Delicious Smoothies - The Almost Instant Breakfast

By Alison Graham

Expert Author Alison Graham

These days when we are all trying to cram more and more into twenty-four hours, multi-tasking, generally doing at least two things at once, it is still hard to find time to sit down and eat a healthy breakfast. 

Smoothies could be your answer, they are quite a thick drink and they do fill you up, which is a bonus as they are also low in calories which is probably pretty important to you if you are watching your weight. If you can add some oatmeal and/or nuts, the smoothie will make you feel full for even longer.

Why are smoothies better than a glass of fruit juice, you may ask? Fruit juice is good for you - period. But it will only ever be the juice of the fruit, you miss out on the 'whole fruit goodness' that you get from a smoothie. 

The fruit pulp contains the soluble and insoluble fiber which are both so vital for our digestive health and which protect us from health problems in later life such as bowel and colon cancer. A smoothie is also packed full of vitamins vital for the health of our immune systems, chiefly vitamins A, B6 and E plus minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc which also play a vital role in fighting off infection.

Enjoy Fresh Popcorn at Home

By Robert Dant

Many used to believe that movie night was complete when they could relax with a huge bowl of hot, buttered popcorn. Whether that was getting out the old electric popcorn machine that seemed to have many parts that were hard to clean or using a foil "skillet" containing dried kernels and oil that once cooked, transformed into a silver dome of fun, either way, the end results made the process worth it. Nowadays, there are many types of home popcorn machines, or as they're commonly called, poppers.

Poppers of all varieties are sold at home and discount stores. Depending on a person's needs, a home popcorn machine can be simple or fancy. Here's a rundown of the different kinds of machines that have the ability to cook popcorn in a variety of ways.

Air Popper - this electric machine is used on kitchen counter-tops. This type of popper is the most popular among those watching their waistline because no oil is needed to cook the kernels.

Mediterranean Diet

By Mislav Scukanec Reznicek

Despite its name it is not typical of all Mediterranean cuisine, although this diet was a very popular recommendation in the 1990s. Lard, butter and olive oil are commonly used in Northern Italy for cooking, but in North Africa, besides olive oil, sheeps tail fat and rendered fat (samna) are traditional staple fats, while wine is, for instance, avoided by Muslims. 

This diet includes high consumption of olive oil, legumes, fruits, unrefined cereals and vegetables, wine, fish, moderate consumption of dairy products and low consumption of meat products. But the best representative of this diet is olive oil. It is very nutritious and contains high levels of monounsaturated fats, like oleic acid, which reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Antioxidants in olive oil also help for cholesterol regulation and lowering the LDL cholesterol. 

Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University said this diet is based on "food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s", and along regular physical activity, stresses out "abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts".

Creating Low-Calorie Dishes With Company Appeal

By Geoffrey Moore

Poultry

Poultry is the healthy diner's best friend. Of course, in order for a poultry dish to qualify as low-calorie, you have to select the best cuts of meat, as well as pay attention to the preparation methods that you use. The breast meat of both chicken and turkey are the best choices for a low-calories poultry dish. When using a fire pit, you have to be extremely careful, however, not to dry out the meat. 

Using a marinade can be distinctly helpful. Select options that do not use excessive oil, however, to keep the calories count down. Poultry, surprisingly, can be tenderized by soaking in milk; the enzymes break down the meat fibers making it extremely tender for grilling or cooking on a fire pit. A milk marinade can be coupled with a dry spice rub to make a dish that will wow even the most discerning meat-eater.

Fish

Fish is another low-calorie choice that does very well in a fire pit. Depending on what your finished dish is, there are several ways that you cook a lean fish recipe. Some people place the fish in a square of tin foil, adding seasoning right to the mix. When the packet is closed up, it can be placed right on the coals and steamed. 

Again, go easy of the butter and oil- just a little for flavoring is sufficient. If you grill the fish on the fire pit grate, always place it skin side down and grease the grates liberally. Cod, haddock and sole are lower is calories than fish such as salmon.

My Discovery of the Summer - The Wonders of The Humble Radish!

By Sandy L Scott

Expert Author Sandy L Scott

I've never eaten radishes - and therefore I have never grown them and my family have never been served them at home. However, this year I had a free packet of seeds so thought I might as well grow them and in just over a month, I now have a bumper crop. 

Other than lettuce, they are the first crops ready for picking and we have loads so I decided that we would eat them - even if I didn't like them. And to be honest - I couldn't even remember what they tasted like or when I had last tried them so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered I loved them!

And so I decided to do more research on this humble vegetable and discovered that it is one of the mustard family but also related to the Brassicaceae family (along with things like broccoli and cabbage). This family of vegetable are known for their anticarcinogenic properties which means they contain chemicals that can reduce the occurrence of cancer so a great reason to include them in the diet. 

On top of this, despite being made up of 90% water, they contain as much potassium as bananas and are a great source of Vitamin C, folates and magnesium. They are also very low in calories so great as a snack for those watching their waistlines!

Low Calorie Snacks Good For the Body and Health

By Lloyd Strasellhoff

Everyone is constantly in search for low calorie snacks that will quell your hunger while at the same time being tasty. Sadly, low calorie snacks don't have the best reputation; they are generally viewed as being dull, tasteless and not good value for money. 

So why is this? It is mainly due to the fact that we have been conditioned to think of low calorie snacks as only being vegetables and fruits minus any added seasonings.

Low calorie snacks can be as simple as putting sweet fruits on top of fresh cream or making a sandwich with your favourite vegetables on wholemeal bread. The only limit is your imagination. If you've ever wanted a snack but been unable to find it in your local supermarket then now is the time to create the dish that you really want to eat.

You don't have to give up coffee if you are looking to reduce your calorie intake; this is a very common misconception. Decaffeinated might not sound too appealing to most of you, but it's not as bad as you might think. Many people are put off by the idea of decaffeinated but end up enjoying it with a nice light biscuit.

Diet Shakes Vs Green Smoothies

By Pamela Fay

You've heard of a fruit smoothie. And you've heard of a diet shake. But have you heard of green smoothies? A green smoothie is nature's own diet shake. They are sweet, creamy, delicious-and packed with nutrition. If you have tried diet shakes in the past and like the convenience but can't get too enthusiastic about the taste, try whipping up a smoothie.

Here is a recipe to get you started. It has approximately 145 calories in one large serving. With a delicious drink like this, who needs an artificially sweetened and flavored canned diet shake?

Bluebana Smoothie

2 cups Romaine lettuce 

1 banana (frozen, cut in chunks, or fresh) 

2 cups blueberries 

1 cup water 

4 to 6 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Makes one quart or two large servings. Enjoy!