Cook Fresh, Raw Food and escape from corporate managed food aimed at making you fat. Lose weight, Become healthier

By Conrad Blomberg

Today, we are hearing a lot more about foods which are deliberately built to make us fat. They are said to be created by corporations who have a basic aim at only one thing " Making Money. And, Lots Of It! They do not care that they are making a direct assault on your health.

As we learn more about the widening obesity epidemic we are seeing much more interest on the part of many parts of the population on returning to a past where home cooking was the norm. Before managed or packaged meals arrived on the scene.

Big Corporate foods have to be managed, packaged and advertised widely because big wealthy corporations cannot make money if you buy farmers products and cook them yourself. Farmers products are to be found in the produce section of the super market. Or, even bought in a farmers market if you are lucky enough to be near one. A good farmer's market should have raw food which is just hours from the picking in the field.

Lots of folks own cookbooks (which they dont often read). Most cookbooks do NOT tell you what to look for when buying raw food. In days past, ladies and gentlemen who cooked knew exactly how to pick a ripe squash from the bin. (Look at the stem. If is cut do not buy --- it may be green and you will have to wait for it to ripen which could take many days. If the stem has fallen off naturally, then buy it. Its probably ripe...Free tip from your author, Conrad Blomberg.

In past times, every Mom (or, even Dad) knew which asparagus were best, when an apple was ripe, and why you should smell certain raw foods before you buy. (Cantaloupe should smell like cantaloupe when you buy it. Smell the stem end. If this cantaloupe has no smell or smells like olive oil or medicine or anything else do NOT buy it unless you want to hold it until does smell like a real cantaloupe. When it does it will then be ripe.) ... Tip 2 from Mr B.

If you decide to do some "scratch" cooking, here is what could happen. "Scratch" means you started with "raw" ingredients and use them together to make a home cooked delight.

You could Discover Delicious Recipes and Healthy Fats & Oils that...

* Promote heart health

* Have a healthy metabolism & have weight loss

* Support your immune system health

* Provide you with an immediate energy source

* Keep your skin healthy, youthful looking and radiant

* Support Strong Thyroid Function

A cookbook author who believes in "scratch" or raw cooking says:

"If you are looking for a diet from me you will be disappointed ... I have been getting incredible results for 15 years and have not once recommended dieting, counting calories or restricting calories! In fact, I have had many clients EAT MORE FOOD and LOSE MORE WEIGHT than all their years of dieting combined!

Hmm, cooking raw food? Tnen, being healthier? Losing weight? Maybe this chef has something, huh?

About the Author:

To get your copy of this renown NYC cookbook, just click on Scratch Cooking. This cookbooks author claims it is an "Urban" cookbook, but we believe it is just as useful outside of a mega city. Or, even on a farm or ranch. This chef explains how to select good raw food and then how to prepare, cook and serve it. He says you can eat more and still lose weight. Cook at Home and Thrive.

Cooking the perfect pasta

By Andrea

First things first: pasta with different structure will give you different results. If you use smooth pasta it will cook uniformly, non smooth pasta like rigatoni, don't have that quality, but they make the sauce stick.

Pasta goes into boiling water, everybody knows that. But not many know that there has to be plenty of water, because pasta likes space. Every 100g of pasta require one liter of water. 300g means 3 liters.

What about salt? Is there a rule for that too? Yes, actually there's two: salt has to be added after water has reached boiling temperature, or boiling will be delayed. If you have one liter of water add 10g of salt, for 2 liters add 20g and so on.

Unlike what many people think, there's no need to add oil to the water. If the pasta turns out sticky, it means that the its quality was bad, or you used too little water.

When the water has diluted the salt, add the pasta. If you're using spaghetti, refrain from breaking them so they won't stick out. Broken spaghetti are not spaghetti.

Pasta will make water temperature go down, so try to bring back the boil quickly: increase the heat and put a lid on the pan. When water has reached the temperature again, take off the lid, and bring back the level of heat you had before. Turn it up a little bit is fine, as long as the water doesn't pass the brim of the pan.

Stir the pasta every 2-3 minutes, keep it moving to make sure it won't stick. The cooking times in the packet usually are for pasta al dente. This means that it will be cooked but it won't melt in your mouth, you'll still have to bite it.

Not to leave pasta overcook is the essence, and for a threefold reason: it won't take long to digest, it will keep cooking on your dish without turning into jelly, and most of all: Italians cook it this way.

When it's time, have the colander ready in the sink, and drain the pasta. Get rid of all the water (in some cases you might still need a little bit of it. Add the pasta to the sauce, if it's in another pan, and let it go for 2-3 minutes, until everything is well mixed.

Pasta should be eaten immediately, but if you're going to eat it at work the next day, or if you're preparing a cold pasta salad, put it under cold water after draining it. This will stop the cooking.

About the Author:

Andrea loves cooking. Cheese and Pears is his blog about Italian food. If you think you know more about pasta after reading this article, start with an easy pasta recipe.

Cake Decorating Videos Will Show You The Best Techniques To Decorate Your Cakes

By Rob Bryan

It is good to have visual aids when you are learning cake decorating. A cake decorating video can be extremely helpful. It is one thing to read written instructions, and entirely another to see a hands-on demonstration. For some, the written instructions might be enough, but a lot of people need to see it.

A cake decorating video can graphically teach you cake decorating terms and techniques and show you how to apply the knowledge you gain. When you watch a professional decorate a cake on a cake decorating video while you work alongside them in your own kitchen, the lesson is clearly imprinted on your mind.

Of course, you will not be turning out absolutely perfect cakes right from the start. Know that you will make more than a few mistakes. It takes time and practice to truly perfect this fascinating art form. But, after you fall a few times, you will soon learn to fly. Remember that the professional you are watching on that video has probably made some mistakes, too, but now they are making a video to show you what to do! Soon you will be creating perfect cakes, too!

One of the real advantages of learning from a cake decorating video is that you can watch the difficult parts over and over. This is even an advantage over live lessons. Some of the techniques used in cake decoration are very complicated. You just won't get it from seeing it performed only once. Without the ability to watch the techniques repeatedly, they can be very confusing. But by replaying the video and practicing multiple times, you can get just the emphasis you need to truly perfect your techniques.

A lot of people enjoy decorating cakes just for fun. Consequently, there are lots of resources available to help you learn how to do it. Books and online cake decorating videos abound. By studying these, you can create some stunning cakes. Just take a little time to read up and to view and practice the videos, and you will soon be making gorgeous cakes.

Decorate with flair! Look especially for videos that tell you how to decorate with special techniques to achieve a stylish look. These are the videos by the true artists in the business. When you watch these, you will be getting the top tips to help you truly become a pro.

All new skills require practice to be able to perform to perfection. When you watch cake decorating videos, you have the edge of being able to see what is being done and practice at the same time. You can begin learning and improving immediately, and before you know it you will be dazzling your friends and family members with your beautiful cakes.

About the Author:

If you are trying to improve your technique you can find many cake decorating videos at http://www.homecakedecorating.com Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.

Spring Tips For Your Barbeque

By Jon Q Zimberski

Many people put up their bbq grills and equipment right after the Labor Day holiday and don't take it out until Easter the following year. If this is you, stop it! You're missing out on some of the best bbq'ing around.

The cool weather of Fall and Winter offers us backyarders a time to get out and grill up some of our favorite meat. Since the weather is so nice, why not make it a family affair? To me, cooking in the Fall and Winter sure beats standing over a hot grill when it's 100 degrees outside. In fact, as I write this, it's 28 degrees outside and I have a Venison roast in the smoker. Talk about good eats!

I even fire up the grill on days when there's snow on the ground. In fact, I much prefer to grill outside when it's cold rather when it's 100 degrees. There's just something about being gathered around a grill cooking meat when it's 30 degrees outside. Try it, you'll see what I mean!

There are a few things you will need to keep in mind before heading out in the Winter to bbq. For starters, it will take longer for your grill or smoker to heat up. So plan accordingly.

Electric smokers and gas grills may require an insulative blanket. This is especially true for electric smokers. Cold winds can quickly sap all the heat from an electric smoker and cause the internal temperature to fall below safe levels. Most electric smoker dealers carry these special blankets. Make sure what ever you use to wrap your smoker or grill, that it's fire proof. It can be easy to set anything else on fire so be careful.

Since your grill will cool down quicker, I like to use a little extra wood or charcoal. This helps the meat cook better and keeps your grill at the right temperature. Also, try and place your grill or smoker out of the wind. Even gas grills can have a problem staying hot if there's a cold North wind blowing on it.

You'll also need to take into consideration where your grill and smoker are set up. Chances are you have some dead grass or other vegetation in the immediate area. This can go up like a Roman candle from the smallest of sparks, especially if there is a wind to help it out. Always keep these areas mowed and if in doubt, hose down the area around your grill and smoker.

If you're one of the many who have been depriving friends, family and yourself of smoked and grilled foods in the Winter. Now is the time to stop. Go get that grill out and fire that baby up and start cooking some good food. Your Wife called and said it was okay!

About the Author:

Don is the numero uno Grill Master over at Barbeque Recipes. There are many delightful barbecue recipes for you to try out over there. From Beef, Chicken and Turkey recipes to tender and flavorful Wild Game recipes, this site has it. While there, make sure you try out the best bbq rib recipes we've every tasted!

Don't Buy Coffee Beans Until You Read This!

By Christine Pinkston

When someone doesn't know the many benefits of using coffee beans they often don't understand why someone would buy coffee beans when they could just purchase a bag of regular coffee. Regular coffee is just as good, they say. But is it just as good?

The fact of the matter is that there are over twenty different types of coffee beans. However, they are primarily divided into two broad types. Regular coffee drinkers might already be familiar with the various types of coffee beans available and their various flavors.

60%-70% of the world's consumption of coffee comes from the Coffea Arabica coffee bean. It is also the type of coffee bean that most people enjoy drinking the most. The Caffea Arabica coffee bean is also a very expensive bean due to the strict growing conditions that are required when growing this coffee variety.

Coffee Arabica plants need a certain altitude in which they can thrive which should be at least a few thousand feet above sea level. These plants should also be grown in a temperature between 65- 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The less popular type of coffee beans make up around thirty-forty percent of the world's coffee consumption. Scientists call this type of coffee 'Coffea Canephora' and is commonly called Robusta. This type of coffee bean is considered inferior quality as compared to the much loved coffea Arabica and is hardly sold separately. This type of coffee bean can be grown at temperatures of around 85 degrees Fahrenheit and almost anywhere. However this type of coffee bean is a bit bitter and most people don't like the bitter taste associated with this type of bean.

The two types of beans are often blended together. They do this because coffea Arabica is expensive and in order to bring the price down to a lower range they use the caffea canephora as a filler. So the majority of the time when you buy coffee beans it will be a mixture of the two.

Regardless of which you prefer, the Arabica based coffees or if you prefer the Robusta varieties, the freshest and best tasting coffee is always going to be achieved by grinding up fresh coffee beans. When you buy coffee at the supermarket you can either buy ground coffee by the can or bag or more times then not you can buy coffee beans and grind them right there in the store. However, even when you buy coffee beans that you ground up in the store they will start to taste stale within the first week.

The best way to get a fresh cup of coffee is to purchase coffee beans in small quantities and grind them up at home as you go. Coffee grinders are available just about anywhere and they are for the most part inexpensive, so it is worth the money to be able to buy coffee beans and grind them yourself.

About the Author:

You will be very pleased at the difference in taste when you buy coffee beans. Just be sure you buy coffee beans in small quantities to make the freshest coffee you are able to.

Comparing Water Filters. Essential To Do Before You Buy.

By Peter Abertoning

The purity of the water you drink is such a concern for so many people now.

There are now so many contaminants found in our water unfortunately. You can find chlorine, lead, drugs and way more in our municipal water that you , (but not me) drink daily. So for many people a good water purification system is a must. And there's so many different types of water filter to choose from.

Before choosing the right type of purification system for your home, its important to compare water filters beforehand. Here are some tips on how to choose the right filter for your drinking water.

One of the most effective water filters is carbon water filters. They are effective and cheap and have some solid advantages. They are usually easy to use, for example. A carbon filter works by absorbing the impurities as the water passes over a charcoal medium, which attracts and traps them.

So as you compare water filters you ought to seriously look at carbon water filters.

Reverse osmosis water filters another one of the types of systems to consider when you compare drinking water filters. This type of filtration system works by purifying water through a very small membrane. While this water filtration system is known to be fairly effective, the process is also known to be fairly slow.

Whole house water filters are another option that most people will want to consider when they compare water filters. Keep in mind that there are many different types of specific water filters while can be used in a whole house system. This option is a great choice if you want to ensure that all of the drinking water in your home will be purified.

Distillation is another one of the many different types of drinking water filter systems out there. Although it is known to work fairly effectively at removing most of the impurities from drinking water, there are a number of disadvantages associated with distillation. It can remove healthy minerals from drinking water, can be very slow working, and costs a lot of electricity to run. Its important to take all of these disadvantages into consideration when you compare drinking water filters.

So there is really a very wide range of water filters available to the consumer, this is just some. They work very differently and have different costs, and so it can be quite a complicated process choosing the best water filter.

I often talk to people about water filters and find often that the technical aspects of how they work are too difficult. Usually they just ask me to tell them which one is the best water filter available.

The best water filter that you can get is an activated carbon water filter. Carbon water filters have their drawbacks. There are some impurities that they don't remove. However there are now more modern carbon filters that are actually 2 stage filters, the second stage being designed to remove those contaminants that the carbon doesn't remove.

And surprisingly these world leading 2 stage carbon filters are quite cost comparable, in fact very cost competitive, to other water filters on the market.

Visit my website to find out more about 2 stage activated carbon water filters.

About the Author:

Peter has a website all about Water Filtration and also helps people to produce their own personal websites, an example being http://jennyjason.com/

Solar Oven Designs To Use At Home

By Tim McDonald

For several decades various solar oven designs have typically been used in third world regions where electricity or other fuel sources are hard to find. Solar cookers have been used effectively in sunny African countries like Sudan to not only cook food, but also for water purification and pasteurization.

And like other solar technologies, there's no reason first world countries should not promote solar cooking at home to help save energy. Although cooking may take four times longer than conventional ovens, no electricity or fuel is used - just the power of the sun.

Over time many solar oven designs have been mastered, but they generally fall into three main categories: parabolic solar cookers, panel cookers, and box cookers.

Parabolic Shape:

As the name suggests, a parabolic cooker is made from reflective material that is molded into bowl. This helps it concentrate the sunlight in one area and effectively cook your food. However, this design typically costs more and it's rigid structure makes it less practical for traveling.

Panel Design:

This shape usually is in a bowl-like shape, and direct the sun's energy to one area. But it differs to a parabolic cooker in that it is put together with a number of reflective, flat panels and is less rounded.

The panel shape is not as efficient as the parabolic shape, but it has the advantage of being foldaway, portable, and rather simple to make. These cookers can be found in a number of interesting deigns, but the simplest is by far the one made by folding one of those reflective windscreen blinds.

Box Design:

Very different to the other two designs, the box cooker works by trapping the sun's heat, instead of simply focusing it on a central point. It is designed in such a way that it let's light in, but stops that heat from escaping. As more sunlight comes in, the hotter it gets.

This results in the entire area of the box to get hot and be able to cook larger portions of food at a time. This design is by far the simplest to put together - all you need is a black cardboard box with one side covered in tin foil and a sheet of clear perspex or glass on top to hold in the heat.

What's great about most solar oven designs is that they can be built from everyday materials in a few short hours. Like a conventional oven or stove, they can be used to prepare anything - such as roasted meat, steamed vegetables, rice, fried eggs, and baked bread. And since a solar cooker is used outside, it will not heat up the kitchen and place stress on your cooling system.

To think that - according to the Residential Energy Consumption Survey - almost 75% of Americans prepare at least one hot meal at home per day, 33% prepare two or more, a large amount of electricity can be saved if more of us try solar oven design at home.

There really is no excuse for not looking more into solar cooking. With a number of affordable solar cookers and free instructions available on the internet, you owe it to yourself, your kids and the environment to try one out for yourself.

About the Author:

Other than solar oven designs, have you ever wondered how to make your own home solar power for under $200 and start reducing your power bill? If so, then get our free Earth4Energy Report - an insider's look at the #1 rated step-by-step renewable energy instructions on the internet.