Some Liquid Diet Recipes

By Liann Bar 

You can go on a liquid diet for many reasons. It may be for shedding some weight or detoxifying your body, because of functional problems in your digestive system such as difficulty in digesting solid food, etc. You may sometimes be advised to go on a liquid diet before or after a surgery. Liquid diets are not limited to clear soups, milk and water; fruit juices and punches and milk shakes can also be included. Lime juice by itself is considered to be a liquid diet recipe because of the many health benefits that it provides. Honey adds flavor and taste. Even smooth ice creams, yogurts and gelatin can be added to your diets to make it more exciting. Soups can include both chicken and vegetable soups.

However, you should plan your liquid diet such that you get all the necessary nutrients that your body requires. For breakfast, milk and fresh fruit juices are ideal. Meat or chicken soup may be good for lunch and dinner. Smooth ice creams, yogurts, jellies, etc. can be had as desserts. In between meals, you can have lime juice with honey or even fruit punches.

Liquid Diet Recipe for Lunch or Dinner - The Caffeinated Banana

This tasty drink will keep you going till your next meal or snack.

Ingredients

Low fat milk - one glass Whole banana - one teaspoon Granulated coffee - half a teaspoon Brown sugar or Stevia -

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients in a blender to a liquid consistency and serve.

Liquid Diet Recipe for Weight Loss - Asian Mix Soup

It takes less than an hour to prepare the soup.

Ingredients

Chicken broth - 2 cups Peanut oil - 1 table spoon Fresh ginger chopped - quarter cup Soy sauce - half a cup Rice wine vinegar - quarter cup Brown sugar - 2 table spoons Corn starch - half a cup Cut firm tofu - 10 ounces Straw mushrooms - 8 ounces Drained bamboo shoots - 8 ounces Red pepper flakes - 1 tea spoon Mixed vegetables - 32 ounces Spinach - 10 ounces Chopped cilantro - quarter cup

Preparation

Cook ginger, peanut oil for 3 to 4 min on medium heat. Mix 1 cup of broth with cornstarch and transfer it to the pot. Add tofu, sugar, bamboo shoots, broth, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes and boil to a thick consistency. Add the remaining ingredients except spinach. Add spinach after 10 minutes and keep the soup on the stove for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Liquid Diet Recipe for Breakfast, After Surgery, etc. - Fruit and Bran Juice

Ingredients

Apple - one Orange - one Bran flakes - half a cup Plain yogurt - half a cup Wheat germs - A small amount of other fruits can also be added according to your preference.

Preparation

Mix the ingredients with water in a blender. Serve the juice in tall glasses. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare fruit and bran juice.

Apples - four numbers Water - five cups Stevia - 4 sachets Cinnamon - one teaspoon Optionally, you can add pumpkin seeds and coves

Preparation

Place sliced apples in a sauce pan and add water, stevia, cinnamon and any other spice of your choice. Simmer for 30-40 minutes till the apples become soft. The apples and cider can be served hot as fruit and liquid desserts.

Healthy liquid diet promotes smooth functioning of your body systems. By carefully designing your liquid diet plan to include calories, proteins and fiber, you can easily manage hunger.

Costa Rican Food: Gallo Pinto, Anyone?

 By Jeremy Goodman 

If you regularly dine out in New York, Paris, or Barcelona, well... you're lucky. But for simple local cuisine, Costa Rican food is unbelievably delicious and friendly priced.

Let's start with breakfast! A centerpiece of Costa Rican dining is gallo pinto: a rice and beans dish cooked with various spices and finely diced vegetables. Gallo pinto is almost always served at breakfast and is usually paired with eggs or meat, plantains, and fresh coffee. The coffee in Costa Rica is renowned for its strong flavor and its role throughout the country's history. Coffee remains a major export alongside bananas. Plantains are similar to bananas, and are served with meals usually in fried form, but draw less interest abroad.

The most common lunch in Costa Rica is a casado. Similar to most Costa Rican food, the dish is made up of servings of rice, black beans, salad, plantains, and often a small serving of meat. Casado translates directly to 'married man,' earning its name because wives traditionally serve their husbands this combination of food for lunch. If the meat has a specific preparation, in a stew or with specific seasoning, it will have a specific name, such as carne en salsa, but will be paired with the same sides.

A really great dish that can be found on most menus is 'chifrijos' - a layered treat with rice on the bottom, then beans, fried pork, and pico de gallo on top. Traditionally, it is paired with tortilla chips on the side. The mixing of flavors is exquisite, and many chefs or restaurants have a few tricks up their sleeves and boast that theirs is the best around.

Contrary to what many expect, Costa Ricans are not known for spicy food. Most Costa Rican food is prepared very mild and is served with a sweet sauce called Lizano. Hot sauce can be easily found though, so there's no need to worry if you like your rice and beans with a kick! Vegetables come with nearly every dish, usually roasted or steamed and served as a side. Popular vegetables include onions, sweet peppers, potatoes, squash, zucchini, and more!

If fruit is nature's dessert, consider Costa Rica the best confectionary in the world!

Tons of fresh fruit grows locally, in abundance and flavor! Some of the popular fruits are pineapples, watermelons, and mangos, as well as more exotic fruits like rambutan. Rambutan is the 'hairy fruit,' known locally as mamones, which is Spanish for sucker. Ticos and ticas, Costa Rican locals, eat fruit at various times of the day for snacks. At hotels and other commercialized areas geared towards tourism, fruit is mainly served with breakfast.

Buying imported food in Costa Rica can be very pricy, so when possible, it is best to shop for local brands. Whether it be snacks, meats, or cheese, comparable items can be bought, though they may take some getting used to. Because of the accommodating climate, many people have their own vegetable gardens, which harvest amazing products and quickly ripen, ready to be tossed into any popular Costa Rican food!