Make Your Own Peanut Butter

Name brand peanut butter is filled with salt, sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oils, artificial flavorings, chemical preservatives and synthetic coal tar dyes to give it a "healthy" color,even though it's unwholesome and addictive.Peanut butter tastes great by itself,and it wouldn't seem necessary to add hydrogenated oil to a legume that is already over 50 % oil.
Anyone with a blender or food processor can make their own peanut butter( or other nut butters)Like anything else homemade, you control the ingredients.You'll need 2 cups of shelled roasted peanuts, a tablespoon of peanut oil and 1/2 tsp. of salt unless the peanuts are already salted.If using a blender, put the oil in first. Add the peanuts and salt next. Blend until desired consistency is reached. In the food processor, use the metal blade to process ingredients continuously for 2 to 3 minutes.Stop the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to process until the desired consistency is obtained. This makes a cup of peanut butter that will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.


Excerpted from an article by Carroll Pellegrinelli

Gradually Change Your Eating Habits

I just wanted to check in for a couple of minutes and share a few thoughts I had regarding diet,weight loss and weight control.During a recent conversation with one of my sons regarding the issue of being overweight,which he is not, but his older brother is.I agreed with his observation that people don't change their eating habits as they get older or as they move into a more sedentary job or lifestyle."Back in the day" a lot of our predecessors,including women and children, expended most of their calories during the day with physical work. The heaviest meals of the day, on the farms anyway, were breakfast, and dinner,with supper being served in the evening and usually the lightest meal of the day.People rose early and went to bed early as well.
Basically we developed a love for all these traditional food from our mothers and grandmothers(comfort food)but we're on the whole not as physically active as they were, and we tend to skip breakfast altogether and eat the heaviest meal at a "fashionably late, European eight."
Maybe gradually, we could somehow retrain ourselves to getting the heavy eating over with by mid-afternoon and just have a light lunch in the evening, followed by a brisk walk.If we get everyone in tune with that maybe we could try cutting down on salt,sugar,saturated fats,white flour...................Every journey starts with the first step.Thoughts?

Cinnamomum

Hey cinnamon lovers!
If you already use a lot of cinnamon in cooking or like to put some in your coffee, you're not only experiencing the joy and aroma of one of the most ancient and revered spices, that may have even led to the discovery of America......but, receiving a health benefit as well, such as lowering ldl.Most cinnamon used in the U.S. comes from Indonesia and is taken from the inner bark of evergreens in the cinnamomum family.The bark is laid out to dry until it becomes curled into the "quills" we are familiar with.
Here's a quick recipe that's good anytime if you love cinnamon,crunch,nuts and health in your snacks!You'll need:

1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 egg white
3 cups mixed nuts
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees then, mix sugar and spices and set aside in a small bowl.In a large bowl,beat egg white until foamy, add nuts and toss until coated,add spices then toss to coat.
2.Spread mixture out on cookie sheet
3.Bake 1 hour, stirring once.Remove and cool. May be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Calories per serving= 169 Sodium= 137 Cholesterol= 0 mg Carbs= 9 g Fat= 13 g
Protein= 4 g

Fast Food Tips

Not all fast food is bad.It is unavoidable a lot of times, so here are some tips:
1.Avoid extra sauces or order the sauce on the side so you can control the portion.
2.Save on those calorific sodas..........drink water!
3.Consider looking up nutritional information online to make a more informed choice once you get there. Most chains have the information available online now.
4.Beware the salads.Use only half the dressing packet or ask for a lighter version.
5.Choose grilled over fried.


Ciao!

Raisins for your Health

This is one of the basic pantry items to have on hand to add a healthy twist to snacks,baked goods, salads, meatballs or whatever you choose.

Fat free raisins are a nutritious energy source similar in energy density to the popular energy bars.Also, the energy provided is well utilized by the active body.The USDA has developed a measure or way to quantify antioxidant activity in foods which gives them an oxygen radical absorbance capacity rating known as "ORAC". Raisins rate very high in ORAC. As an example; the average daily recommendation of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables has an ORAC value of 1700. The same ORAC value can be found in 2 ounces of raisins, reason enough to keep some on hand!

Light Dessert

Eating light can be delicious as well as healthy.Try this simple dessert after a meal or as a breakfast topped with crunchy cereal.

Ingredients:
2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
3 Tbsp. honey
3/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp.+ 1 tsp. lemon juice
4 cups fresh strawberries hulled and halved

Instructions:
Combine first 4 ingredients
Serve strawberries in individual bowls with the lemon cream.

Nutrition information:
Calories=166 Calories from fat=12% Cholesterol=7mg Protein=9g Carbs=32g Sodium=82mg

Teaching Kids Nutrition

I don't know how many if any folks, have taken notice that I've been away from my computer for a while and haven't posted. Well, I've been visiting my grandkids for a few weeks and observing their eating habits, which I find alarming! I think they are probably typical for their ages,5,8, 13 and a 14 year old who is my only granddaughter.I don't visit often so I don't have a lot of influence to wield! But I think with the population facing 60% overweight adults, teaching kids about good nutrition is mandatory! The problem is, as I see it,kids get addicted to the same things we do; namely salt,sugar,fats,white flour.That's what they run on until meal time, but they can get away with it because they burn it off.When they get older like the rest of us,if they continue to eat like they do now but become less active, then they will join the overweight bunch! Anyway I think kids need to be taught about good nutrition, but along with that, the importance of activity.Adults that aren't as active as they used to be for whatever reason, need to adjust their eating habits, of their own free will before circumstances take the choice away.