My Food and Drink Blog

Because of the popularity of high protein diets and the aggressive marketing of supplement companies, women are more confused than ever about protein. Are you confused because so many women are?

I know I was confused back when I was doing research.

After all, separating the wheat from the chaff can be virtually impossible for the average woman because of all the marketing hype. And not knowing how to manage your consumption of protein can put a serious dent in your arm fat goal.

Thus, here are 5 myths about arm fat and protein intake:

1. Whole food is not as good as supplemental protein. This is a great statement for the supplement companies, but not for women wishing to reduce arm fat. Do not be swayed by the marketing claims, whole food will always be a better source of protein.

2. Multiple whey protein shakes reduces arm fat. Nothing could be further from the truth! The only time you should have whey protein is right after your arm workout, that’s it. Whey protein digests way too quickly to warrant further consumption.

3. Fast absorbing protein is best. Just like with carbohydrates, slower digestion is better. Any time you spike a nutrient in your bloodstream there is going to be a subsequent drop. And protein is no exception.

4. The more the merrier. This is an outdated bodybuilding myth. While protein does positively affect hormones and gives you a sense of fullness, going overboard negates all the positives. Protein should not be more than 30% of your total caloric intake.

5. Hormonally treated protein has a negative effect. To date, there haven’t been any solid studies proving this. However, there are ethical reasons to NOT eat this type of protein. If possible, stick to grass fed sources of protein for more omega-3 fats.

Getting rid of flabby arms doesn’t have to be hard. The key here is to ignore the marketing hype and stick to what has been proven by solid research. And knowing how to properly manage your protein intake is critical for losing arm fat.

Author Katherine Crawford, a Harvard exercise expert and recent arm fat sufferer, instructs women on how to reduce arm fat once and for all. Discover how to get sexy and toned arms by visiting her website about how to get rid of upper arm fat with the best techniques right now!

Is it possible for you to taste the difference between boiled and microwave water? Most of the tea connoisseurs are often on a hunt to find the best tasting cup of tea available. Often the loose over bagged blends of tea are the type of tea that was considered in this regards.

How the water is boiled is what matters in rest of the times. So by boiling water in a microwave, you are just wasting a part of an expensive loose blend of white tea. There are many methods of boiling water, including the various electric and stovetop tea kettles, a sauce pan, and a microwave.

Microwave is the least favored among all the options available for boiling water. Inside a microwave the heat gets the water to boil, so does any ordinary kettle or even a sauce pan, for that matter. Water boiled in a microwave is often thought to have a warmed over or lukewarm taste and even has an artificial or plastic aftertaste.

According to many people this might be enough for making a quick cup of tea in the morning. However microwave is not suitable for boiling water to steep in a teapot. So you would want to boil the water in a separate place, so that it can be poured inside the teapot to steep for a few minutes. It is not advisable to put the teapots in a microwave because many teapots are ceramic or porcelain.

So the tea kettle is the best and efficient method of boiling water. Stovetop and electric tea kettles are the two options in the market. Neither of these needs to be placed in the microwave. When placed on a stovetop or plugged into an outlet they will automatically heat up.

These days’ electric tea kettles are the best choice to boil water. Moreover these modern accessories have a filter inside to reduce any mineral deposits. The built up of minerals inside a stovetop tea kettle or an ordinary sauce pan is said to give a metallic aftertaste, as well.

The author has been writing articles on kettles for the past three years. He has a huge collection of different tea kettles. For related information on tea kettles visit the pages kettles tea whistling and chantal tea kettle.

Regular pancakes are usually made from white flour and are considered not having as many nutrients as those made with other grains. They are carbohydrate loaded so in some cases they can cause your blood sugar to rise rather high. Flour pancakes have no source of fiber but if you use other grains you will be able to provide your body with less carbohydrates and a great deal of fiber. You can use oatmeal as one of those alternative grains to make an Oatmeal Pancake Recipe.

The original oatmeal pancake comes from a country you would not expect it to come from. They come from Sweden and are usually served with fruit and jelly instead of syrup. Oatmeal pancakes can be served with regular syrup too and they taste very good, but you can also put applesauce on them if you do not want to use syrup.

In this recipe use regular oatmeal instead of the microwave type. Also avoid the Quick Oats in the following recipe. The only oatmeal you should use is slow cooked oatmeal and you can use organic oatmeal if you wish.

Start out this easy oatmeal pancake recipe by pour two cups of milk into a large bowl and adding one and one half of a cup of rolled oats. Set the bowl aside and let them soak for around 10 minutes. Take another large bowl and blend one half of a cup of white flour, one half of a cup of wheat flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, one tablespoon of baking powder, on fourth of a teaspoon of table salt, and finally one half of a teaspoon of cinnamon. Take a whisk and mix this up in the bowl being careful not to spill over the sides of the bowl.

In a small bowl you want to whisk 2 eggs until they are beaten and throw them in with the milk and oatmeal mixture that has been set aside. Also add to this mixture one fourth of a cup of melted butter. Add one teaspoon vanilla as the last ingredient. Mix that all together and add the flour mixture gradually so that everything is all incorporated and it looks like pancake batter.

Place a skillet on the stove and get it hot or use an electric griddle making sure it is hot. Add just a little bit of vegetable oil or butter and scoop out about 1 fourth cup of the batter placing it on the hot surface. Bubbles will start to form around the edge of the pancake and once there is a steady circle of bubbles you can flip your pancake over. The one side should be brown and once the other side gets that way and the inside looks nice and fluffy you can remove the pancake to a plate. You can put a pat of butter on top and syrup or just put the jam, fresh fruit, or some applesauce on top.

You can make your own orange syrup to use with your oatmeal pancake recipe that is absolutely luscious. This is a splurge type thing because there are a lot of calories in this syrup but every once in awhile is a special treat. Take a medium saucepan and put 1 half cup sugar in it. Add 1 fourth of a cup of orange juice, 1 fourth cup of butter, and 1 fourth of a cup of light corn syrup. Start whisking and heating the syrup and once it starts to boil it is done. Set is aside for about 5 minutes and then pour over your pancakes. Your family will gobble these down in just seconds.

Ben is a pancake nut and this oatmeal pancake recipe is just one of the recipes that you can find on his website. If you like eating healthy you can also try this whole wheat pancake recipe, then again – there are plenty of other recipes to choose from!

If you are considering brewing your own beer in your own home, it stands to reason that you become informed about the ingredients that you will be utilizing in the course of the beer brewing process. There are generally four key ingredients in beer: hops, yeast, barley, and needless to say, water. It is important that you gain a general knowledge of what each ingredient does, and why it is essential.

Barley is the kernel of a grain. You’ll distinguish it since it looks an awful lot like wheat. Barley cannot be used as is – it has to be malted through a natural process of conversion. It must go through the process of germination ; simply put, this means that it must start to sprout. You will help it do this simply by leaving it to soak in water for a number of days, and then draining off the water and allowing the barley to sit for about five days. Much like every other seed, barley contains various nutrients that sustain it until it is able to develop its own nutrients by means of photosynthesis. Throughout germination, barley’s nutrients are converted into sugars. These sugars sustain the plant as it matures. As soon as the sugar is out, you will need to dry out the malt. You can accomplish this by slowly raising the temperature. Once that’s done, you must detach the roots that formed at the time of germination. The malted barley is now all set to be brewed.

Hops are another ingredient utilized in beer. They supply the bitter flavor frequently associated with beer. They create this bitterness since they are made up of acids. As well, hops usually hinder most of the bacteria which are inclined to form during the beer making process. There are various kinds of hops, and every one provides a different amount of bitterness. They’re most commonly grown in Australia, England, and areas of Germany.

Another ingredient, yeast, is responsible for providing beer’s alcohol content. Yeast is a single-celled microorganism. It is exclusively responsible for creating both the alcohol and the carbon dioxide found in beer. You will find that there are many different types of yeast. All of them feature a different flavor, so pick carefully the variety of yeast that you use when brewing your beer. There are two categories of yeast used in beer making. They are ale yeast and lager yeast. Ale yeast floats close to the surface of the beer for the period of fermentation, so it is known as top fermenting. It generally ferments at a temperature of about 70 degrees F (21 degrees C). Meanwhile, lager yeasts are bottom fermenting, and have a tendency to ferment more slowly. They normally ferment at about 50 degrees F (10 degrees C).

Hops, yeast and barley are the three most important ingredients that you are going to need to shop for if you are thinking to make beer at home. Each has several variations, so it is vital for you to study the various kinds. Learning as much as possible regarding the ingredients that will end up in your beer will make you more sure of yourself as you endeavor to become your own brewer.

Brewing beer at home is becoming an increasingly popular pastime for many people these days. Find out what you need to know about things like a beer brewing equipment kit at Beer Brewing Supplies.

Skinning knives are made in many totally different sizes and for several totally different jobs. They’re created to skin animals and to skin fish too. They are designed to be used in specific animals. Although you can probably skin a deer with the identical knife that you’d skin a rabbit, there’s a totally different knife for every animal. A knife designed to skin a deer is thicker. It is stronger because the deer’s hide is thicker and harder to chop through than that of a rabbit. Most of them conjointly come equipped with specially serrated edges that will cut through tendons and bones as well.

A rabbit may be a tiny animal; its skin is thin and fragile. You do not would like serrated edges to chop the bones and tendons in the little frame. Sometimes in a rabbit, all you have got to try and do is take the skin off and cook it. You’ll smash the bones off like they were chicken bones. This can be why every of those skinning knives is meant for specific purposes. This can additionally apply to the distinction between a cow skin and a deer skin; these don’t seem to be the identical either. Cattle skin is thick and there is a ton of fat between the meat and also the skin, thus the knife must be longer and stronger to permit you to reach within the fat to the meat with one stroke.

Skinning knives for fish are a completely totally different story. Today, fish skin is employed to create purses and even shoes, thus special skinning knives are utilized in places where fish are grown massively for his or her skin and for his or her meat. These knives are very skinny however sturdy and sharp. They’re also somewhat flexible so they can bend therefore the skin can be taken off without damage and they can use the same blade to fillet it.

There is no set rule regarding these knives close to their size or shape; that is best and that is worst. The foremost vital factor is that the blade be made of surgical grade chrome steel which it is heat tempered from the factory. When a blade is heat tempered, it’s like a sword that is honed while red hot. It’s harder for it to lose its sharp edge when it has been sharpened below heat. Smart quality skinning knives are made like this since time’s memorial when the famous Bowie blade was invented.

The Bowie knife is one among the foremost famous skinning knives ever employed in the United States. It was used by buffalo hunters within the prairies. Thousands of buffalo were skinned within the Yank prairies with these knives. They were huge and fierce looking, and many of these hunters shaved with them right after or before they skinned their buffalo. Today, skinning knives are made with the same steel technology however with modern equipment; hence; they’re a lot of smaller and sensible to use. The fact is that not too many individuals build a living with a skinning knife on this day and age.

Ciradif has been freestyling articles for over two years. Some of his most updated articles on skinning knives are published and can be read at skinningknives.org. Well researched and informative articles to read.

Thin crust pizza is a popular favorite and it tastes best when the crust comes out crunchy. If you can’t get good pizza in your neighborhood, you can still make it at home. You don’t have to know how to toss dough in the air. Good pizza has more to do with the way it is cooked than the technique. Take out pizza becomes mushy on the way to your house as the pizza steams up in the box. Enjoying it fresh out of the oven is the best way to eat it. Using the pizza stone, you can make pizza that’s just as good as the best pizzeria around.

The pizza stone works so well for two reasons. First, it is made of terra cotta or soapstone, which become very hot and heat the bottom of the pizza evenly during the baking process. The other reason is that it absorbs moisture, drawing it away from the pizza dough. Metals pans can’t do this because they become very hot on the outside, cooking the ends of the pizza more quickly than the center of the pizza. So, you’ll either end up with burned crust by the time the center is done or you’ll have a mushy pizza when the ends are cooked until golden brown. Ovens fluctuate in temperature so that doesn’t help the situation either. But the stone lets the whole pizza cook at the same temperature through the baking process. It only needs 12 to 15 minutes at 500 to be done to the perfect crispiness.

To use your pizza stone properly, begin by placing it in a cold oven. Allow it to heat up for a half hour at 500 degrees. When you are ready to place the dough on it, you can either use a pizza paddle to place the stretched dough on it while it remains in the oven, or remove it from the oven and place it on a heatproof surface. Dust the stone with cornmeal before you add the dough. When the pizza is done, you can use the paddle to remove the pizza from the oven, or place the stone on a heatproof surface.

Care should be taken when cleaning the pizza stone. It absorbs everything, so do not use soap or detergent. Never place a hot stone into cold water or it will break. Instead, let it cool down by itself before cleaning. Anything that sticks to the stone can be scraped off with a plastic spatula. Only use warm water to clean it. It will be brown with repeated use, but that’s okay. Don’t worry about trying to wash that away. The patina that develops over time gives the pizza stone a non-stick surface. If soap does get on the stone, let it sit in water overnight to draw it out.

You are not limited only to making pizza on the pizza stone. It’s great for baking flat bread, quesadillas, or various hors d’oevres. But once you start making pizza on the pizza stone, homemade pizza will become a much more common dinner in your home.

Want to find out more about Pizza Stone, then visit Theresa Happe’s site on how to choose the best Pizza baking stone for your needs.

Instead of heading to the bar, why not plan your own Cinco de Mayo blowout? It is a great excuse to indulge in delicious Mexican food, dress in colorful clothing and enjoy your favorite Mexican beverages. By planning your own party, you are in total control of the menu, the decorations, the entertainment, and the guest list.

Plan your menu carefully. Delegate dishes to friends and family if you wish so you do not have to prepare it all yourself. Catering may also be an option to think about. Choose some exotic dishes you love like tamales, quesadillas, and individual flans. Set up a taco or a salsa bar. Provide enough beverages for all of your guests. If you are providing alcoholic drinks, a nice Mexican beer or tequila may be a good choice. Do not forget a non-alcoholic option for those who choose not to imbibe. Horchata and agua fresco are refreshing Mexican beverages suitable for any age.

Decorations will help set the mood. Many party stores now carry supplies for Mexican themed gatherings. You can get brightly colored plates and cups as well as banners to hang on the walls. Strings of multicolor pennants are fun to string outdoors. Put up some red chili lights around the food table and hand out some fun sombreros or maracas to your guests to enjoy. Make some beautiful tissue paper flowers and use them to adorn your home. Hang streamers in the colors of the Mexican flag: red, green, and white. You can even go all out and hang up a piata.

Before putting together your guest list, you will need to figure out how many people your home can accommodate. Always add that the guest needs to RSVP on the invitations so you will be prepared. Give your invitation color and splash. Do not forget to get it out in a timely manner for all to respond.

What about music? Mariachi bands are the perfect choice for these parties. You can find some CDs with this type of music at your local Latino shops. After eating, move some of the furniture out of the way, so your guests can dance during the party.

If children will be at the party, add some games for them to play. Hang a piata they can break. Let them play pin the tail on the burro. You can probably convince the adults to join in with the kids for a fun Mexican-themed scavenger hunt.

Hosting Cinco de Mayo parties can be fun and rewarding for all. You might even make it an annual occurrence. The key to a great party is planning and delegation; you will not have disappointment when you plan for success.

Once the partygoers are gone, you can gauge how the party went for all of your guests and yourself. Did it look like people were having a good time? How did you enjoy it? Would you do it again? The true test is: did the guest ask when the next party will be?

Whether you prefer chicken, steak, fish or vegetarian food, fajitas make a great dinner because they come in all these varieties and you can even make fajitas with different fillings easily enough if your family do not all like the same thing. Fajitas make a nicely filling snack or dinner.

We just got this food processor and have used it three times (juicing & chopping) in the three days we’ve had it. It’s fantastic! Comes apart and cleans easily. I’ve had this machine for about a year now. It is solid, strong and quiet. My previous food processor was so loud, my kids would scream from fear when I’d turn it on. Not this one. It chops my liver and shreds potatoes to perfection. The base gets wiped, everything else goes into the dishwasher. In short, it does everything that a food processor is supposed to do. Here are my other thoughts:

1. In comparison to other professional-styled food processor, the KitchenAid has a solid feel, the base is weighted nicely and the components fit together very well.

2. The clear plastic food pusher is a measuring cup offering measurement scales in ml (up to 100), oz (up to 4), pts (up to .2), and cups (up to 1/2). This is handy for making quick measurements when all your other measuring cups are not right at hand. In addition, the red, removable insert has a small hole in the bottom of it. This makes it ideal for slowly dripping oils or other liquids into your mixture when it is reinserted into the larger, clear plastic food pusher.

3. The base is again, very solid and well weighted. The button pad is completely covered so there is no chance of food leaking into the buttons. There is an On, Off, and Pulse button. I use the pulse button frequently as the engine is so powerful, you won’t need extended food processing times as you might with other food processors to accomplish the same goal.

4. Large rubber pad are found at the corners of the base to prevent sliding and movement when that big 700 watt motor fires up. And speaking of which, the motor on this unit is incredible. It is so powerful, yet it is like a whisper in comparison to the noise emission of other food processors I have used. You can actually talk on the phone and finish getting that recipe from Mom while processing your food.

5. I am so pleased with this purchase. I looked high and low for a food processor that does everything since I have a small kitchen and try to keep appliances to a minimum. It does dough so well that I do not plan on getting a stand mixer anymore. Everything comes apart simply and is a breeze to clean. Noise is at a minimum, doesn’t shake at all. Simple to use, simple to clean.

6. Everything with this unit is heavy and well-made. The included storage case is nice, but I agree that it should have a hinged lid, but that is a small matter compared to the way in which this product delivers.

This machine is awesome. I’ve had very good experience with KitchenAid products, and this one is no exception. It’s well-designed, quiet, and very powerful, easily kneading a heavy wheat bread dough. The smaller bowl is the perfect size for making pesto or doing similar jobs. The bowl- and blade-locking mechanisms are well designed – intuitive to use, without any leaking or messing around. Feels very stable and sturdy!

Looking to find the best deal on the Kitchenaid Food Processor, then visit us to find the best Kitchenaid Processor for you.

Eating meat that has been cooked well is nice; although, cooking it is not as easy as it sounds. If you often cook meat, you probably have had many problems with it, such as burning the outside while the inside is still raw.

If you want to reach that cooking perfection and serve meat that is well done, try to using digital meat thermometers to help you. This utensil is distinctively designed to verify the meat temperature or whether you want to cook meat that is medium, medium rare, or well done.

If you are looking to purchase one of these digital meat thermometers you will see that there are many available to you. In order to make a selection, you need to learn a few detailsa out them so you do not choose the wrong one.

One type is oven proof thermometers for meat that are cooked inside the oven. These thermometers are useful because you will be able to determine the temperature of the meat without having to remove it out of the oven.

Additionally, available for purchase are instant reading thermometers. Yet, these are the types that are not allowed to be used while you are cooking the meat dissimilar to the oven proof thermometer. To check the temperature using this thermometer, you first have to take the meat out of the oven before you insert it to take the temperature. Doing this is the only way to use this thermometer. Although, it is not as easy a more steps are needed in order to determine the temperature.

According to your preferences, you will most certainly find a digital meat thermometer that will help you. By using these thermometers, you will ensure the meat you plan to serve is thoroughly cooked, safe, and tasty. These thermometers offer a convenient and easy to use method for taking temperatures of meat.

These types of food thermometers are readily available at most supermarkets and department stores.

Learn more about wireless cooking thermometer. Stop by Donna Hudson’s site where you can find out all about digital food thermometer and what it can do for you.

Provence has some of the best French regional food in France. Provence, which is situated in the south of France, enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine which in turn works on agriculture in the region and absolutely the food of Provence.

The food items of Provence are made chiefly with the addition of garlic, tomatoes and olive oil in excess. A French menu reading ‘a la provenciale’ indicates that the item has included garlic and seasoned tomato essence.

Aubergine, courgettes and onions as well as squash are the vegetables used in the food items of Provence. These vegetables are available in plenty in Provence.

Ratatouille is certainly one of the most delicious food items from Provence. It is a stew comprising of tomatoes, green herbs, green peppers, eggplant and garlic.

Often the food of Provence is accompanied by a particular regionally prepared sauce called aioli, which is a mix of mayonnaise and freshly crushed garlic spread on vegetables like asparagus as well as eggs and cod fish. Apart from that, people of Provence like to eat their vegetables by dipping them in anchovy paste.

The most commonly preferred food in Provence is the soup known as Bouillabaisse which is culled out of three varieties of fish and which is prepared in an onion-saffron-tomato-herb broth. The herbs used in the preparation are chiefly thyme, sage and bay leaf.

Bouillabaisse is relished as the chief food item although it is a soup in Provence. It is mostly served with toast and spicy sauce known as rouile. Marseille sells the best bouillabaisse in Provence.

Another favourite food of Provence which is supplied as a starter is soupe au pistou. This food consists of vegetables, noodles, beans and basel.

A popular food in Provence eaten during the winter season is beef stew supplied with cold pate. Although not famous for its dairy produce like the regional French food of Normandy, Provence does serve excellent goat’s cheese.

The cuisine of Provence is definitiely one of the more celebrated French regional cuisines. If you want to know how to get there on public transport, check our page on travelling by train in France.