“An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” Generations have grown up with this saying. The nutritional value of fruit is almost endless. Antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars make fruit an important part of the food pyramid. They even have medicinal value; who has not heard of sailors using fruit on long voyages at sea to prevent scurvy, and of the beneficial uses of prunes as a natural laxative? The natural sugars also make fruit an excellent substitute as treats for kids and adults both.
Research continues to find strong links between increased fruit consumption and the decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Convincing evidence proves that fruit consumption plays a positive role in the reduced incidence of cataracts, diverticulosis, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, bronchitis, and osteoporosis.
Three Good Reasons To Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
1. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vital nutrients. The following categories of fruits and vegetables are important to eat at least several times a week for their nutritional benefits • Dark green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and leaf lettuce • Orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots • Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn • Dry beans such as kidney beans, black-eyed peas and black beans.
2. Fruits and vegetables look as good as they are for you. Try eating a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables. The potential benefits associated with eating more fruits and vegetables stack up quickly – reducing your risk of chronic diseases in only the beginning.
3. Fruits and vegetables are nature’s perfect convenience food. Fruits and vegetables provide the unrivaled combination of great taste, nutrition, abundant variety and multiple product forms.
Serving More Is Easy!
For Snacks: Fresh fruits and vegetables beat candy by a mile. • Put whole fruit in a bowl on the counter – it’s easy to see and remember to eat. • Keep dried fruits, like raisins and trail mixes, on hand. • Make the TV snack fresh produce for everyone, with dips of low-fat sour cream or dressing for vegetables; low-fat yogurt and honey for fruit dips. • Use pre-cut melons and fruit cups for quick and easy snacks.
At Meals: It’s easy to enlarge your portion of vegetables by adding them to the foods you already enjoy. • Use fresh-cut vegetables to decorate homemade or frozen pizza. • Add vegetables to soups, stews, pasta sauces, omelets and sandwiches. • Prepare entrée salads with lots of vegetables topped by a small serving of meat.
With Kids: Let children help prepare dinner by “decorating” entrees and side dishes with fresh-cut vegetables. In this case, a little nibbling is okay. • Stash carrot and celery sticks on low shelves so young children can reach them more easily than the sugar snacks • Have kids design their plates: broccoli for the trees; carrots and celery for flowers; cauliflower for clouds and yellow squash for the sun • Freeze whole seedless grapes for a cool, sweet treat.
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The following video, Popeye: Gopher Spinach, courtesy of You Tube.
Once again, tis the season for holiday entertaining and the sinking economy need not be a stumbling block for any celebration. The following party planner primer has been developed to help make your preparations simple and your party a success!
Getting Started As you begin to plan your party, consider the following questions before deciding on location, guests, food and entertainment. If you’re hosting with others, be sure to get together well ahead of time and decide the responsibilities. Plan a final meeting closer to the party to make sure you’ve covered everything.
A Casual or Formal Occasion? A holiday party with friends and family? A gathering of extgended family? A Superbowl game? A baby shower? A birthday celebration? The occasion is the starting point that will set the tone for your event.
When and Where? Will the party be at your home, a rented room, a freiend’s house or a neighborhood park? What time of year is the event? What time of day? Indoors or outdoors? The location and setting will help you decide how many people to invite.
Guest List Your closest friends? Your relatives? Your co-workers? Are your guests adventurous or conservative? Are they health conscious? Any vegetarians? What are the ages? Will there be children included? The number of guests and their preferences will lead you to the right menu selections.
What’s The Budget? The amount of money you plan to spend will help determine the number of guests and an appropriate menu. Whether you’re serving coffee and dessert or an elaborate five-course dinner, there are many options available to fit any budget.
Invitations? A small, informal get-together among friends may simply require a phone call or e-mail. A lager or more formal gathering usually calls for a printed or handwritten invitation. Be sure to include the essentials: occasion, date, time, location, attire and response required. “R.S.V.P” ensures a response, while “Regrets only” may result in a less accurate head count.
Menu Selection The next step is selecting your menu. Watching a game with a few friends lends itself to drinks and snacks. A seated dinner should begin with a salad or appetizers, followed by a main course and dessert. A larger gathering may call for a buffet-style meal or heavy hors d’oeuvres.
Plan The Main Course First A standing rib roast or smoked turkey is perfect for a seated dinner. If it’s a picnic, perhaps custom subs and buffalo-style chicken wings are the way to go. For heavy hors d’oeuvres, try a selection of platters, such as fruit and cheese or a round pumpernickel with spinach dip.
Make Sure Flavors Go Together Be sure to balance the meal with strong and mild flavors. A strong main dish needs a mild side, while a boldly flavored side can complement a subtle main dish. A rich, heavy meal calls for a light dessert and visa versa.
Mix Up The Temperatures Serving foods at a combination of temperatures will not only free up your oven but will also add variety to your menu. Mix cold platters with warm tasty foods. You might even add items served best at room temperatures like some delicious mini danishes and rugalach.
Consider The Time of Day and Year A late-night party calls for smaller portions than a 7 p.m. gathering. Season and location are also important factors. Chili wouldn’t be appropriate on a hot summer day, nor would ice cream on a cold, winter night.
Calculate Serving Sizes and Portions Ordering and purchasing the right amount of food is one of the trickiest parts of entertaining. As a rule of thumb, always plan for a little more than you think will actually be consumed. A few leftovers will give you something to enjoy after the party. Taking your guests’ preferences into consideration, use the following guide to calculate how much food to serve:
Per Person: Appetizers: 4 to 5 per/hour Fruits/Vegetables: 1/2 - 2/3 cup Meat/Poultry/Seafood: 4 to 8 ounces, uncooked Side Dishes: ½ cup, per side dish Salad: 1 to 1-1/2 cups Sauces/Dips/Dressing: 2 to 3 tablespoons Soups: ¾ to 1 cup
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The following video, Lucy & Ricky have dinner with Tallulah Bankhead, courtesy of You Tube.
Re-discovered and Available Now For The First Time In This Massive Collection Of Over 625 Pages
This is a Two Pound Paper and Ink Book
This book is for the person who:
• Loves discovering new ways (really the old time proven ways) to accomplish magic in the kitchen • Is interested in ALL aspects of food • Are trivia buffs • Are seekers of knowledge • Is looking for ways to enjoy life and have more fun in the kitchen • Enjoys entertaining in new and different ways • Is interested in ways of doing things that are environmentally safe • Is looking for the "Perfect Gift" for anyone on any occasion • Is interested in the health and safety of their family • Wants to save time and money • Likes to be the first to share new and unusual information • Teaches children and wants to have some fun and interesting stories for them
And many more fun discoveries waiting for you in this magnificent encyclopedia of food knowledge. Easy to read and indexed for quick research. This is a book that you will use over and over. This is NOT one of those books you buy and put on the bookshelf so you can dust it once a week.
Test Your Trivia Skills:
Remember Black Jack chewing gum? Do you know what year it was invented? A: 1872.
What year was Coca-Cola invented. (See page 5)
What year was Triscuts invented. (See page 5 - this will blow you away)
And dozens of other famous foods and their date of invention. Here's a fun fact...
The English word "soup" comes from the old word "sop" which is a slice of bread covered with beef roast juices. The first soup dates back to 6000 B.C., with the main ingredient being hippopotamus and other animal bones.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
For far less than a nice dinner for 2 you can own this timeless collection of culinary facts and information. It is one of those possessions you will hand down to your heirs.
7001 Forgotten Secrets of the Ages is a one of a kind resource book. Not only is the format of this book extremely attractive, the facts and trivia within the pages are unlike any other book I have read - the authors cleverly detailed this book with an entertaining flair. I have read many fact books in my day but this is definitely a keeper - this stays on my shelf! Highly recommended!
--Gus Guterres, Manhattan, NY
7001 Forgotten Secret's of the Ages is an awesome read for food trivia buffs like myself. The humor that is sprinkled throughout has kept our kitchen staff laughing during the off times. I recommend this book to anyone with even the slightest interest in cooking, humor and trivia. You won't be disappointed.
--Jonathan Fowler. Chef Austin's Plantation, Pawley's Island
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
For far less than a nice dinner for 2 you can own this timeless collection of culinary facts and information. It is one of those possessions you will hand down to your heirs.
Stumble It!
