Shake it Baby

If you want to lose weight you need to start changing your everyday life in to a direction that will take you towards a healthier life. Eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is something that would help the majority of people, but it can be quite difficult to do it every day. Drinking vegetable juices is easier, but making it isnt. Jack Lalanne Juicers have been developed with this in mind – the goal has been to create a juicer that is not only easy to use , but also effective.

The biggest differente with the better Jack Lalanne juicers between many other ones is that they are made of stainless steel all except one cheaper model. This does not only make the juicer easier to maintain, but it will also make it look good. You don’t actually feel like hiding it between uses, but you can keep it on your kitchen table if you just have the space for it.

If you are thinking about purchasing a white plastic juicer, I have to recommend that you don’t. That material isn’t only hard to clean, but it is also going to absorb color from the vegetables and berries and fruits. Blueberries, carrots, grapefruits, grapes… These all tend to leave their mark in a white plastic container.

This isn’t the only reason though, because plastic contains unhealthy compounds, such as BPA, that can cause cancer. When used in a juicer, where the fruits and vegetables hit the sides of the container, there can be some minor traces of these chemicals in your juices.

For women it can be quite difficult to lose weight because of the constant alterations in the hormonal balance. It is especially necessary for a woman to eat as much antioxidant rich food as possible, and there is no better place to get these antioxidants than from fruit juices, vegetable juices and berry juices. That is why I recommend that you get the Jack Lalanne juicer, or any other juicing machine for that matter to get started,

No Comments » Posted by healthy / Food and Drink

There are many people who have been watching their carbohydrate intake as part of a healthy lifestyle. By limiting the amount of carbs one consumes during the day, they may be able to lose weight, fend off diabetes, and have more stamina.

Low carbohydrate diets are designed to reduce the amount of simple sugars that are consumed. These diets are easy to follow if you become an avid label reader. By reading the labels on your favourite foods or drinks, you will be able to determine the amount of carbs that are in them and from there decide if it fits your diet plan.

Is there Carbohydrates is Wine?

The simple answer is yes. Wine begins with fruit, most common grapes. All grapes contain natural sugars and on the outside they have a fine coating of natural yeast. During the fermentation process, the sugar and the yeast mix together causing a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction turns the grapes sugars into alcohol.

The carbs in any wine come from the small amount of sugars that are left over from the fermentation process. Most of the sugar in the grapes has turned to alcohol so the amount of carbs found in any wine is going to be low.

There are some wines that do have more sugars in them than others. Sweeter wines contain more sugars and therefore more carbs. Dryer wines are lower in carbohydrates because they contain less sugar.

Amount of Carbs Found in Wine

Wines can contain anywhere from 2-5 grams of carbs per ounce depending on the sweetness of the wine. Dryer wines such a blanc are going to have less carbs in them, between 2-3 grams per ounce. Bottles of Zinfindel or Chardonnay tend to be higher in sugars along with higher in carbs. Dessert wines like Sherry and Port are even higher. They can hit upwards of 13 grams per ounce.

Wine is Not Alone

Beer also contains carbs. Wine and beer are similar in the amount of sugars per ounce. Beer can range anywhere from 2 grams all the way up to 8 grams of carbs per ounce.

You may think that if the beer is labelled light that the carbs would be lower but this is not the case.

Weight Gain

One of the main reasons people chose a low carb diet is to control their weight. Simple sugars are burned quickly by the body so people tend to eat more when their diet is high in sugars and starches.

There really isn’t any strong proof one way or another if wine will lead to weight gain or for that matter if any alcoholic beverage will increase the hips. There is one exception to that which is mixed drinks. Some mixed drinks do contain large amounts of sugar and are high in calories. This is because other ingredients besides alcohol are being used.

An occasional glass of wine or shifter of brandy is not going to cause weight gain. One reason people tend to gain weight when drinking is because they eat things like cheese, nuts or other snack foods high in calories, fats and carbs with their drinks. Another reason is large amounts of alcohol can slow the body’s metabolism down.  Some people are unsure about such matters but it’s a good idea to learn about all the different types of weight loss myths.

1 Comment » Posted by April / Food and Drink

Whenever it comes to buying gifts for friends, family or work colleagues, it can be so difficult. Especially when we now live in an age where everyone has everything they could possibly want or need. One of the best gifts in this situation would be to buy a gift basket. But what sort of gift basket would be appropriate? There are so many to choose from such as beer gift baskets, bath, candles, chocolate and even wine.

If the person you are buying a gift basket for loves wine then this will certainly be one gift they’ll have pleasure in receiving. Wine is also a great gift for many occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Mother and Father Days, Christmas or even a new job. A wine gift basket makes a wonderful choice whatever the occasion.  It will certainly help you get in the party mood, how much energy it will give you so that you party ’til you drop I can’t say.  LOL.

Wine Gift Basket Ideas

A wine gift basket can be as simple or ornate as you would like it to be. The type you choose will obviously depend on the reason for your purchase. If you are buying for someone you don’t know that well or it’s just a token gift, keeping it simple is probably best.

However if it’s a very special occasion such as wedding and you know the couple very well, you can really splash out and get something extra special. An excellent combination is a bottle of Champagne and a pair of crystal champagne glasses.

If you want to include a variety of other gifts with your wine then you can include wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Chardonnay along with Chardonnay Cheese, Chocolate Mocha Truffles, Biscotti Assortment, Kalamata Olives, Cheese Straws, Mixed Nuts, wine information guide and even a bottle opener.  Imagine the gifts all sitting under your slim Xmas tree.

You don’t have to just select the standard 750ml bottles either. Remember that wine bottles come in deferent sizes from the mini ones you get in hotels in aeroplanes to the huge magnum of champagnes you see racing drivers plash all over each other. You could fill your wine gift basket with an assortment of small bottles to give the recipient the opportunity to taste wines which they may never have tried before. If you really want to create a gasp of delight, you could arange the mini bottles around one very large bottle from Italy or France.

For someone who really loves the finer things in life, a bottle of Brut champagne surrounded by quality cheeses and fine Belgium chocolates will go down a treat. You might even want to include truffles or caviar for that extra special touch.

When we think of gift baskets people tend to think of the traditional wicker type. However if you are buying for someone who is more stylish and contemporary, there are a huge variety of basket alternatives to try out. There are ones made from metal, leather and even some modern plastics. There are so many opportunities to create something spectacular.

Although you can easily buy wine gift baskets in various combinations, sizes and prices from the internet or a local delicatessen, you should also remember that wine gift baskets can also be assembled by yourself for a more personal touch. This way you can add in particular wines and nibbles that you know the recipient would love.

All you have to do is ask around if anyone knows what wines and other treats they like or you could always try and remember what you have seen them eat and drink in the past. You then combine all these items in a basket which you and buy from a craft store, wrap it in cellophane and then tie a ribbon around it. You can also throw in personal items such as photos to really show you care.

If you want to buy a wine gift basket already prepared by a professional you should expect to pay at least $50 and you could easily pay several times more than that depending on the quality of the wine and other treats that are included. Although you may save some money making your own you could be surprised that there isn’t much of a difference at all.

So if you have been really stuck for a gift idea and have turned to the internet for inspiration, you can’t really go wring with a wine gift basket. Just make sure the person you are buying for can drink alcohol as some people don’t drink for health or religious reasons. It would be very embarrassing to buy a wine gift basket for a recovering alcoholic.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

So many people who feel over-worked or stressed turn to coffee for an energy boost.  But is this the best option?  The caffeine in coffee often makes people suffer from the “jitters” so they’re now turning to other drinks instead.

Yerba Mate

Yerba mate (pronounced yerba-mateh) is believed to be another alternative.  The leaves of the Yerba Mate’ tree are dried along with some of the twigs. After the leaves are dried they can be steeped in hot, not boiling, water. The taste is similar to green tea with a more herbal, bitter flavor.

What is Yerba Mate?

The Yerba mate tree is found in South America and is part of the holly family.  It has long green leaves, whitish flowers and bears a small red berry.

Health Benefits of Yerba Mate’

If you take a daily multi-vitamin you may want to consider taking Yerba Mate instead as it is packed with loads of vitamins and minerals such as A, B1, B2, B3, B5 and C, potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, and phosphorus.

Caffeine is in Yerba Mate’

OK, so there’s caffeine in Yerba Mate but it’s been found that people who are sensitive to caffeine are not so with Yerba Mate’ even though it does have caffeine in it.

Mate’ also is easier on the stomach then coffee and some teas. This added with all the nutrients it has makes it a great alternative to coffee beans.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink and Home and Garden

Although the chocolate we buy today is sweet, the Aztec translation is actually “bitter water”. The reason our chocolate is sweet today is because of the way it’s now processed. The Aztecs and Mayans knew chocolate was a liquid made from crushed cacao beans containing alkaloids which have a bitter taste.

Despite its bitterness, these ancient cultures considered it as ‘food for the gods’. Who knows why. Maybe is has something to do with Theobromine which is similar to caffeine. Or maybe they had a little too much and felt the effects of the Anandamide, a compound similar to that found in marijuana. It could even be the amphetamine-like compound Phenethylamine.

The Theobroma cacao plant grows to about 20 ft high in equatorial regions and is evergreen. It produces bean pods which are treated in a similar way to coffee beans – they are dried, roasted and ground. The end result is chocolate liquor which is squeezed, producing cocoa butter and cocoa solids. When the cocoa solids are ground even further you end up with cocoa powder.

Note the similarity of the words ‘cacao’ and ‘cocoa’. No accident, but one refers to the tree or bean, the other to the product after processing.

When you mix it together with sugar you get conch. By heating and cooling (a process called tempering) you have the chocolate that we all know and love today.
Whether it’s in the form of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, or even white chocolate that is chiefly cocoa butter with no cocoa solids, it is creamy, tasty and highly satisfying. Milk chocolate, the most popular variety falls somewhere in between, as a mixture of cocoa solids, milk solids and sugar.

Whatever type of chocolate you choose to eat it can be, not only delicious, but also healthy. Many active people such as athletes and walkers eat chocolate for an energy boost. Although chocolate making is a simple process, it can take many years to perfect the art.

It makes its way into recipes as diverse as chocolate ice cream, chili and chocolate martinis. Whether eaten in small chunks, or spread as a sauce on pork chops, chocolate is a much-loved ingredient of chefs around the globe. As a hot cocoa brew, it’s unbeatable.

You can even eat raw chocolate in the form of organic ‘power’ bars.

It’s a small wonder, given how chocolate can lift the mood of anyone feeling the blues. When we feel down and need a lift chocolate is often the food we reach for. We even reach for it to celebrate the good times.

It makes for the perfect dessert standing alone, and adds a touch of elegance when combined with a fine glass of wine.

No one needs to encourage anyone to try some fine chocolate cookie recipes. The trick is keeping them away from your stash. Hide some today.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

Coffee roasters are available in all various styles and sizes and are priced at about £150 although can rise to a couple of thousand. Price however doesn’t always correlate to quality. Other than looking for a good brand, here’s some tips for buying a coffee roaster.

How “Hands On” Do You Want To Be?

Experimenter - Some people love to experiment with finding the perfect roasted coffee. They like to mix and stir, whir and measure. Some simple stove top models are basically just a sauce pan with a tight lid and a special handle.

The machines allow the beans to be stirred during the process to prevent the beans at the bottom from burning. It also helps the hot air circulate through evenly.

When comparing models of roasters ensure that the one you buy has a thermometer in the lid as controlling the temperature is important.

Laid Back – Other people prefer to let the machines do all the hard work instead. Simply place the desired amount of green beans in, close the lid and let it do the business for a few minutes.

These deluxe models have inbuilt thermometers, thermostatically controlled heating mechanisms, clever air-flow control geometry and rotating canisters and a timer to automatically shut off the device at the proper time.

At the upper end of the price range, these roasters do everything but eliminate the smoke that invariably accompanies the process.

How Effectively do they heat and Circulate Air?

Most of the roasters available work in a similar manner to popcorn poppers. Hot air circulates round the coffee beans giving them a consistent roast. You may find some models can filter out the chaff caused by the beans bursting from their skins.

With most models you’ll be able to watch the beans roast so you can judge the desired amount. They often have pre-set amounts on the dial ranging from light to dark.

As mentioned already, even heat distribution is very important for an even roast. If your roaster has the heating source at the bottom and air is restricted, you’ll have disappointing results.

Drum Roasters – You can overcome this problem by buying a drum roaster which uses gravity to move the beans rather than a stirrer at the bottom.

Beware, though. Many don’t have windows for observing the roasting process – a must for those who like to experiment and fine-tune the roast. And, not surprisingly, with the greater quantity of bean comes a larger volume of smoke. Be prepared to ventilate well.

Roasters used to be purely for professional use however they can more readily available for home use. Useful for those large dinner parties where you want the freshest possible coffee. And who doesn’t want that?

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

Although you may only think of coffee makers as modern gadgets for swish penthouse apartments you’d be wrong. They’ve been around almost as long as coffee itself and originally came in the form of a Turkish Ibrik. This is a copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. You’ll still find it being used in the Middle East but be careful; it has no filter so produces a very strong brew of coffee.

For those more interested in drinking a beverage than eating coffee grounds, a wide variety of types are available from the plain to the esoteric. Here’s a simple buyers guide.

Most coffee makers you’ll see in the shops are the affordable drip type. You pour the water in the top, it’s then heated by an electric coil, the water then passes through the coffee grounds and into a glass pot sitting on a heating plate.

That’s the very basics covered, now you should be aware of some features available to you.

Coffee makers can have so many controls on them you’d think they were a HiFi. LCD screens can display the time, temperature, timer and various other bits of info.

Auto Shut-Off - Having control over the degree of the brew is essential. If you’re in the habit of forgetting to turn things off then an auto-shutoff is essential. Most people these days are too busy to wait for the brewing process to complete, so they remove the pot before the water has finished draining. Without this feature water would continue to drip and splash onto the heating plate.

The illuminated displays also help on those dark mornings when you can’t find the light switch and haven’t yet had your coffee to get your eyes completely open.

Cleaning your Coffee Maker – Cleaning can be a hassle so if this is something you hate doing then coffee “pods” is the answer. They are pre-measured paper containers of coffee through which the water flows. They’re also very good for filtering grounds. When your coffee has been brewed simply check the pods in the bid. Not very good for the eco-minded however.

Water Filters – Several models are available with water filters, essential for the urban dweller where the water supply tastes more like the water the local swimming baths use. The filters are pricey but a good cup of coffee is priceless.

Permanent coffee filter styles can be had, but with the pods they’re much less important. Debates rage over the environmental impact and the taste effect of the paper from the pods. Vote your conscience.

In-Built Grinder – You can even find makers with in-built grinder however most people prefer to buy them separately for easier cleaning.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

People have been going crazy over health and diet since the ’70s.  Faddy diets have come and gone and even come again however one of the “diets” still around is the raw food diet.  Basically this is means the food not cooked above a certain temperature. Generally the upper limit is around 115F/46C.

Whatever your stance on whether raw food is healthy or not, one this is for sure:  chocolate already fits into the category. Its source in the bean from the Theobroma cacao tree, the way the bean is processed and the final product created, all cause it to fit well into the category of raw food.

The way that many backpackers and other outdoor enthusiasts take it is in the form of an organic superfood bar.  It’s low in sugar, often there’s no sugar at all, it’s low in fat and has many nutritional benefits.

Some people even eat the raw cacao beans however you may find them bitter.  Or perhaps you’ll enjoy the zing provided by the natural alkaloids in the unprocessed kernels.  They’re often crushed and mixed with other foods such as walnuts, vanilla powder and cinnamon.

Even those made without the added products can be super tasty and super nutritious. One superfood bar offers a 91% cacao content that is chock full of all the good things in natural chocolate – antioxidants, Theobromine, vitamin B1, magnesium and other compounds.

Another great benefit is that there’s no artificial preservatives required, something we see all too often in other foods.  And while that keeps them safe and palatable for consumption months after being created, it sometimes doesn’t ensure the best taste or nutrition.

But many chocolate products use only the natural preservative powers of the cacao itself. And they are designed to be consumed soon after being made so you get the freshest possible food.

Although chocolate can have a bitter taste which not everyone likes, when combined with dried fruits such as raisins and dates, it can become a lot more to peoples taste.  And that amount of natural, complex sugar is not only tasty, but avoids the excessive rebound that can occur with highly sweetened foods using simple sugars.

Because complex sugars can take longer to digest people don’t suffer from the sugar highs and lows.  That allows the body to process it properly and avoids the headache, dizziness, fatigue and other symptoms that sometimes happen with high-sugar products.

Raw chocolate products also tend to be much lower in saturated fats and calories.  This is great for hikers who may want a high carbohydrate, low fat ratio

If you look at the calory, carb and fat content of a raw chocolate bar then you’ll find that for ever 2 oz, you’ll get 200 calories, 28g of carbohydrate and 10g of fat.  Very different for the average sugar-loaded bar.  Often only a third of the calories are from fat, with 10% of the fat in saturated form. 50% of calories from (mostly saturated) fat is the norm in the average candy bar.

Try a chocolate organic raw food or superfood bar and see if you don’t agree that they taste great and provide terrific nutritional value.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

The reason some people like to grind their own coffee beans is due to oxidation. If you buy coffee that has already been ground there is a larger surface area exposed to the air. If you grind at home you’ll be able to minimize the exposure to the air and achieve the freshest grounds. Plus you can grind only what you immediately need.

The problem is that it takes more time and can be messy which is why so many people buy instant or ready ground coffee. When buying a grinder it’s always a good idea to buy the best you can afford.

Grinders fall into three broad categories – burr, blade and crusher.

Crusher Grinders – The third type (crusher) is some kind of mashing device, often an ancient-style mortar and pestle. The result is crushed, unevenly sized beans, so isn’t a recommended purchase.

Blade Grinders – Instead of grinding, blade grinders actually chop. The blade whirls round and slices the beans into increasingly smaller bits so that it resembles small grains. Unfortunately, the grains are invariably too large and of inconsistent size.

This results in the granules releasing uneven amounts of flavour when brewed. Another effect of slicing is often the production of excess heat, as a result of the high speed of the blades. This friction causes the grounds to warm and can dissipate the aroma.

Burr Grinders – The first type of grinder is by far the best choice. Burr grinders feature a pair of motor driven plates with pyramid-shaped teeth that grind the beans to a consistent, small-but-not-too-small granule. Some models will allow you to adjust the size of the grains and the speed of the grinding.

It’s important to be able to control the size of the grounds so that you can achieve the perfect coffee. Being able to control the speed is good because it minimizes the warming effect.

There are two types of burr grinders. Real coffee aficionados prefer the conical burr as it offers the most control of speed and grain size. The only drawback is the noise it makes.

Good conical burr grinders can rotate as slowly as 500rpm. By contrast other burr grinders spin at 10,000rpm or higher, blades between 20-30,000rpm. That allows very fine control and little heat. If you want a Turkish style coffee then fine coffee grinds is very important. Some grinders have a continuous dial, others have a series of up to 40 steps to adjust the granule size.

In addition to the above points you’ll need to look out for a grinder which is well made, easy to clean and is fairly quiet. A cleaning brush and removable upper burrs is essential. Different materials used can also affect how much static electricity is produced – that causes the grains to stick to the burrs and container.

A timer switch and auto-shutoff are both great features along with the ability to see the beans as they are being ground. This will allow you to judge the results. Grounds can change colour slightly depending on the fineness.

Read up as much as possible and read consumer reviews on the internet. If you spend a bit extra on a grinder you’ll be rewarded with the freshest, most flavourful cup.

Bon cafetite!

• Coffee Machines – Leading online coffee machine, coffee and accessories retailers. Authorised distributors and stockists of leading brand domestic and commercial coffee machines.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

Wine, fruit, meat and cheese have long been combined so why on Earth are people now combining wine with chocolate? Some people are horrified at the thought whilst others view it as an opportunity to experiment and excite the taste buds.

On the whole, chocolates are sweet so there’s the risk that your wine can end up tasting like grape juice. There are two approaches that can enhance rather than undercut the wine.

Combining sweet chocolate with dry white wine might not be up your street but why not give it a go? You only live once! A dry white, such as a fine German Riesling, can offset any excessive sweetness from a rich, dark Belgian chocolate.

You can try the opposite road by pairing light milk chocolate with a heavy claret or port but that might be overdoing it. But for those who don’t want a chocolate’s sugar to overload the wine, you need a wine that will stand up to it with a boldness all its own.

A heavy Spanish Marsala may be just the thing to wash down the aftertaste of a mouth-enveloping chunk of chocolate. If your palette is more for light Swiss chocolates then try some Sherry. If Merlot is your thing then offset its fruity nectar with bitter chocolate. Too much? Go for semi-sweet chocolate instead.

Because Pink Zinfandel has a sweeter, more fruity aftertaste it’s ideal when serving chocolate for dessert. Small squares of a dark Belgian with raisins can serve the purpose without overloading your guests.  Washington wine Clubs are well worth checking out.

You have a wide range of wines to choose from when serving truffles. Thanks to the mushroom base of truffles, and the delicate chocolate couverature sprinkled with cocoa powder, there are several reds that perfectly compliment this fine confection. You could go for a spicy Syrah or try something more subtle, like a fine Cabernet.

It’s not just red wines that can be paired with chocolate, some white wines will work too. A white chocolate may be served best of all with a native wine such as Gewürztraminer. White chocolate has no dark cocoa powder in it so make sure that you keep to dry white wines.

Even if you give chocolate and wine a go and decide it’s not for you, that’s fine. It’s important to experiment and give things a go. Variety is the spice of life after all!

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink