What Cheese Should I Eat on My Diet?

Many people think that cheese should be avoided when on a weight loss diet, but perhaps if you are among them you should think again. Cheese is a valuable source of protein and although the amount of calories in cheese is largely made up of fat, it still can be included in a healthy balanced diet. Remember that cow's milk cheeses have a higher fat content than those made from goats', ewe's or buffalo's milk.

For starters there is the common cottage cheese which can be used instead of mayo and other dressings which pile on the calories, and if you spice it up a bit with the addition of hot chili peppers, or slivers of chicken or even ham and pineapple as sold in supermarkets it doesn't taste quite so bland.

Real Greek Feta cheese is low in calories, and if you soak it in clean water before eating it, you will get rid of some of its saltiness. A lunchtime snack of Feta, olives and fresh tomatoes is healthy and low in calories.

Individually packed cheeses to spread on wheat crackers are good they still have nutritional value and don't eat into your daily calorie allowance, and you can top them with crunchy celery stalks and grated carrot and slices of tomato for a tasty low-calorie snack.

Low-fat ricotta is good in lasagnas and you won't notice the difference when it's cooked between it and the whole-fat variety. In fact low-fat cheeses can be useful when you are on a calorie controlled diet.

It is important not to cut out dairy products all together when you are on a diet as they contain vitamins such as the B-complex ones and the mineral calcium which are important for the maintenance of healthy bones, blood and the central nervous system.

Cheese is also a high-protein food and you could cut down a little on meat and eat more cheese, stealing a few calories so that you can occasionally enjoy your favourite cheese, without feeling bad about calories.

A recent study carried out by researchers at Australia's Curtin University showed that people who ate more dairy products and combined this with resistance exercises lost more weight than a control group who did not eat more dairy products. They also lost a lot of abdominal fat which is one of the culprits connected with heart problems.

It is not advisable to go on a dairy diet however; you need to have a well-balanced one to lose weight. It isn't ever a good idea to go on a diet which restricts the foods you eat, so try to avoid fad diets. They tend to work initially but then so do most because you lose excess fluid in the first week or two of any diet, but after that they are difficult if not impossible to stick to.

Cheese can be eaten on a weight loss diet and should not be avoided - so look for Feta or low-fat cheeses when you are next in your local supermarket!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6613996

Following a Vegetarian Diet

What Can a Vegetarian Eat?

A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat or fish, although there are many variations to the diet. Most people are familiar with the term 'Vegetarian' and accept the idea that some people do not want to eat meat. People are becoming more educated on the slaughter of animals and where our produce comes from, that we are making our own choices on what we put on our plate.

There is still some confusion to the differences in vegetarianism, as each 'type' of vegetarian restricts slightly different foods from their diet. As a rule, vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry or fish. They cut out animal fats altogether which may be in foods like ice cream and some cheeses. A vegetarian cannot have jelly or jelly sweets as they are made from gelatin. This is a substance made from boiled bones, intestines and organs of cattle and pigs.

Leather clothing, accessories or furniture are not used by vegetarians as leather is made from animals. Some will eat eggs if they are free range chickens, but not from 'battery' hens which are kept in cramped unhealthy conditions.

Some vary what they eat. An Ovo Vegetarian will eat eggs but not dairy, while a Lacto Vegetarian will have dairy but no eggs. An Ovo-Lacto vegetarian is a combination of the two, and will have dairy, eggs and honey.

Some people limit themselves to what meat they will eat. They may avoid red meats and just stick to poultry and fish. They will tend to refer themselves as being semi-vegetarian.

Vegans

A vegan will exclude all animal produce from their diet altogether. Not only do they avoid meat poultry and fish but they will not have any food from an animal. This includes milk, cream, cheese, eggs and honey. It is a strict diet, so all ingredients must be thoroughly checked when buying food.

Vegans avoid products or their ingredients which have been tested on animals. Anything from shampoo to makeup needs to be researched before used.

There are many different reason why someone is vegan. It may be an animal rights issue, where they believe it is wrong to kill animals for their meat or fur. They disagree with the produce of milk and eggs for human consumption and the way some animals are kept.

It could be a personal or religious choice. The idea of eating animal products simply may not be appealing.

Accepting Vegetarians

It can be restricting if you wish to eat out and you are vegetarian or vegan. Going to restaurants or eating on the run means checking the options and what has gone into the food.

Most foods and dishes are labelled as being suitable for vegetarians, but it is not always easy to determine whether your pastry is made with lard or you 'veggie' burger was deep fried with the meat ones.

Make sure you can always ask someone if it contains meat or lactose. Ask the waiter if you are in a restaurant for help. Most good eateries will be accommodating.

Food Choices

There are many options out there when buying and cooking food. For those who were once meat lovers and have switched to the veggie life, it can be harder and adaptions need to be made.

There are variations of meat substitutes which come in different forms. Virtually any meat dish can be made using veggie meat or Quorn. There are meat free sausages, burgers, ham and chicken that can replace the regular ones. Vegetarian gravy is available, and Shepherd's pie or Lasagna can be made from veggie mince.

If you can't stand to drink black coffee, try Soya or Rice milk. It can be added to drinks or be cooked with and is easier to digest than cow's milk. You can buy sweetened or non sweetened Soya milk and you can add it to your mashed potatoes or porridge.

Eggs are slightly harder to replace but you can use different ways to bind or thicken dishes. Try using cornflour, tomato puree or breadcrumbs in savory dishes. There are recipes to make cakes without eggs and butter can be replaced with olive oil.

Interesting Meat Free options

Many recipes do not have to involve meat or a meat replacement. By cooking curries with chickpeas, tomatoes and spices you have created a tasty meal without the need for chicken or beef. Accompany it with noodles, rice or pasta for a low fat yet filling dinner.

Some of us don't make use of the wide range of vegetables available. Use aubergines, courgettes and plum tomatoes for a vegetarian Lasagna. Make a quick stir fry with bean sprouts, mange tout and baby sweet corn. A sweet chili sauce mixed in will add an extra flavor. Or try roasting red onions, parsnips, garlic and chunky carrots for a winter warmer. By blending sweet potato, red pepper, onion and pumpkin, you have a hearty soup.

For all the Family

Whether it is a family member or guest who is vegetarian, it doesn't mean making separate meals for them. Make healthy veggie meals once or twice a week for the whole family. Beans, lentils and pulses are packed with protein, and spinach or cabbage is full of iron.

Tofu, mushrooms and haricot beans add a meaty texture to casseroles or soups and is great for nutritional value too.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6618855

Classic Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

by : emily

This is really one of the most popular pasta recipe every made. You can find it in almost every restaurant all over the world. It can be prepared with just a little effort. The number one favourite in the late seventies and early eighties, Spaghetti Bolognese is so far out of fashion as dinner party food these days it's about to stage a comeback (remember, you read it here first). Anyway, there are two types of Spaghetti Bolognese; the kind you make in five minutes flat with a packet of mince and a jar of instant sauce, and the real deal which includes bacon, chicken livers and, of course, wine - traditionally white, although red does the job just as well. Here are ingredients and directions:

CLASSIC SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS :

1lb + (500 g) minced beef

6 rashers of back bacon

Small packet or tub of chicken livers

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 carrot

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

Tomato purée

1 beef stock cube

1/4 pint (150 ml) of dry white wine (approx)

Oregano or Italian herbs

DIRECTIONS :

1. Cut the chicken livers into halves or quarters, snip the bacon into small pieces and trim the fat.

2. Put all the meat into a very large pan over a high heat, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon.

3. When the meat is just cooked through, almost cover the pan with a lid then tip the pan and carefully strain off as much of the fatty liquid as you can.

4. Add the crushed garlic, a finely chopped onion, grated carrot and herbs and cook for a few more minutes.

5. Crumble a stock cube into the pan, add the chopped tomatoes with about half a tube of tomato purée, pour in the wine, give it all a good stir then cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for about half an hour. (Thicken the Bolognese with more tomato purée, or if you want to thin it down, use more wine or a mixture of beef stock and wine.)

6. Serve with spaghetti. Obviously. And if, like me, you don't enjoy messing about with long strands of spaghetti - and you hate watching other people messing about with long strands of spaghetti - break it into much smaller pieces before cooking so you can just fork it up without trailing it all over your chin first. (I mean, what's the point?)

Follow the directions and you will be suprized how good this recipe is. Hope you enjoy this popular pasta recipe and Bon Apetit.

Which Rice Cooker Did I Use At Work?

by Shannon Young

Every morning I wonder what I am going to eat for lunch at work that day. I am very athletic and stay hungry so this is a concern for me. I often times get paranoid if I don't know where the next meal is coming from. I don't know if this classifies as an eating disorder or what and I don't care. As I sat on the edge of my bed it dawned on me what I would eat for the day and for lunch. A perfect rice recipe came to mind. I thought I would make a sticky rice meal with salmon.

In order to accomplish this I would have to take a rice cooker to work. So the question is which rice cooker should I use? I have accumulated a few and have used several from. I have used all kinds from the cheap to the expensive. For today's task (since I want to impress my co-workers but not share with them because salmon is expensive now) I will use the Zojirushi NP-HBC10 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker

This rice cooker is good looking and is high quality. It's stainless steel exterior looks good, and wipes down easily. So when I set it on the countertop at the office I know it won't look rink dink. I load up the cooker and the spatula that came with it in my car along with the rice and included measuring cup. I stop by the store to buy the Van de Kamps microwavable salmon. These fillets work well and a re well seasoned. When I cook this rice, say around ten o'clock this morning, it will last me all day to snack on.

When 10 am rolls around this is when I take my break. I head back to the break room and I see a couple of people looking at my cooker. 1 person asked what a rice cooker was? I began to explain to them that it simply cooks rice perfectly every time. My other co-worker looked at him in shock as if he should have known. I later told the confused co-worker that not all rice cookersare the same. I told him," The more expensive ones such as the one before you run around 300.00 bucks but are well worth it." The micro-computer inside it cooks the rice perfect each time. You can choose from different cooking functions and this cooker will cook just about any rice you see on the grocery shelf. If you want to cook porridge you can; whatever that is.

So as they watch me measure out the water and rice I tell them that when this rice is done there will be a little beep to let me know when it is ready and it will automatically roll over to warm mode (12 hrs) and extended warm mode (48hrs). However, for a days eating you only need warm mode here. After a few hours the rice will still be fresh and fluffy. One co-worker liked the display and how it was easy to read. I wasn't surprised because he loves gadgets and has a new phone every time one comes out.

I pop my salmon fillets in the microwave and they will be ready to mix with the rice when it is ready. My co-workers were skeptical but I told them," Just wait and see, you won't be getting any, but just wait." What I like about this cooker is the pans and lid are removable for easy clean up. I will probably have rice left over so I will just take it all home and clean the cooker when I get home. I will just rinse it and stick it in the washer this time. You can hand wash them but I won't feel like it today.

Once the fish and rice was cooked I later came back and mixed the fish with the rice and got a 10:30 snack which hit the spot. I had plenty to eat at lunch and more to eat at 5 o'clock before I went to the gym. Luckily the smell of the fished chased my co-workers away. No big deal, they weren't getting any anyway.

The Healthy Benefits of Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

We've all heard a lot about the health benefits of olive oil, but we've also been wrongly taught that fats are bad and unhealthy. Since olive vegetable oil is a fat, how can extra virgin olive whole foods oil be considered so healthy?

For starters, fat comes in many different forms and is only bad for you when consumed in excess. In moderation, it is a necessary part of a healthy balanced diet. Our bodies need fat to store energy, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, cushion our organs and insulate our bodies. Despite the astigmatism against it, we simply cannot function without fat. The key is to get the right kinds of fat and in the right amounts.

There are four different kinds of fats: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats. Of these, monounsaturated fatty acid is the healthiest; it promotes heart health by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and possibly protects against certain kinds of cancers. Polyunsaturated fatty acid is somewhat less healthy, as it lowers both good and bad cholesterol. Saturated fatty acid is unhealthy because it is derived from animal products and increases total cholesterol levels. Trans fatty acids are the least healthy; it's a man-made compound that becomes cholesterol immediately.

Extra Virgin food Oil Health Benefits
oil from olives is a healthy fat because it is almost entirely good fat, or monounsaturated fat. It is the healthiest dietary fat and protects against heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. It also normalizes blood clotting and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Furthermore, olive refined oil health benefits go beyond the ordinary because it contains unique antioxidants not found in other oils and is shown to protect against various cancers. Extra virgin olive oil has the highest concentration of monounsaturated fat, as it is the least processed of olive vegetable oils.

Cooking with extra virgin olive food oil is a great way to get these healthy fats into your diet. However, remember that moderation is key. Replace unhealthier saturated and trans fats in your diet, like butter or mayonnaise, with reasonable amounts of olive food oil for maximum health benefits.

But what about all the different kinds of oil from olives on the market? Are they all the same?
Not at all. There are many different kinds of olive best oil on the market and understanding the labels is best way to ensure you're getting the best oil.

Types of Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive whole food Oil is considered the best oil from olives and made from the first pressing of the olives. The olives are cold-pressed and not treated with chemicals and heat. Extra virgin olive whole foods oil must be less than 1% acidic to bear the name. It is the least processed, purest and best tasting olive oil.

olive food oil is from the second processing of the olives. It can have an acidity level between 1-2%.

Pure Olive whole foods Oil or just plain "Olive Oil" is a mixture of oil from olives and olive refined oil.

olive food oil has undergone a considerable processing and only retains a little of its olive flavor.

Light food Oil is a mixture of olive refined oil with other vegetable oils, though there is no standard set of ingredients or proportions.

Infused olive food oil is olive oil with added flavors like basil, rosemary, oregano, etc.olive oil suppliers are selling products via online system.

Olive Oil for Cooking
Which olive refined oil you choose is up to you, but as olive food oil is the purest and most flavorful, it is recommended for direct consumption. Use olive oil for salads or bread for the best flavor. Choosing olive whole foods refined oil for cooking is a great way to get the good health benefits as well as create a flavorful dish that your whole family will enjoy.