tips:

1. Finish homework and pack school bags

at night.

2. Decide on what your children will

wear to school before you go to bed and locate

lost shoes for the following day.

3. In the morning, get up 15 minutes

earlier.

4. Give up computer games and morning

television.

5. Have healthy foods on hand. You

should also shop for breakfast foods with your kids

and take into account their personal preferences.

6. Set the cereal out the night before.

For younger children, fill a zippered plastic bag

with her portion, then add the milk in the

morning.

7. Allow your children to use the

microwave often, as most breakfast foods can be

prepared in under 5 minutes.

8. Allow your kids to eat in the car or

on the way to school.

There are several foods that you can eat for

breakfast, even leftovers from supper if they

are sufficient. You can eat bagels, pizza with

fruit juice, pretzels, or the normal bacon and

eggs that breakfast is known for. Most foods are

a snap to prepare, and won't take you but a

few minutes.

The next time you are in a hurry in the morning,

remember that you are probably about to skip the

most important meal of the day. If you follow the

tips above, you'll find that you have plenty of

Healthy Fat Intake

2011-02-12T07:44:00.000-08:00

This information is aimed at helping you to

reduce your fat intake. The average individual

eats too much fat, a factor that's linked to

a variety of health problems, including cancer.

Diets that are high in fat are associated with

breast and colon cancer, with some studies

linking high fat to prostate cancer as well.

A majority of people can bring their fat intakes

down to a healthy range by making a few adjustments

in the way they shop, cook, and prepare the foods

they eat.

Now days, it's getting easier and easier to control

the amount of fat you consume. The fat content of

foods are now available through the nutrition label

and through brochures distributed by food companies

and even fast food restaurants.

You can use this information on nutrition to choose

lower fat foods by comparing products and food

brands. Once you have a rough idea of what a healthy

intake of fat is, you'll know what you can and what

you can't have.

From day to day, the amount of fat you eat will

vary. Some meals and some days will be higher in

fat than others. Even high fat meals can be kept

in line with healthy eating as long as you balance

those days accordingly. The average fat intake over

the course of weeks and months is important, not the

fat intake of every meal and food you consume.

Younger adults and high active adults who have

higher calorie needs can probably eat a little more

fat. Older adults and those that aren't very active

should aim for a lower fat intake. This way, you

can control your fat intake and avoid the many

problems that fat is associated with.

HYGIENE OF DIGESTION.

2011-02-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

With the stomach and other digestive organs in a state of perfect health, one is entirely unconscious of their existence, save when of feeling of hunger calls attention to the fact that food is required, or satiety warns us that a sufficient amount or too much has been eaten. Perfect digestion can only be maintained by careful observance of the rules of health in regard to habits of eating.

On the subject of Hygiene of Digestion, we quote a few paragraphs from Dr. Kellogg's work on Physiology, in which is given a concise summary of the more important points relating to this:

"The hygiene of digestion has to do with the quality and quantity of food eaten, in the manner of eating it.

If the food is eaten too rapidly, it will not be properly divided, and when swallowed in coarse lumps, the digestive fluids cannot readily act upon it. On account of the insufficient mastication, the saliva will be deficient in quantity, and, as a consequence, the starch will not be well digested, and the stomach will not secrete a sufficient amount of gastric juice. It is not well to eat only soft or liquid food, as we are likely to swallow it without proper chewing. A considerable proportion of hard food, which requires thorough mastication, should be eaten at every meal.

Drinking Freely at Meals is harmful, as it not only encourages hasty eating, but dilutes the gastric juice, and thus lessens its activity. The food should be chewed until sufficiently moistened by saliva to allow it to be swallowed. When large quantities of fluid are taken into the stomach, digestion does not begin until a considerable portion of the fluid has been absorbed. If cold foods or drinks are taken with the meal, such as ice-cream, ice-water, iced milk or tea, the stomach is chilled, and a long delay in the digestive process is occasioned.

The Indians of Brazil carefully abstain from drinking when eating, and the same custom prevails among many other savage tribes.

Eating between Meals.

---------------------

The habit of eating apples, nuts, fruits, confectionery, etc., between meals is exceedingly harmful, and certain to produce loss of appetite and indigestion. The stomach as well as the muscles and other organs of the body requires rest. The frequency with which meals should be taken depends somewhat upon the age and occupation of an individual. Infants take their food at short intervals, and owing to its simple character, are able to digest it very quickly. Adults should not take food oftener than three times a day; and persons whose employment is sedentary say, in many cases at least, adopt with advantage the plan of the ancient Greeks, who ate but twice a day.

Simplicity in Diet.

-------------------

Taking too many kinds of food at a meal is a common fault which is often a cause of disease of the digestive-organs. Those nations are the most hardy and enduring whose dietary is most simple. The Scotch peasantry live chiefly upon oatmeal, the Irish upon potatoes, milk, and oatmeal, the Italian upon peas, beans, macaroni, and chestnuts; yet all these are noted for remarkable health and endurance. The natives of the Canary Islands, an exceedingly well-developed and vigorous race, subsist almost chiefly upon a food which they call gofio, consisting of parched grain, coarsely ground in a mortar and mixed with water.

Eating when Tired.

-----------------

It is not well to eat when exhausted by violent exercise, as the system is not prepared to do the work of digestion well. Sleeping immediately after eating is also a harmful practice. The process of digestion cannot well be performed during sleep, and sleep is disturbed by the ineffective efforts of the digestive organs. Hence the well-known evil effects of late suppers.

Eating too Much.

---------------

Hasty eating is the greatest cause of over-eating. When one eats too rapidly, the food is crowded into the stomach so fast that nature has no time to cry, 'Enough,' by taking away the appetite before too much has been eaten. When an excess of food is taken, it is likely to ferment or sour before it can be digested. One who eats too much usually feels dull after eating."

Healthy Grocery Shopping

2011-02-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

Grocery shopping is something we all have to do, even

though choosing the right foods can be very hard

indeed. To assist you with your healthy grocery

shopping, the tips below can indeed help make things

easier than ever before:

1. Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

2. Select canned fruits and tuna that are packed in

water, not oil or syrup.

3. Look at the labels for the words "hydrogenated"

or "partially hydrogenated". The earlier you see

them appear on the list, the higher the amount of

unhealthy trans fatty acids the food will contain.

4. Don't buy turkey with the skin on it, and if

you plan to buy chicken - buy a chicken breast

meal.

5. When you select frozen dinners, select those

that are not only low in fat, but low in sodium

and cholesterol as well.

6. If you aren't consuming enough dairy products,

go with calcium fortified orange juice instead.

7. Go for whole grain breads, cereals, and rolls.

8. Give cantaloupe a try. With just 95 calories,

half of the melon will provide more than a day's

supply of Vitamin C and beta carotene.

9. Don't be tricked into buying yogurt covered

by nuts or raisins, as the coating is normally

made of sugar and partially hydrogenated oils.

10. Get some of the low fat treats, such as

pretzels, ginger snaps, and angel food cake.

By following the above tips when grocery shopping,

you'll avoid the bad foods and get those that you

need. There are many different healthy foods at

the grocery store, all it takes is the will power

to go past the bad foods and on to the good ones.

Healthy Food Choices

2011-02-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Eating healthy is something we all would like to do,

although it can be hard. In order to eat healthy, you

must first make the right food choices. Eating healthy

is all about what you eat, which makes the choices very

crucial to your results.

Grains

You should consume 6 ounces of grains per day. To do this,

you can eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, rice,

crackers, or pasta. You can get an ounce of grains in

a single slice of bread, or 1 cut of cereal.

Vegetables

These should be varied, as you should eat 2 1/2 cups of

them each day. You should start eating more of the dark

vegetables, such as broccili and spinach. Carrots and

sweet potatoes are good as well. You should also eat

more dry beans such as peas, pinto beans, and even kidney

beans.

Fruits

Fruits are very important. You should try to eat 2 cups

of them each day. Focus on eating a variety, such as

fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried fruit. You can

drink fruit juices as well, although you should use

moderation when doing so.

Milk

Milk is your calcium rich friend. For adults, 3 cups

is the ideal goal. For kids 2 - 8, 2 cups is where you

want to be. When choosing milk products or yogurt, you

should go for fat-free or low-fat. Those of you who

don't like milk or can't have it, should go for lactose

free products or other sources of calcium such as fortified

foods and beverages.

Meat and beans

Eating 5 ounces a day is the ideal goal, as you should go

lean with your protein. When eating meat, always bake it,

grill it, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from

adding to the equation. You should vary your protein

as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

When cooking your food, you should also limit solid fats

such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard. These

foods may add flavor to your dishes, although they can

also help raise your cholesterol as well. Therefore, you

should try to add these foods and any foods that happen

to contain them.

To help keep your saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium low,

you can check the nutrition facts label. This label can

be found on the food package and will tell you all the

information you need to know about the food item.

By picking your foods wisely and watching what you eat,

you'll help control your lifestyle. Exercise is great as

well, as it goes along perfect with a healthy eating

lifestyle. No matter what your age may be, eating healthy

will help you keep your active lifestyle for years and

years - even help you and your health in the long run

Kids Eating Healthy

2011-02-03T16:35:00.000-08:00

Fast food is a big part of modern life these days,

making it very hard to teach a child how he or she

should eat healthy. The cheapest and easiest foods

are those that are normally the least healthy. If

you give your child the choice between healthy food

and junk food, you normally won't like the results.

Even though it isn't possible to get a child to like

all healthy foods, there are some ways to get your

child to try and hopefully like at least a few of

them. You can be as creative as you like, as getting

kids to eat healthy foods can be a little harder than

you may think.

- Sneak the healthy food in. Even though it would

be great if your kid understood the importance of

fruits and vegetables, this isn't always possible.

If you can't get them to eat good food willingly,

there are ways to sneak them in, such as making

muffins out of bananas or apples, or pizza with

spinach on it.

- Call fruits and vegetables by funny names. You

can refer to broccoli as "trees", making them

more fun to eat. There are many different names

you can call fruits and vegetables, even making up

your own if you prefer. Most kids prefer to eat

foods that sound fun.

- Make the foods taste better. Ranch dressing is

great for broccoli, while peanut butter is a great

topping for celery. There are several combinations

for vegetables that can make them taste much

better. You can let your child pick a topping

for a vegetable, even if it's something you wouldn't

normally like yourself.

- Dress the vegetables up. Just as much as calling

them names help kids eat healthy foods, making them

look funny also helps. You can do this by making

funny designs on the plate, or setting them up to

look like people. Although some parents don't like

their kids playing with their food, sometimes it

helps to get them to eat healthier.

There are several ways to make your kids eat

healthier, but to make them enjoy it also has to

be fun as well. This isn't always an easy task,

because kids normally don't like foods that are

good for them. It can however, be done with a bit

of creativity. Hopefully, doing this will help

your child develop a love of healthy foods for the

MACARONI RECIPES.

2011-02-02T02:41:00.000-08:00

Home-made macaroni.

------------------

To four cupfuls of flour, add one egg well beaten, and enough water to make a dough that can be rolled. Roll thin on a breadboard and cut into strips. Dry in the sun. The best arrangement for this purpose is a wooden frame to which a square of cheese-cloth has been tightly tacked, upon which the macaroni may be laid in such a way as not to touch, and afterwards covered with a cheese-cloth to keep off the dust during the drying.

Boiled macaroni.

---------------

Put a larg cup of macaroni into boiling water and cook until tender. When done, drained thoroughly, then add a pint of milk, part cream if it can be afforded, a little salt and one well-beaten egg; stir over the fire until it thickens, and serve hot.

Macaroni with cream sauce.

-------------------------

Cook the macaroni as directed in the proceeding, and serve with a cream sauce prepared by heating a scant pint of rich milk to boiling, in a double boiler. When boiling, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smoothed in a little milk and one fourth teaspoonful of salt. If desired, the sauce may be flavored by steeping in the milk before thickening for ten or fifteen minutes, a slice of onion or a few bits of celery, and then removing with a fork.

Macaroni with tomato sauce.

--------------------------

Drop a cup of macaroni into boiling milk and water, equal parts. Let it boil for an hour, or until perfectly tender. In the meantime prepare the sauce by rubbing a pint of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander to remove all seeds and fragments. Heat to boiling, thicken with a little flour; a tablespoonful to the pint will be about the requisite proportion. Add salt and if desired, a half cup of very thin sweet cream. Dish the macaroni into individual dishes, and serve with a small quantity of the sauce poured over each dish.

Macaroni baked with granola.

---------------------------

Cook a large cup of macaroni until tender in boiling milk and water. When done, drain and put a layer of the macaroni in the bottom of a pudding dish, and sprinkle over it a scant teaspoonful of granola. Add a second and third layer and sprinkle each with granola; then turn over the whole a custard sauce prepared by mixing together a pint of milk, the well beaten yolks of two eggs or one whole egg, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. Care should be taken to arrange the macaroni in layers loosely, so that the sauce will readily permeate the whole. Bake for a few minutes only, until the custard has well set, and serve.

Eggs and macaroni.

-----------------

Cook a cup of macaroni in boiling water. While the macaroni is cooking, boil the yolks of four eggs until mealy. The whole egg may be used if caught so the yolks are mealy in the whites simply jellied, not hardened. When the macaroni is done, drain and put a layer of it arranged loosely in the bottom of a pudding dish. Slice the cooked egg yolks and spread a layer of them over the macaroni. Fill the dish with alternate layers of macaroni and egg, taking care to have the top layer of macaroni. Pour over the whole a cream sauce prepared as follows: Heat one and three fourths cup of rich milk to boiling, add one fourth teaspoonful of salt and one heaping spoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. Cook until thickened, then turn over the macaroni. Sprinkle the top with grated bread crumbs, and brown in a hot oven for eight or ten minutes. Serve hot.

Nine Facts About Fiber

2011-01-30T22:52:00.000-08:00

If you've been looking for a way towards a high

octane diet, you'll find fiber to be exactly what

you need. Even though research has shown fiber to

be powerful, many people aren't taking this nutrient

seriously.

To help you fuel your health with fiber, here are

10 facts to help.

1. Fiber fights diseases. A diet high in fiber can

help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease. High

fiber helps the body to eliminate cholesterol by

binding it in the digestive tract. For thousands of

years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.

2. Fiber can actually help with overeating. All high

fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest,

making you feel satisfied longer

3. Most popular foods don't have enough fiber. If

you like the more popular foods, you probably need

to increase your intake of fiber.

4. Grains offer the most fiber. Dietary fiber is

actually plant matter that we cannot digest. The best

sources are whole grains and concentrated grain

products.

5. Kids need fiber as well. Children that are older

than 2 years of age should consume a daily intake of

fiber. Kids are most receptive to fiber found in

fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast

cereals.

6. More fiber needs more water. In order to keep

fiber moving through your digestive tract, you'll

need to consume a lot of water. With your diet of

fiber, you'll need eight or more glasses of water

every day.

7. Fiber cannot be cooked out. When you cook

your fruits and vegetables, don't worry about cooking

the fiber out, as it stays. The fiber found in

fruits and vegetables aren't just in the skin or

in the peel.

8. You can get enough fiber. If you eat more than

50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea

and bloating, which can interfere with your body's

absorption of other key minerals.

9. Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet

doesn't have to be hard. Even though you may think

so, getting the amount of fiber you need isn't very

hard to do. All you have to do is eat the right

foods and you'll be well on your way to a fiber

rich lifestyle.

As one of the key ingredients to healthy eating,

fiber is something you don't want to skip. Fiber can

serve many different purposes, which were covered

above. If you aren't getting enough fiber in your

diet - you should do something about now instead

of waiting until it is too late.

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD ELEMENTS

2011-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

The purposes of food are to promote growth, to supply force and heat, and to furnish material to repair the waste which is constantly taking place in the body. Every breath, every thought, every motion, wears out some portion of the delicate and wonderful house in which we live. Various vital processes remove these worn and useless particles; and to keep the body in health, their loss must be made good by constantly renewed supplies of material properly adapted to replenish the worn and impaired tissues. This renovating material must be supplied through the medium of food and drink, and the best food is that by which the desired end may be most readily and perfectly attained. The great diversity in character of the several tissues of the body, makes it necessary that food should contain a variety of elements, in order that each part may be properly nourished and replenished.

The food elements.

-------------------

The various elements found in food are the following: Starch, sugar, fats, albumen, mineral substances, indigestible substances.

The digestible food elements are often grouped, according to their chemical composition, into three classes; vis., carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and inorganic. The carbonaceous class includes starch, sugar, and fats; the nitrogenous, all albuminous elements; and the inorganic comprises the mineral elements.

Starch is only found in vegetable foods; all grains, most vegetables, and some fruits, contain starch in abundance. Several kinds of sugar are made in nature's laboratory; cane, grape, fruit, and milk sugar. The first is obtained from the sugar-cane, the sap of maple trees, and from the beet root. Grape and fruit sugars are found in most fruits and in honey. Milk sugar is one of the constituents of milk. Glucose, an artificial sugar resembling grape sugar, is now largely manufactured by subjecting the starch of corn or potatoes to a chemical process; but it lacks the sweetness of natural sugars, and is by no means a proper substitute for them. Albumen is found in its purest, uncombined state in the white of an egg, which is almost wholly composed of albumen. It exists, combined with other food elements, in many other foods, both animal and vegetable. It is found abundant in oatmeal, and to some extent in the other grains, and in the juices of vegetables. All natural foods contain elements which in many respects resemble albumen, and are so closely allied to it that for convenience they are usually classified under the general name of "albumen." The chief of these is gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Casein, found in peas, beans, and milk, and the fibrin of flesh, are elements of this class.

Fats are found in both animal and vegetable foods. Of animal fats, butter and suet are common examples. In vegetable form, fat is abundant in nuts, peas, beans, in various of the grains, and in a few fruits, as the olive. As furnished by nature in nuts, legumes, grains, fruits, and milk, this element is always found in a state of fine subdivision, which condition is the one best adapted to its digestion. As most commonly used, in the form of free fats, as butter, lard, etc., it is not only difficult of digestion itself, but often interferes with the digestion of the other food elements which are mixed with it. It was doubtless never intended that fats should be so modified from their natural condition and separated from other food elements as to be used as a separate article of food. The same may be said of the other carbonaceous elements, sugar and starch, neither of which, when used alone, is capable of sustaining life, although when combined in a proper and natural manner with other food elements, they perform a most important part in the nutrition of the body. Most foods contain a percentage of the mineral elements. Grains and milk furnish these elements in abundance. The cellulose, or woody tissue, of vegetables, and the bran of wheat, are examples of indigestible elements, which although they cannot be converted into blood in tissue, serve an important purpose by giving bulk to the food.

With the exception of gluten, none of the food elements, when used alone, are capable of supporting life. A true food substance contains some of all the food elements, the amount of each varying in different foods.

Uses of the food elements.

--------------------------

Concerning the purpose which these different elements serve, it has been demonstrated by the experiments of eminent physiologists that the carbonaceous elements, which in general comprise the greater bulk of the food, serve three purposes in the body;

1. They furnish material for the production of heat;

2. They are a source of force when taken in connection with other food elements;

3. They replenish the fatty tissues of the body. Of the carbonaceous elements, starch, sugar, and fats, fats produce the greatest amount of heat in proportion to quantity; that is, more heat is developed from a pound of fat than from an equal weight of sugar or starch; but this apparent advantage is more than counterbalanced by the fact that fats are much more difficult of digestion than are the other carbonaceous elements, and if relied upon to furnish adequate material for bodily heat, would be productive of much mischief in overtaxing and producing disease of the digestive organs. The fact that nature has made a much more ample provision of starch and sugars than of fats in man's natural diet, would seem to indicate that they were intended to be the chief source of carbonaceous food; nevertheless, fats, when taken in such proportion as nature supplies them, are necessary and important food elements.

The nitrogenous food elements especially nourish the brain, nerves, muscles, and all the more highly vitalized and active tissues of the body, and also serve as a stimulus to tissue change. Hence it may be said that a food deficient in these elements is a particularly poor food.

The inorganic elements, chief of which are the phosphates, in the carbonates of potash, soda, and lime, aid in furnishing the requisite building material for bones and nerves.

Proper combinations of foods.

-----------------------------

While it is important that our food should contain some of all the various food elements, experiments upon both animals and human beings show it is necessary that these elements, especially the nitrogenous and carbonaceous, be used in certain definite proportions, as the system is only able to appropriate a certain amount of each; and all excess, especially of nitrogenous elements, is not only useless, but even injurious, since to rid the system of the surplus imposes an additional task upon the digestive and excretory organs. The relative proportion of these elements necessary to constitute a food which perfectly meets the requirements of the system, is six of carbonaceous to one of nitrogenous. Scientists have devoted much careful study and experimentation to the determination of the quantities of each of the food elements required for the daily nourishment of individuals under the varying conditions of life, and it has come to be commonly accepted that of the nitrogenous material which should constitute one sixth of the nutrients taken, about three ounces is all that can be made use of in twenty-four hours, by a healthy adult of average weight, doing a moderate amount of work. Many articles of food are, however, deficient in one or the other of these elements, and need to be supplemented by other articles containing the deficient element in superabundance, since to employ a dietary in which any one of the nutritive elements is lacking, although in bulk it may be all the digestive organs can manage, is really starvation, and will in time occasion serious results.

It is thus apparent that much care should be exercised in the selection and combination of food materials. Such knowledge is of first importance in the education of cooks and housekeepers, since to them falls the selection of the food for the daily needs of the household; and they should not only understand what foods are best suited to supply these needs, but how to combine them in accordance with physiological laws.

Making Healthy Food Choices

2011-01-27T12:20:00.000-08:00

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are normally low in

fat and have no cholesterol. Most are great sources

of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and vitamins.

The American Heart Association recommends that you

eat foods that are high in complex carbs and fiber.

Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:

- Coconut is high in saturated fat, while olives

are high in monounsaturated fats and calories. You

should use these items sparingly to avoid getting

too many calories from fat.

- When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated fat

or cholesterol is often added. For example, egg

yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.

- Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may

also contain added sodium. With some people, too

much sodium (salt) may lead to high blood pressure.

There are some food companies that are actually

canning vegetables with less salt. You can look

for these in the market area or choose fresh and

even frozen vegetables.

- Nuts and seeds tend to be high in calories and

fat, although a majority of the fat is polyunsaturated

or monounsaturated. There are some varieties,

macadamie nuts for example, that are also high in

saturated fat.

Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great

choice as well. Examples include oat bran,

oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and

even apple pulp.

Whenever you are looking for healthy food choices,

always make sure you read the nutrition label

or information about the food. You can then

determine what the food contains and how healthy

it truly is for your body. By taking your time

and making your healthy food choices wisely,

you'll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that

will take care of you.

MOUTH-WATERING LOBSTER RECIPES.

2011-01-24T23:08:00.000-08:00

To boil lobsters.

-----------------

Ingredients:- 1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

Mode:- Medium-sized lobsters are the best. Have ready a stewpan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling quickly from 20 minutes to 3/4 hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim well. If it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention. Hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off again.

Time. Small lobster, 20 minutes to 1/2 hour; large ditto, 1/2 to 1/3 hour.

Hot lobster.

------------

Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 2 oz. of butter, grated nutmeg; salt, pepper, and pounded mace, to taste; bread crumbs, 2 eggs.

Mode:- Pound the meat of the lobster to a smooth paste with the butter and seasoning, and add a few bread crumbs. Beat the eggs, and make the whole mixture into the form of a lobster; pound the spawn, and sprinkle over it. Bake 1/4 hour, and just before serving, lay over it the tail and body shell, with the small claws underneath, to resemble a lobster.

Time. 1/4 hour.

Lobster salad.

--------------

Ingredients:- 1 hen lobster, lettuces, endive, small salad (whatever is in season), a little chopped beetroot, 2 hard-boiled eggs, a few slices of cucumber. For dressing, equal quantities of oil and vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of made mustard, the yolks of 2 eggs; cayenne and salt to taste; 3 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. These ingredients should be mixed perfectly smooth, and form a creamy-looking sauce.

Mode:- Wash the salad, and thoroughly dry it by shaking it in a cloth. Cut up the lettuces and endive, pour the dressing on them, and lightly throw in the small salad. Mix all well together with the pickings from the body of the lobster; pick the meat from the shell, cut it up into nice square pieces, put half in the salad, the other half reserve for garnishing. Separate the yolks from the whites of 2 hard-boiled eggs; chop the whites very fine, and rub the yolks through a sieve, and afterwards the coral from the inside. Arrange the salad lightly on a glass dish, and garnish, first with a row of sliced cucumber, then with the pieces of lobster, the yolks and whites of the eggs, coral, and beetroot placed alternately, and arranged in small separate bunches, so that the colours contrast nicely.

Note. A few crayfish make a pretty garnishing to lobster salad.

Lobster (a la mode francaise).

-----------------------------

Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of white stock, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; bread crumbs.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it up into small square pieces; put the stock, cream, and seasoning into a stewpan, add the lobster, and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes. Serve it in the shell, which must be nicely cleaned, and have a border of puff-paste; cover it with bread crumbs, place small pieces of butter over, and brown before the fire, or with a salamander.

Time. 1/4 hour.

Lobster curry (an Entree).

--------------------------

Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 2 onions, 1 oz. butter, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1/2 pint of medium stock, the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it into nice square pieces; fry the onions of a pale brown in the butter, stir in the curry-powder and stock, and simmer till it thickens, when put in the lobster; stew the whole slowly for 1/2 hour, and stir occasionally; and just before sending to table, put in the lemon-juice. Serve boiled rice with it, the same as for other curries.

Time. Altogether, 3/4 hour.

Lobster cutlets (an Entree).

----------------------------

Ingredients:- 1 large hen lobster, 1 oz. fresh butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, pounded mace, grated nutmeg, cayenne and white pepper to taste, egg, and bread crumbs.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and pound it in a mortar with the butter, and gradually add the mace and seasoning, well mixing the ingredients; beat all to a smooth paste, and add a little of the spawn; divide the mixture into pieces of an equal size, and shape them like cutlets. They should not be very thick. Brush them over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs, and stick a short piece of the small claw in the top of each; fry them of a nice brown in boiling lard, and drain them before the fire, on a sieve reversed; arrange them nicely on a dish, and pour bechamel in the middle, but not over the cutlets.

Time. About 8 minutes after the cutlets are made.

Lobster patties (an Entree).

----------------------------

Ingredients:- Minced lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of bechamel, 6 drops of anchovy sauce, lemon-juice, cayenne to taste.

Mode:- Line the patty-pans with puff-paste, and put into each a small piece of bread: cover with paste, brush over with egg, and bake of a light colour. Take as much lobster as is required, mince the meat very fine, and add the above ingredients; stir it over the fire for 6 minutes; remove the lids of the patty-cases, take out the bread, fill with the mixture, and replace the covers.

Potted lobster.

---------------

Ingredients:- 2 lobsters; seasoning to taste, of nutmeg, pounded mace, white pepper, and salt; 1/4 lb. of butter, 3 or 4 bay-leaves.

Mode:- Take out the meat carefully from the shell, but do not cut it up. Put some butter at the bottom of a dish, lay in the lobster as evenly as possible, with the bay-leaves and seasoning between. Cover with butter, and bake for 3/4 hour in a gentle oven. When done, drain the whole on a sieve, and lay the pieces in potting-jars, with the seasoning about them. When cold, pour over it clarified butter, and, if very highly seasoned, it will keep some time.

NINE SALMON RECIPES.

2011-01-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

Boiled salmon.

--------------

Ingredients:- 6 oz. of salt to each gallon of water, sufficient water to cover the fish.

Mode:- Scale and clean the fish, and be particular that no blood is left inside; lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it, adding salt in the above proportion. Bring it quickly to a boil, take off all the scum, and let it simmer gently till the fish is done, which will be when the meat separates easily from the bone. Experience alone can teach the cook to fix the time for boiling fish; but it is especially to be remembered, that it should never be underdressed, as then nothing is more unwholesome. Neither let it remain in the kettle after it is sufficiently cooked, as that would render it insipid, watery, and colourless. Drain it, and if not wanted for a few minutes, keep it warm by means of warm cloths laid over it. Serve on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and parsley, and send lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter to table with it. A dish of dressed cucumber usually accompanies this fish.

Time. 8 minutes to each lb. for large thick salmon; 6 minutes for thin fish.

Note. Cut lemon should be put on the table with this fish; and a little of the juice squeezed over it is considered by many persons a most agreeable addition. Boiled peas are also, by some connoisseurs, considered especially adapted to be served with salmon.

Salmon and caper sauce.

-----------------------

Ingredients:- 2 slices of salmon, 1/4 lb. batter, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1 shalot; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste.

Mode:- Lay the salmon in a baking-dish, place pieces of butter over it, and add the other ingredients, rubbing a little of the seasoning into the fish; baste it frequently; when done, take it out and drain for a minute or two; lay it in a dish, pour caper sauce over it, and serve. Salmon dressed in this way, with tomato sauce, is very delicious.

Time. About 3/4 hour.

Collared salmon.

----------------

Ingredients:- A piece of salmon, say 3 lbs., a high seasoning of salt, pounded mace, and pepper; water and vinegar, 3 bay-leaves.

Mode:- Split the fish; scale, bone, and wash it thoroughly clean; wipe it, and rub in the seasoning inside and out; roll it up, and bind firmly; lay it in a kettle, cover it with vinegar and water (1/3 vinegar, in proportion to the water); add the bay-leaves and a good seasoning of salt and whole pepper, and simmer till done. Do not remove the lid. Serve with melted butter or anchovy sauce. For preserving the collared fish, boil up the liquor in which it was cooked, and add a little more vinegar. Pour over when cold.

Time. 3/4 hour, or rather more.

Curried salmon.

---------------

Ingredients:- Any remains of boiled salmon, 3/4 pint of strong or medium stock, 1 onion, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1 teaspoonful of Harvey's sauce, 1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, 1 oz. of butter, the juice of 1/2 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.

Mode:- Cut up the onions into small pieces, and fry them of a pale brown in the butter; add all the ingredients but the salmon, and simmer gently till the onion is tender, occasionally stirring the contents; cut the salmon into small square pieces, carefully take away all skin and bone, lay it in the stewpan, and let it gradually heat through; but do not allow it to boil long.

Time. 3/4 hour.

Salmon cutlets.

---------------

Cut the slices 1 inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt; butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, with their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. When higher seasoning is required, add a few chopped herbs and a little spice.

Time. 5 to 10 minutes.

Salmon a la genevese.

--------------------

Ingredients:- 2 slices of salmon, 2 chopped shalots, a little parsley, a small bunch of herbs, 2 bay-leaves, 2 carrots, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of Madeira, 1/2 pint of white stock, thickening of butter and flour, 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, the juice of 1 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.

Mode:- Rub the bottom of a stewpan over with butter, and put in the shalots, herbs, bay-leaves, carrots, mace, and seasoning; stir them for 10 minutes over a clear fire, and add the Madeira or sherry; simmer gently for 1/2 hour, and strain through a sieve over the fish, which stew in this gravy. As soon as the fish is sufficiently cooked, take away all the liquor, except a little to keep the salmon moist, and put it into another stewpan; add the stock, thicken with butter and flour, and put in the anchovies, lemon-juice, cayenne, and salt; lay the salmon on a hot dish, pour over it part of the sauce, and serve the remainder in a tureen.

Nutrition For The Elderly

2011-01-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

Healthy eating and nutrition for the elderly is

greatly impacted by several factors, one of them

being a change in body composition. During the

later years in life, the body will lose bone and

muscle and gain fat because the hormones aren't

very active anymore.

There are many factors which hinder an elderly

person's health. The information below will help

you to lead a healthy life - no matter how old you

may be.

Water

Water in the body decreases with age, so many older

folks will become dehydrated very easily. Sometimes

they won't feel thirsty, while other times it's

too much work to pour a glass a water. With this

in mind, it's recommended that they drink at least

1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight.

Protein

At this stage in life, protein is very important.

Protein is needed to support a healthy immune

system and prevent the wasting of muscle. Since

energy needs are less, older folks should eat high

quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poulty,

and fish.

Carbs and fiber

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for

the entire body. You can find carbs in bread,

cereals, pasta, and other grain products. A diet

that's high in fiber and water will help to

prevent constipation as well.

Fat

Fat intake for the elderly should be limited, not

eliminated. You can limit fat by choosing lean meats,

low fat dairy products, and food preperation

methods that don't include frying.

Iron

For the elderly, iron deficiency can be seen with

those who aren't eating much. Good sources for

iron include lean red meats or breakfast cereals.

Zinc

Zinc intake is normally with the elderly, and to

make matters worse, it's not absorbed very well

either. Meat, poultry, and fish should be a part

of your diet to help you meet the requirements for

zinc.

Calcium

Calcium is one ingredient that most elderly folks

simply aren't getting enough of. Most believe

that milk upsets their stomach, and therefore they

will avoid it. They should be getting around 1,500

mg of calcium a day, and nonfat powdered milk can

be used in recipes as a substitute for milk. Other

foods such as yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli

can also help you meet the requirements for calcium.

Vitamin B12

In order to absorb the benefits of B12, the intrinsic

facotr must be produced by the stomach. Most elderly

people suffer from a deficiency in B12 because they

have a condition known as atrophic gastritis. This

condition causes inflammation of the stomach,

bacterial overgrowth, and the intrinsic factor.

Without the intrinsic factor, this vitamin can be

absorbed.

Each one of the above nutrients are needed to keep

an aged body in good health. Elderly individuals

should try to stay active and strive for a well

balanced diet. Even though the aged body isn't the

same as it used to be, proper care and the right

nutrients can help the elderly enjoy a healthy and

PREPARE AND COOK MACARONI.

2011-01-19T14:56:00.000-08:00

Macaroni is a product of wheat prepared from a hard, clean, glutenous grain. The grain is ground into a meal called semolina, from which the bran is excluded. This is made into a tasty dough by mixing with hot water in the proportion of two thirds semolina to one third water. The dough after being thoroughly mixed is put into a shallow vat and kneaded and rolled by machinery. When well rolled, it is made to assume varying shapes by being forced by a powerful plunger through the perforated head of strong steel or iron cylinders arranged above a fire, so that the dough is partially baked as it issues from the holes. It is afterwards hung over rods or laid upon frames covered with cloth, and dried. It is called by different names according to its shape. If in the shape of large, hollow cylinders, it is macaroni; if smaller in diameter, it is spaghetti; if fine, vermicelli; if the paste is cut into fancy patterns, it is termed pasta d'Italia. Macaroni was formerly made only in Italy, but at present is manufactured to a considerable extent in the United States.

Good macaroni will keep in good condition for a long time. It is rough, elastic, and hard; while the inferior article is smooth, soft, breaks easily, becomes moldy with keeping. Inferior macaroni contains a large percentage of starch, and but a small amount of gluten. When put into hot water, it assumes a white, pasty appearance, and splits in cooking. Good macaroni when put into hot water absorbs a portion of the water, swells to nearly double its size, but perfectly retains its shape. It contains a much smaller amount of gluten.

Do not wash macaroni. Break into pieces of convenient size if it is long. Always put to cook in boiling liquid, taking care to have plenty of water in the saucepan (as it absorbs a large quantity), and cook until tender. The length of time required may vary from twenty minutes, if fresh, to one hour if stale. When tender, turn into a colander and drain, and pour cold water through it to prevent the tubes from sticking together. The fluid used for cooking may be water, milk, or a mixture of both; also soup stock, tomato juice, or any preferred liquid.

Macaroni serves as an important adjunct to the making of various soups, and also forms the basis of other palatable dishes.

THE CHEMISTRY AND ECONOMY OF SOUP-MAKING.

2011-01-17T05:04:00.000-08:00

Stock being the basis of all meat soups, and, also, of all the principal sauces, it is essential to the success of these culinary operations, to know the most complete and economical method of extracting, from a certain quantity of meat, the best possible stock or broth. The theory and philosophy of this process we will, therefore, explain, and then proceed to show the practical course to be adopted.

As all meat is principally composed of fibres, fat, gelatine, osmazome, and albumen, it is requisite to know that the fibres are inseparable, constituting almost all that remains of the meat after it has undergone a long boiling. Fat is dissolved by boiling; but as it is contained in cells covered by a very fine membrane, which never dissolves, a portion of it always adheres to the fibres. The other portion rises to the surface of the stock, and is that which has escaped from the cells which were not whole, or which have burst by boiling. Gelatine is soluble: it is the basis and the nutritious portion of the stock. When there is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when cold, to become a jelly. Osmazome is soluble even when cold, and is that part of the meat which gives flavour and perfume to the stock. The flesh of old animals contains more osmazome than that of young ones. Brown meats contain more than white, and the former make the stock more fragrant. By roasting meat, the osmazome appears to acquire higher properties; so, by putting the remains of roast meats into your stock-pot, you obtain a better flavour.

Albumen is of the nature of the white of eggs; it can be dissolved in cold or tepid water, but coagulates when it is put into water not quite at the boiling-point. From this property in albumen, it is evident that if the meat is put into the stock-pot when the water boils, or after this is made to boil up quickly, the albumen, in both cases, hardens. In the first it rises to the surface, in the second it remains in the meat, but in both it prevents the gelatine and osmazome from dissolving; and hence a thin and tasteless stock will be obtained. It ought to be known, too, that the coagulation of the albumen in the meat, always takes place, more or less, according to the size of the piece, as the parts farthest from the surface always acquire that degree of heat which congeals it before entirely dissolving it.

Bones ought always to form a component part of the stock-pot. They are composed of an earthy substance, to which they owe their solidity, of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. Two ounces of them contain as much gelatine as one pound of meat; but in them, this is so incased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the surface of whole bones. By breaking them, however, you can dissolve more, because you multiply their surfaces; and by reducing them to powder or paste, you can dissolve them entirely; but you must not grind them dry. Gelatine forms the basis of stock; but this, though very nourishing, is entirely without taste; and to make the stock savoury, it must contain osmazome. Of this, bones do not contain a particle; and that is the reason why stock made entirely of them, is not liked; but when you add meat to the broken or pulverized bones, the osmazome contained in it makes the stock sufficiently savoury.

In concluding this part of our subject, the following condensed hints and directions should be attended to in the economy of soup-making:

Beef makes the best stock. Veal stock has less colour and taste; whilst mutton sometimes gives it a tallowy smell, far from agreeable, unless the meat has been previously roasted or broiled. Fowls add very little to the flavour of stock, unless they be old and fat. Pigeons, when they are old, add the most flavour to it; and a rabbit or partridge is also a great improvement. From the freshest meat the best stock is obtained.

If the meat be boiled solely to make stock, it must be cut up into the smallest possible pieces; but, generally speaking, if it is desired to have good stock and a piece of savoury meat as well, it is necessary to put a rather large piece into the stock-pot, say sufficient for two or three days, during which time the stock will keep well in all weathers. Choose the freshest meat, and have it cut as thick as possible; for if it is a thin, flat piece, it will not look well, and will be very soon spoiled by the boiling.

Never wash meat, as it deprives its surface of all its juices; separate it from the bones, and tie it round with tape, so that its shape may be preserved, then put it into the stock-pot, and for each pound of meat, let there be one pint of water; press it down with the hand, to allow the air, which it contains, to escape, and which often raises it to the top of the water.

Put the stock-pot on a gentle fire, so that it may heat gradually. The albumen will first dissolve, afterwards coagulate; and as it is in this state lighter than the liquid, it will rise to the surface; bringing with it all its impurities. It is this which makes the scum. The rising of the hardened albumen has the same effect in clarifying stock as the white of eggs; and, as a rule, it may be said that the more scum there is, the clearer will be the stock. Always take care that the fire is very regular.

Remove the scum when it rises thickly, and do not let the stock boil, because then one portion of the scum will be dissolved, and the other go to the bottom of the pot; thus rendering it very difficult to obtain a clear broth. If the fire is regular, it will not be necessary to add cold water in order to make the scum rise; but if the fire is too large at first, it will then be necessary to do so.

When the stock is well skimmed, and begins to boil, put in salt and vegetables, which may be two or three carrots, two turnips, one parsnip, a bunch of leeks and celery tied together. You can add, according to taste, a piece of cabbage, two or three cloves stuck in an onion, and a tomato. The latter gives a very agreeable flavour to the stock. If fried onion be added, it ought, according to the advice of a famous French chef, to be tied in a little bag: without this precaution, the colour of the stock is liable to be clouded.

By this time we will now suppose that you have chopped the bones which were separated from the meat, and those which were left from the roast meat of the day before. Remember, as was before pointed out, that the more these are broken, the more gelatine you will have. The best way to break them up is to pound them roughly in an iron mortar, adding, from time to time, a little water, to prevent them getting heated. In their broken state tie them up in a bag, and put them in the stock-pot; adding the gristly parts of cold meat, and trimmings, which can be used for no other purpose. If, to make up the weight, you have purchased a piece of mutton or veal, broil it slightly over a clear fire before putting it in the stock-pot, and be very careful that it does not contract the least taste of being smoked or burnt.

Add now the vegetables, which, to a certain extent, will stop the boiling of the stock. Wait, therefore, till it simmers well up again, then draw it to the side of the fire, and keep it gently simmering till it is served, preserving, as before said, your fire always the same. Cover the stock-pot well, to prevent evaporation; do not fill it up, even if you take out a little stock, unless the meat is exposed; in which case a little boiling water may be added, but only enough to cover it. After six hours' slow and gentle simmering, the stock is done; and it should not be continued on the fire, longer than is necessary, or it will tend to insipidity.

Note. It is on a good stock, or first good broth and sauce, that excellence in cookery depends. If the preparation of this basis of the culinary art is intrusted to negligent or ignorant persons, and the stock is not well skimmed, but indifferent results will be obtained. The stock will never be clear; and when it is obliged to be clarified, it is deteriorated both in quality and flavour. In the proper management of the stock-pot an immense deal of trouble is saved, inasmuch as one stock, in a small dinner, serves for all purposes. Above all things, the greatest economy, consistent with excellence, should be practised, and the price of everything which enters the kitchen correctly ascertained. The theory of this part of Household Management may appear trifling; but its practice is extensive, and therefore it requires the best attention.

The Healthiest Foods You Can Get

2011-01-15T03:28:00.000-08:00

The following is a list of the healthiest foods that

you can get. This will help you get an idea as

to what foods are the best for your body.

Fruits

Apricots

Apricots contain Beta-carotene which helps to

prevent radical damage and also helps to protect

the eyes. A single apricot contains 17 calories,

0 fat, and one gram of fiber. You can eat them

dried or soft.

Mango

A medium sized mango packs 57 MG of vitamin C,

which is nearly your entire daily dose. This

antioxidant will help prevent arthritis and also

boost your immune system.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupes contain 117 GG of vitamin C, which is

almost twice the recommended dose. Half a melon

contains 853 MG of potassium, which is nearly

twice as much as a banana, which helps to lower

blood pressure. Half a melon contains 97 calories,

1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of fiber.

Tomato

A tomato can help cut the risk of bladder, stomach,

and colon cancers in half if you eat one daily.

A tomaton contains 26 calories, 0 fat, and only

1 gram of fiber.

Vegetables

Onions

An onion can help to protect against cancer. A

cup of onions offers 61 calories, 0 fat, and 3

grams of fiber.

Broccoli

Broccoli can help protect against breast cancer,

and it also contains a lot of vitamin C and beta-

carotene. One cup of chopped broccoli contains

25 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Spinach

Spinach contains carotenoids that can help fend

off macular degeneration, which is a major cause

of blindness in older people. One cup contains

7 calories, 0 fat, and 1 gram of fiber.

Grains, beans, and nuts

Peanuts

Peanuts and other nuts can lower your risk of

heart disease by 20 percent. One ounce contains

166 calories, 14 grams of fat, and over 2 grams of

fiber.

Pinto beans

A half cut of pinto beans offers more than 25

percent of your daily folate requirement, which

protects you against heart disease. Half a cup

contains 103 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams

of fiber.

Skim milk

Skim milk offers vitamin B2, which is important for

good vision and along with Vitamin A could improve

allergies. You also get calcium and vitamin D as

well. One cup contains 86 calories, o fat, and 0

fiber.

Seafood

Salmon

All cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and

tuna are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids,

which help to reduce the risk of cardiac disease.

A 3 ounce portion of salmon contains 127 calories,

4 grams of fat, and 0 fiber.

Crab

Crab is a great source of vitamin B12 and immunity

boosting zinc. A 3 ounce serving of crab offers

84 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 0 fiber.

Tips For Healthy Holiday Eating

2011-01-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

When the holidays arrive, many people forget all

about their diets and healthy eating. Weight

gains of 7 - 10 pounds are common between

Halloween and Christmas. To make the holidays

easier, these tips will help you with healthy

eating through the season and not gaining weight.

Most traditional foods can be made low fat.

Turkey is very lean without the skin, and gravy

can be made without any fat. Potatoes that are

served without butter can be very healthy. The

beloved pumpkin pie is nutritious, although it

can be made into a fatty dessert with the adding

of whipped cream.

Even though the holidays are in, don't forget

about the exercise. Keeping weight off during

the holiday season is burning off the extra

calories. You should plan a walk after meals,

park farther from stores when you shop, and

take a few walks around the mall before you

begin shopping.

During holiday parties and at family dinners,

feel free to sample foods although you shouldn't

splurge. Decide on what you plan to eat in

advance, then stick to your plan. Eat plenty

of vegetables, fruit, low fat dressings, and

slices of lean meats. Before you go to a party,

eat a small snack to help curb your appetite.

If at all possible, avoid alcohol. Having too

many drinks can cripple your will power, and

also add excess calories to your diet. In the

place of alcohol, drink water with lemon. Water

can help to limit your appetite and keep you

from binging. Also make sure to avoid eggnog,

as each glass can have up to 300 calories.

Be flexible with your healthy eating, as one bad

meal won't ruin your diet. Try to balance your

calories over a few days and don't just look at

Tips For Healthy Eating

2011-01-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

Healthy eating is a way of balancing the food you

eat to keep your body in great health. With healthy

eating, you'll have energy all day, get the vitamins

and minerals you need, stay strong for activities

you enjoy, and maintain a healthy weight.

Below, you'll find tips designed to help you with

healthy eating.

1. Don't skip any meals

Eating 3 meals with snacks in between is the ideal

way to maintain both energy and a healthy weight.

When you skip meals and get hungry, you're more

than likely to choose foods that aren't very good

for you.

If you are eating away from home, take food with

you or know where you can buy healthy food from.

2. Learn about how to prepare foods

Instead of deep frying, try grilling, stir frying,

microwaving, baking, and even boiling. You should

also try fresh or even dried herbs and spices to

add flavor to your food. Before you eat any type

of meat, be sure to trim the fat and skin off of

it.

3. Avoid a lot of sugar

Drinks that contain sugar are a major source of

empty energy. What this means, is that the drinks

contain a lot of energy that your body may not

need, and it doesn't contain any vitamins or

minerals. If you plan to drink sugary drinks,

don't go overboard - limit yourself to 1 a day.

4. Avoid thinking about diets

There are no good food nor any bad foods. All

food can be a part of a healthy diet, when eaten

in moderation. You don't need to buy any low

carb, fat free, or even diet foods, as these foods

normally have lots of other added ingredients

to replaces the carbohydrates or fat.

THE PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC COOKERY.

2011-01-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

It is not enough that good and proper food material be provided; it must have such preparation as will increase and not diminish its alimentary value. The unwholesomeness of food is quite as often due to bad cookery as to improper selection of material. Proper cookery renders good food material more digestible. When scientifically done, cooking changes each of the food elements, with the exception of fats, in much the same manner as do the digestive juices, and at the same time it breaks up the food by dissolving the soluble portions, so that its elements are more readily acted upon by the digestive fluids. Cookery, however, often fails to attain the desired end; and the best material is rendered useless and unwholesome by a improper preparation.

It is rare to find a table, some portion of the food upon which is not rendered unwholesome either by improper preparatory treatment, or by the addition of some deleterious substance. This is doubtless due to the fact that the preparation of food being such a commonplace matter, its important relations to health, mind, and body have been overlooked, and it has been regarded as a menial service which might be undertaken with little or no preparation, and without attention to matters other than those which relate to the pleasure of the eye and the palate. With taste only as a criterion, it is so easy to disguise the results of careless and improper cookery of food by the use of flavors and condiments, as well as to palm off upon the digestive organs all sorts of inferior material, that poor cookery has come to be the rule rather than the exception.

Methods of cooking.

-------------------

Cookery is the art of preparing food for the table by dressing, or by the application of heat in some manner. A proper source of heat having been secured, the next step is to apply it to the food in some manner. The principal methods commonly employed are roasting, broiling, baking, boiling, stewing, simmering, steaming, and frying.

Roasting is cooking food in its own juices before an open fire. Broiling, or grilling, is cooking by radiant heat. This method is only adapted to thin pieces of food with a considerable amount of surface. Larger and more compact foods should be roasted or baked. Roasting and broiling are allied in principle. In both, the work is chiefly done by the radiation of heat directly upon the surface of the food, although some heat is communicated by the hot air surrounding the food. The intense heat applied to the food soon sears its outer surfaces, and thus prevents the escape of its juices. If care be taken frequently to turn the food so that its entire surface will be thus acted upon, the interior of the mass is cooked by its own juices.

Baking is the cooking of food by dry heat in a closed oven. Only foods containing a considerable degree of moisture are adapted for cooking by this method. The hot, dry air which fills the oven is always thirsting for moisture, and will take from every moist substance to which it has access a quantity of water proportionate to its degree of heat. Foods containing but a small amount of moisture, unless protected in some manner from the action of the heated air, or in some way supplied with moisture during the cooking process, come from the oven dry, hard, and unpalatable.

Boiling is the cooking of food in a boiling liquid. Water is the usual medium employed for this purpose. When water is heated, as its temperature is increased, minute bubbles of air which have been dissolved by it are given off. As the temperature rises, bubbles of steam will begin to form at the bottom of the vessel. At first these will be condensed as they rise into the cooler water above, causing a simmering sound; but as the heat increases, the bubbles will rise higher and higher before collapsing, and in a short time will pass entirely through the water, escaping from its surface, causing more or less agitation, according to the rapidity with which they are formed. Water boils when the bubbles thus rise to the surface, and steam is thrown off. The mechanical action of the water is increased by rapid bubbling, but not the heat; and to boil anything violently does not expedite the cooking process, save that by the mechanical action of the water the food is broken into smaller pieces, which are for this reason more readily softened. But violent boiling occasions an enormous waste of fuel, and by driving away in the steam the volatile and savory elements of the food, renders it much less palatable, if not altogether tasteless. The solvent properties of water are so increased by heat that it permeates the food, rendering its hard and tough constituents soft and easy of digestion.

The liquids mostly employed in the cooking of foods are water and milk. Water is best suited for the cooking of most foods, but for such farinaceous foods as rice, macaroni, and farina, milk, or at least part milk, is preferable, as it adds to their nutritive value. In using milk for cooking purposes, it should be remembered that being more dense than water, when heated, less steam escapes, and consequently it boils sooner than does water. Then, too, milk being more dense, when it is used alone for cooking, a little larger quantity of fluid will be required than when water is used.

Steaming, as its name implies, is the cooking of food by the use of steam. There are several ways of steaming, the most common of which is by placing the food in a perforated dish over a vessel of boiling water. For foods not needing the solvent powers of water, or which already contain a large amount of moisture, this method is preferable to boiling. Another form of cooking, which is usually termed steaming, is that of placing the food, with or without water, as needed, in a closed vessel which is placed inside another vessel containing boiling water. Such an apparatus is termed a double boiler. Food cooked in its own juices in a covered dish in a hot oven, is sometimes spoken of as being steamed or smothered.

Stewing is the prolonged cooking of food in a small quantity of liquid, the temperature of which is just below the boiling point. Stewing should not be confounded with simmering, which is slow, steady boiling. The proper temperature for stewing is most easily secured by the use of the double boiler. The water in the outer vessel boils, while that in the inner vessel does not, being kept a little below the temperature of the water from which its heat is obtained, by the constant evaporation at a temperature a little below the boiling point.

Frying, which is the cooking of food in hot fat, is a method not to be recommended Unlike all the other food elements, fat is rendered less digestible by cooking. Doubtless it is for this reason that nature has provided those foods which require the most prolonged cooking to fit them for use with only a small proportion of fat, and it would seem to indicate that any food to be subjected to a high degree of heat should not be mixed and compounded largely of fats.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO COOK RICE.

2010-12-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

Rice needs to be thoroughly washed. A good way to do this is to put it into a colander, in a deep pan of water. Rub the rice well with the hands, lifting the colander in and out the water, and changing the water until it is clear; then drain. In this way the grit is deposited in the water, and the rice left thoroughly clean.

The best method of cooking rice is by steaming it. If boiled in much water, it loses a portion of its already small percentage of nitrogenous elements. It requires much less time for cooking than any of the other grains. Like all the dried grains and seeds, rice swells in cooking to several times its original bulk. When cooked, each grain of rice should be separate and distinct, yet perfectly tender.

Steamed rice.

-------------

Soak a cup of rice in one and a fourth cups of water for an hour, then add a cup of milk, turn into a dish suitable for serving it from at table, and place in a steam-cooker or a covered steamer over a kettle of boiling water, and steam for an hour. It should be stirred with a fork occasionally, for the first ten or fifteen minutes.

Boiled rice (japanese method).

------------------------------

Thoroughly cleanse the rice by washing in several waters, and soak it overnight. In the morning, drain it, and put to cook in an equal quantity of boiling water, that is, a pint of water for a pint of rice. For cooking, a stewpan with tightly fitting cover should be used. Heat the water to boiling, then add the rice, and after stirring, put on the cover, which is not again to be removed during the boiling. At first, as the water boils, steam will puff out freely from under the cover, but when the water has nearly evaporated, which will be in eight to ten minutes, according to the age and quality of the rice, only a faint suggestion of steam will be observed, and the stewpan must then be removed from over the fire to some place on the range, where it will not burn, to swell and dry for fifteen or twenty minutes.

Rice to be boiled in the ordinary manner requires two quarts of boiling water to one cupful of rice. It should be boiled rapidly until tender, then drained at once, and set in a moderate oven to become dry. Picking and lifting lightly occasionally with a fork will make it more flaky and dry. Care must be taken, however, not to mash the rice grains.

Rice with fig sauce.

--------------------

Steam a cupful of best rice as directed above, and when done, serve with a fig sauce. Dish a spoonful of the fig sauce with each saucer of rice, and serve with plenty of cream. Rice served in this way requires no sugar for dressing, and is a most wholesome breakfast dish.

Orange rice.

-----------

Wash and steam the rice. Prepare some oranges by separating into sections and cutting each section in halves, removing the seeds and all the white portion. Sprinkle the oranges lightly with sugar, and let them stand while the rice is cooking. Serve a portion of the orange on each saucerful of rice.

Rice with raisins.

-------------------

Carefully wash a cupful of rice, soak it, and cook as directed for Steamed Rice. After the rice has began to swell, but before it has softened, stir into it lightly, using a fork for the purpose, a cupful of raisins. Serve with cream.

Rice with peaches.

------------------

Steam the rice and when done, serve with cream and a nicely ripened peach pared and sliced on each individual dish.

Browned rice.

-------------

Spread a cupful of rice on a shallow baking tin, and put into a moderately hot oven to brown. It will need to be stirred frequently to prevent burning and to secure a uniformity of color. Each rice kernel, when sufficiently browned, should be of a yellowish brown, about the color of ripened wheat. Steam the same as directed for ordinary rice, using only two cups of water for each cup of browned rice, and omitting the preliminary soaking. When properly cooked, each kernel will be separated, dry, and mealy. Rice prepared in this manner is undoubtedly more digestible than when cooked without browning.

Facts About Nutrition Labels

2010-12-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

The nutrition label located on each and every food item,

will tell you all the information about that food. For

some however, this information isn't exactly that reader

friendly. Fear not, as it's actually easier than you

think.

Serving Size

This size is based on the amount people eat. Similar

food items will have similar serving sizes, thus making

it easier to compare 2 foods of the same category.

% Daily Value

This indicates how food will fit in a 2,000 calorie

diet. This will help you to understand if the food

has a lot, or just a little of the important nutrients.

The middle section

The nutrients you'll find listed in the middle section

are the ones that are most important to your health.

This information can help you to calculate your daily

limit of fat, fiber, sodium, and other nutrients.

Vitamins & minerals

The percent daily value found here is the exact same

as the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins

and minerals.

Now that you know what the nutrition label actually

means, it'll be a lot easy to eat healthy. Eating

healthy is a great thing - especially when you use the

nutrition label to assist you with your food choices.

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL KITCHEN.

2010-12-23T08:00:00.001-08:00

It is a mistake to suppose that any room, however small and unpleasantly situated, is "good enough" for a kitchen. This is the room where housekeepers pass a great portion of their time, and it should be one of the brightest and most convenient rooms in the house; for upon the results of no other department depend so greatly the health and comfort of the family as upon those involved in this 'household workshop'.

Every kitchen should have windows on two sides of the room, and the sun should have free entrance through them; the windows should open from the top to allow a complete change of air, for light and fresh air are among the chief essentials to success in all departments of the household. Good drainage should also be provided, and the ventilation of the kitchen ought to be even more carefully attended to than that of a sleeping room. The ventilation of the kitchen should be so ample as to thoroughly remove all gases and odors, which, together with steam from boiling and other cooking processes, generally invade and render to some degree unhealthful every other portion of the house.

There should be ample space for tables, chairs, range, sink, and cupboards, yet the room should not be so large as to necessitate too many steps. Undoubtedly much of the distaste for, and neglect of, "housework," so often deplored, arises from unpleasant surroundings. If the kitchen be light, airy, and tidy, and the utensils bright and clean, the work of compounding those articles of food which grace the table and satisfy the appetite will be a pleasant task.

It is desirable, from a sanitary standpoint, that the kitchen floor be made impervious to moisture; hence, concrete or tile floors are better than wooden floors. Cleanliness is the great desideratum, and this can be best attained by having all woodwork in and about the kitchen coated with polish; substances which cause stain and grease spots, do not penetrate the wood when polished, and can be easily removed with a damp cloth.

The elements of beauty should not be lacking in the kitchen. Pictures and fancy articles are inappropriate; but a few pots of easily cultivated flowers on the window ledge or arranged upon brackets about the window in winter, and a window box arranged as a jardiniere, with vines and blooming plants in summer, will greatly brighten the room, and thus serve to lighten the task of those whose daily labor confines them to the precincts of the kitchen.

The kitchen furniture.

----------------------

The furniture for a kitchen should not be cumbersome, and should be so made and dressed as to be easily cleaned. There should be plenty of cupboards, and each for the sake of order, should be devoted to a special purpose. Cupboards with sliding doors are much superior to closets. They should be placed upon casters so as to be easily moved, as they, are thus not only more convenient, but admit of more thorough cleanliness.

Cupboards used for the storage of food should be well ventilated; otherwise, they furnish choice conditions for the development of mold and germs. Movable cupboards may be ventilated by means of openings in the top, and doors covered with very fine wire gauze which will admit the air but keep out flies and dust.

For ordinary kitchen uses, small tables of suitable height on easy-rolling casters, and with zinc tops, are the most convenient and most easily kept clean. It is quite as well that they be made without drawers, which are too apt to become receptacles for a heterogeneous mass of rubbish. If desirable to have some handy place for keeping articles which are frequently required for use, an arrangement similar to that represented in the accompanying cut may be made at very small expense. It may be also an advantage to arrange small shelves about and above the range, on which may be kept various articles necessary for cooking purposes.

One of the most indispensable articles of furnishing for a well-appointed kitchen, is a sink; however, a sink must be properly constructed and well cared for, or it is likely to become a source of great danger to the health of the inmates of the household. The sink should if possible stand out from the wall, so as to allow free access to all sides of it for the sake of cleanliness. The pipes and fixtures should be selected and placed by a competent plumber.

Great pains should be taken to keep the pipes clean and well disinfected. Refuse of all kinds should be kept out. Thoughtless housekeepers and careless domestics often allow greasy water and bits of table waste to find their way into the pipes. Drain pipes usually have a bend, or trap, through which water containing no sediment flows freely; but the melted grease which often passes into the pipes mixed with hot water, becomes cooled and solid as it descends, adhering to the pipes, and gradually accumulating until the drain is blocked, or the water passes through very slowly. A grease-lined pipe is a hotbed for disease germs.

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Takeaways London Links

2010-09-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Takeaways London

2010-05-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

On the part of the website/business owner, the Takeaways London directory is also advantageous. This is because they will be part of a credible listing people use to gather data. This alone will enable them to get more diners who otherwise would not have known about their establishment. Given these benefits, it comes as no surprise that London Takeaways directories have increasingly become popular in the country.

For the Diner

Do you want to take your date to a classy dinner but don't know where to go? Stop fretting because through using the Takeaways London directory, you will get the lowdown on all the Takeaways and restaurants in London town. Whether you prefer Chinese,Indian,Thai,FastFood,Mexican,Seafood,Japanese,Fish n Chips,Pizza,Italian,Carribean,Kebabs,Turkish and many more.. cuisine, you'll have a whole range of choices. In addition, special features provided by the directory will let you know how well the establishment of your choice is doing, what its rating is, and what people think about it.

People who have special diets will also appreciate the Takeaways London directory service. This is because these websites effectively classify restaurants as Vegetarian, Seafood places, or Takeaway establishments. As a result, a lot of time and effort is saved in searching. As if that's not enough, directories also feature great recipes from renowned establishments.

Whether you want to splurge or go to a decent takeaway restaurant on a tight budget, you will surely find satisfactory choices in a good London takeaway restaurant in the Takeaways London directory. Be sure to check out the price range of these restaurants before dining. It is also recommended for you to visit the business's website if they have one to give you an overview of their menu and service.

For people looking for catering supplies, Takeaways London directory can also provide a list of companies. It is no wonder that directories have gained tremendous popularity in recent years; it is beneficial for all parties concerned.

For the Takeaway and Restaurant Owner

Using takeaway restaurant directories is a great way to get your business noticed. There are countless restaurants throughout the London area. These establishments range from simple pubs that provide very affordable services to full-fledged word-class establishments. If your takeaway restaurant is somewhere in between, it is difficult to get your service noticed. Budget limitation is another reason why many good takeaways fail to take off.

It is a good thing that the internet has evened out the playing field for takeaways and restaurant owners when it comes to advertising and promotion. True, establishments with big budgets can still get an upper hand because they can advertiser in national websites. But by using a bit of creativity, it becomes possible for a small player to make a huge impact. One way to do this is through Takeaways London directory.

Packages Available in Restaurant Directories

For takeaway restaurant owners, directories are beneficial in more ways than one. For example, most takeaways and restaurant directories are optimised for the search engines. As a result, they will have a high search engine results page (SERP) ranking in Google, Bing, and MSN among others. Individuals looking for information will inevitably click on these sites to get recommendations and an overview of the types of takeaways available in the area. In some cases, your website can get buried amid all the listings in your category. For example, popular categories like British takeaways and French takeaways usually contain more links compared to less popular choices.

Fortunately, majority of the Takeaways London directory offers business with affordable packages that will enable them to get noticed by the target market. Whether you run a seafood restaurant, a vegetarian outlet, or a takeaway establishment, you can benefit from these offers. Some of the most common packages include:

1. Highlighted Takeaways – if you're looking for affordable advertising coverage, this is it. The highlighted restaurant option enables your site to stand out from the rest. Similar to the concept in the yellow pages wherein some entries are put in bold, the highlight suggests that your business is better than others. People are drawn to these ads because their eyes automatically look at the most visible entry.

With a highlighted Takeaways, you can expect to see a big increase in customers especially if the Takeaways London directory where you're listed at is highly popular. This feature can be maintained for as long as you request it. The benefits of this feature are great and varied. The bottom line is that you profit from this endeavor.

2. Featured Takeaways – only a select number of takeaways can be featured in any given directory. Pursuing this type of advertisement is a good investment. A lot of companies have already benefited from being featured. You can take advantage of this service as well. Choose a good restaurant directory to gain optimal results.

3. Suggested Takeaways – being classified as a \"suggested takeaways\" carries a lot of advantages. It gives credibility to your business and attracts a large number of diners. It gives people a reason to go to your establishments instead of visiting the one next door.

Be sure to take advantage of this service from restaurant directories. However, if you do, it is important to deliver on your implied promise to give a good meal. Diners will not come back and may even provide a bad feedback if they go home disappointed.

4. Free Listing – if you don't wish to get better coverage for your website in the restaurant directory, it is possible to submit your business for free. Your establishment will still be promoted but it may not have the same benefits as the featured, suggested, and highlighted links. Once you have the budget to improve online visibility, it is recommended for you to pursue better advertising in takeaways London restaurant directory. After all, people visit these sites for information, feedback, and suggestions