Vegan Diet For Weight Loss – Cleanse Your Body and Lose Weight

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

Vegan Diet For Weight Loss – Cleanse Your Body and Lose Weight

Today more and more people are becoming aware that an obese or overweight body is a sure ticket to various health problems. Sedentary lifestyles and modern food habits where the diet is loaded with calories and scarce of nutrients are the main reasons for obesity. Fast food and junk food have little or no nutrients or roughage which is necessary for a healthy body. Modern lifestyles have also made people opt for faster options like starvation diets to lose weight. This usually backfires as they tend to start binging the minute they get off the diet.

Body weight can be controlled with a change in lifestyle. A change in your diet plan is very important. A diet consisting mainly of meat and processed foods which greatly contribute to increase in body weight needs to be avoided and replaced with a healthier diet.

Changing to a vegan diet is a good option. A vegan diet consists of a purely vegetarian diet. It includes all vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, cereals and pulses. It is stricter than a vegetarian diet and does not include eggs, meat fish or any diary product. Such a diet being low in sugar and fat, it is rare for vegans to be overweight.

A vegan diet is nutritious and healthy and is very helpful in preventing and managing diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer, blood pressure and ischemic heart disease to name a few.

Vegan diets have to be planned well. A planned diet which makes sure that you get all the nutrients can help you avoid supplements. Make sure that your diet contains foodstuff which provides adequate amounts of iron, protein, zinc, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Strict vegans tend to miss out these essential nutrients and may need supplements.

To lose weight, it is very important to cut down fat intake. So avoid fried foods and substitute snacks with fruits. Avoid skipping breakfast. This is very important because breakfast kick starts your metabolism. Your breakfast should ideally be rich in fiber and carbohydrates. Eating regular meals is equally important because it will stop you from filling up with snacks in between.

Another important point to note is that your level of activity has to increase to help your body burn off that extra fat. Walking and other forms of exercise play a big role in weight loss programs. If you don’t have time to exercise, incorporate walking and climbing stairs into your daily routine.

These simple yet important changes in your lifestyle will contribute a lot in your road to good health.

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Vegan blackberry ice cream vs. milk, cream, &egg variety

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

Vegan blackberry ice cream vs. milk, cream, &egg variety

Blackberry Ice Cream Recipes for Vegan Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays

You can use this no white table sugar and no dairy recipe for blackberry ice cream or use another recipe online that uses whole milk, cream, and sugar, which you can find at this website. Also there are blackberry ice cream recipes at the following websites, first is a vegan blackberry frozen dessert recipe: See, Vegan Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe. The vegan blackberry “ice cream” recipe uses the following ingredients.

Vegan Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups blackberries
1 1/2 cups unrefined vegan granulated sugar
1 can coconut milk
1/2 vanilla pod

Check out this website for the instructions and the photos of how the blackberry ice cream would look using traditional cream, milk, and egg yolks. The recipe at the website does use sugar, milk, cream, and eggs.

For a recipe that doesn’t use sugar or egg yolks, see this vegan one below which substitutes coconut flakes, and sesame seeds for creaminess (instead of the eggs) and coconut cream or coconut water instead of the dairy milk and cream:

Blackberry frozen dessert using fruit and coconut instead of eggs, cream and milk:

3 cups frozen blackberries

2 bananas

1 pinch stevia

1 cup shredded coconut or coconut flakes

1 peeled or washed organic pear

1 can coconut water or coconut cream

1/3 cup sesame seeds, either white or black sesame seeds

Basically to make this frozen dessert you puree the bananas, sesame seeds, and pear (remove the seeds) with the blackberries in your blender like a smoothie along with the coconut flakes using the coconut water or coconut cream as liquid instead of water. Then you freeze the smoothie-like result of emulsified blackberries and fruit.

When it is not quite frozen solid, serve. Freeze only long enough to be able to get a spoon in the frozen dessert, not frozen solid and hard as a rock. You might try to test it each hour until it’s frozen enough for you to get your spoon in the container. You can pour the emulsion into one-pint containers or dessert cups.

For a traditional dairy-and- egg-based blackberry ice cream, try this blackberry ice cream site. As you can see below, the traditional, more familiar blackberry ice cream tastes great, but uses whole milk, sugar, whipping cream, and 4 large egg yolks.

This recipe from this blackberry ice cream site is adapted from the combined techniques of two of the site’s favorite dessert books, The Perfect Scoop, and The Professional Pastry Chef. Makes about 1 qt.

1 1/2 c (375ml) Whole Milk
1 1/2 c (300g) Sugar
1 1/2 c (375ml) Heavy Whipping Cream
4 lrg Egg Yolks
1 t (5ml) Vanilla Extract
2 c (480ml) pureed Blackberries (approx. 4 – 6 oz baskets of berries)
1 T (15ml) fresh Lemon Juice

Combine the milk and sugar in a saucepan and gently warm to just less than scalding.
While milk warms, put heavy cream in a large bowl and cover with a fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
Whisk egg yolks and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the warm milk into the eggs, whisking constantly. Next pour the egg/milk mix back into the saucepan.
Heat the milk/egg yolk mix over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour through the strainer into the heavy cream. Mix in the blackberry puree and the lemon juice.
Stir until cool over an ice bath. Cover and thoroughly chill in the refrigerator (at least a couple hours.)
Churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

For other blackberry ice cream recipes, check out these sites below for various types of blackberry ice cream.

Blackberry ice cream recipes online: Check out these blackberry ice cream recipe websites: Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe with fresh blackberries, Blackberry Ice Cream, Part 1 | The Pioneer Woman Cooks | Ree, Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe – Food.com – 131896, Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe | Italian Recipes | Simple Recipes, Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe | MyRecipes.com, Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe – Saveur.com, Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe – Cooking for Two – About.com, Vegan Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe, and All good berries go to heaven — others go into blackberry ice cream.

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Gujarat: The non-vegetarian gourmet's paradise in India

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

Gujarat: The non-vegetarian gourmet’s paradise in India

Where in India is there a rush to open restaurants that cater to non-vegetarians?

Surprise, surprise, it’s Ahmedabad.

“When homegrown fried chicken chain, Bangs, set shop in Ahmedabad last November, it had trouble convincing its franchisee to invest enough in the brand. But as word got around, the budget outlet started drawing walk-ins of around 300 a day.

The sales are now double that of its outlets in Mangalore, Indore and Chennai, cities conventionally known to have a strong non-vegetarian appetite. In fact, the same franchisee is now racing ahead to open two more outlets in Ahmedabad as Bangs expands to Vadodara and Surat this fiscal,” says The Economic Times.

Now you can choose from Pizza Hut, KFC, or the home-grown Khyber.

While it seems to be surprising, if one attempted to know more about Gujarat, one would learn that 70 percent of the state’s population is non-vegetarian.

“Senior sociologist professor Ghanshyam Shah believes the myth that Gujarat is a vegetarian state was exploded a decade ago by a survey of Anthropological Survey of India, which said 70 percent of the state was non-vegetarian. “Ten per cent Muslims, seven percent Dalits, 40 percent OBCs and 14 percent Adivasis are all meat eating,” he says. “Among the OBCs, only smaller artisan communities like Prajapatis and Suthars, forming seven percent, are traditionally vegetarian. Among upper castes, Rajputs are traditionally meat eaters”, repors the Times of India.

While, mathematically, the majority of the population is non-vegetarian, the vegetarian minority enjoys the share of voice, and the restaurateurs cannot afford to antagonise them.

“American multinational Kentucky Friend Chicken (KFC) will, for the first time, have its waiters wear different-coloured uniforms while serving vegetarian and non-vegetarian customers to placate protests in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat city it enters later this month. The steps for Ahmedabad include different coloured uniforms for staff members, separate counters for veg non-veg orders, separate cooking areas indicated by markings on the wall, official sources said,” reports the Economic Times.

It could be the mobility of the new Indian which has propelled this revolution. What would students at an institution such as IIM Ahmedabad who have been brought up on a non-vegetarian diet do for their fix?

“For the non-vegetarian cuisine, head to Upper Crust at Vijay Char Rasta – the shop primarily known for its cakes and pastries, but serves excellent non-vegetarian food like chicken sandwiches and sizzles. Curries, opposite AMA, is another promising option to try some Indian style non-vegetarian dishes like specially grilled fish, butter chicken and tawa chicken. Khyber, the roof-top restaurant at Fortune Landmark Hotel, Usmapura, serves non-vegetarian food till late in the night in an amazing ambience that just improves the experience of fine-dining. For those pinched in the wallets, La Bella in Khanpur, Khamasa galli and Bhatiar galli are the places to go for fresh, spicy non-vegetarian food at economical rates,” is a one paragraph primer on the IIM website.

The increased industrialisation in the state sees an increased travel by corporate executives to Ahmedabad – and many of them aren’t Gujarati or vegetarian.

Till recently, they had to make do with vegetarian food. Not any more, though; they can choose from Pizza Hut, KFC, or the home-grown Khyber.

The Truth About Turkey

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

The Truth About Turkey

All along, turkey has been associated to once a year family feasts. You know, the Thanksgiving turkey. The Christmas turkey. Roast turkey stuffed with some yummy stuffing, eaten with gravy or cranberry sauce is a must for the end of the year celebrations.

The fact is, turkey is such a healthy meat, it should not be reserved ONLY for Christmas and Thanksgiving. You should have turkey as part of your daily diet. Especially the breast meat of the turkey, without the skin.

Why?

3 reasons.
1. Turkey meat has a very high protein content
2. Turkey meat itself has low fat content.
3. Turkey can be really delicious. My mom cooks a fantastic roast turkey.

Here are 2 of her roast turkey recipes. http://www.allkitchen.info/turkey.htm

Protein.

Ok, so we can get lots of protein from meat, fish and soya beans. Sure, beef packs plenty of protein that your body needs, but red meats are high in cholesterol.
For example, 1 oz of turkey contains between 15 mg and 24 mg cholesterol while 1 oz of beef contains 20 and 30mg of cholesterol. It all adds up to a large difference in artery clogging cholesterol between beef and turkey. That means if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, switching from beef to turkey can make a big difference.

As for protein, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council billed turkey as the perfect protein. It has more protein than chicken, or even a top loin beef steak.
That makes turkey the ideal food for growing children, athletes and anyone who wants lean muscle.

Fat.

Most of the fat in poultry is found in the skin. That means, by trimming off the skin in chicken or turkey, you remove most of the fat. Beef, pork and lamb on the other hand have the fat embedded in the meat itself. So just by switching to poultry alone, and removing the skin, you effectively remove most of the fat. In fact, 3 ounces of skinless, boneless turkey breast contains a mere 1g of fat and no saturated fat. That is a weight watcher’s dream. This is about as healthy as you get.
This makes turkey the ideal meat for anyone who wants to stay slim, yet eat to his or her heart’s content, without consuming much fat. Still even if you do switch to turkey, watch your portion size. Double the amount you eat and you will still gain weight.

The flip side is the lack of fat in turkey meat compromises the taste. After all, the yummiest foods contain fat. Fat flavours food. Then again, with the right seasoning, gravy and all, turkey can be delicious. Just try my mom’s recipes like her roast turkey with rice stuffing http://www.allkitchen.info/turkey-rice-recipe.php or the roast turkey with bread crumb stuffing http://www.allkitchen.info/turkey-breadcrumb-recipe.php . It is time to switch to something healthy and yummy.. like turkey.

Three Light, Simple and Easy Meals from Turkey Leftovers

If you’re like me, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, every year, is a blur. There never seems to be enough time to prepare for the holidays. Our immune systems plummet and stress rises. During this time, I try to find shortcuts to make things less stressful, for myself. Turkey leftovers are a mandatory part of this strategy. Even if the family dinner is not at my home, I buy a turkey. During the holiday season, it is very economical and a lifesaver.

Here are three light, simple and easy ways to use your turkey leftovers:

1 Turkey Quesadillas. Spray a whole wheat flour tortilla with Butter Pam. Place in frying pan and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped turkey pieces and sliced green onion. Place another tortilla on top and spray with Butter Pam. Brown on both sides until cheese is melted. You can add some chopped olives or jalapeno peppers if you desire. Serve with salsa.

2 Spinach and Turkey Salad. Mix together – chopped turkey, bacon flavoured almonds, dried cranberries and fresh spinach. Serve with your favourite vinaigrette or honey mustard salad dressing.

3 Turkey Soup. I cook the turkey carcass the weekend after Thanksgiving. You can do that or use canned chicken broth, chopped turkey and a bag of your favourite frozen vegetables. Pour everything in a pan and heat through until vegetables are crisp and tender, about fifteen to twenty minutes. Serve with a good brown bread.
While I still love hot open faced turkey sandwiches and all of the leftovers from Thanksgiving, these fast and easy meals provide a break in more ways than one. We are constantly bombarded with food and goodies during this time of year. It’s good to intersperse light dinners with heavier meals. All of these dinners can be made in thirty minutes or less. When we arrive home, after working or shopping or usually both, a light meal which takes almost no effort is a welcome relief. Having a light meal, once or twice a week, also helps to keep the calories from skyrocketing. So, give yourself a break, during the busiest time of the year. Your mind and your body will thank you for it.

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Does diet really matter in breast cancer?

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

Does diet really matter in breast cancer?

Expert answer

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, this is the perfect time to answer this question.

And the answer is a resounding yes. To get you the best possible information, I turned to registered dietitians Sally Scroggs, MS,RD,LD, and Clare McKinley, RD,LD, at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, one of the leading cancer hospitals in the world. They explained that breast cancer risk could be decreased by up to 38% through lifestyle factors including maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. In fact, less than 10% of breast cancer appears to have a genetic basis.

For prevention of breast cancer, limiting alcohol to one drink a day (5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of spirits) is one of the most important things that you can do. In addition, a plant-based diet loaded with at least two cups a day of a variety of produce is beneficial.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, “no single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself. But scientists believe that the combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet may. There is evidence that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods could interact in ways that boost their individual anti-cancer effects. This concept of interaction, where 1 + 1 = 3, is called synergy.”

Some of their top picks for cancer prevention include beans, berries, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts), dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, romaine, mustard greens), flaxseed, garlic, grapes/grape juice, green tea, soy, tomatoes and whole grains. A recent study in mice suggests that walnuts may also play a role in breast cancer prevention, but these findings need to be confirmed in humans.

There is also a growing body of research suggesting that curcumin, one of the active components of curry, may play a role in both the treatment and prevention of various types of cancer including breast cancer.

Being overweight is strongly associated with the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Adult weight gain of 22-44 pounds is associated with a 50% greater risk and a weight gain above 45 pounds is associated with an 87% increased risk.

Excess belly fat seems to be particularly harmful, most likely because of its effects on inflammation and its association with elevated insulin levels, so if you tend to be more “apple shaped” and carry extra weight in your belly, it is especially important to lose weight, exercise regularly, and limit refined grains, sugar sweetened beverages, and added sugar in your diet.

When it comes to breast cancer survivors, a healthy lifestyle is just as important, if not more so. Many women are concerned about soy consumption, which I’ve written about before. Sally and Clare agree that up to three servings per day is safe, but they emphasize that soy should come from whole foods like soy milk, edamame and tofu, and that supplements like smoothies, bars and soy fortified cereals should be limited.

Finally, during treatment, diet is very important to maintain health and optimize energy levels, but before taking any supplements, it is best to consult with a registered dietitian, preferably one that has experience with cancer treatment, because some supplements may actually interfere with chemotherapy or radiation.

In general, the emphasis should be on whole foods rich in anti-oxidants. Vitamin C may need to be supplemented in some cases if not enough is consumed in the diet. To find a registered dietitian, go to the American Dietetic Association website.

I hope you are encouraged by the fact that you can make a difference in your risk of breast cancer through lifestyle. Here a few breast cancer fighting recipes from M.D. Anderson to get you started in the right direction.

Ask our health experts a question

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The Wonder Of Chinese Green Tea In Today’s Society

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

The Wonder Of Chinese Green Tea In Today’s Society

Have you tasted Chinese green tea? As you all know, green tea is the most popular types of Chinese tea. Many people, not only Chinese, consider it as the best drink for sultry summers. The main reason for this claim is the fact that green tea is cool and fights off inflammation. Many have even claimed that it relieves fever.

Actually, the health benefits of Chinese green tea have been known throughout the world. The Chinese have known about these medicinal benefits since ancient times, as they have been using green tea to treat everything from headaches to depression. A writer named Nadine Taylor in her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life mentioned that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.

These days, numerous scientific researches conducted both in Asia and the West is providing hard evidences for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. To mention, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study in 1994, indicating that drinking Chinese green tea lowers the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly 60 percent. Also, it was reported by the researches of the University of Purdue just recently that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

There are other medical conditions to which drinking green tea is reputed to be beneficial. To sum up, these conditions include cancer, cardiovascular disease, infection, rheumatoid arthritis, impaired immune function, and even high cholesterol levels.

What Makes Green Tea Special?

The top secret of Chinese green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly the said epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is basically an anti-oxidant that has the power to fight and kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue in the body. Studies also revealed that this anti-oxidant has been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and hampering the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter benefit takes on added importance for the fact that the formation of abnormal blood clots, medically known as thrombosis, is the main factor that causes stroke and heart attacks.

Furthermore, the effects of Chinese green tea and the “French Paradox” were highly associated. Researches were in the first place puzzled by the fact that despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a less incidence of heart disease than Americans. The primary answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol. Resveratrol is as polyphenol that restricts the negative effects of smoking as well as a fatty diet. However, in 1997, a certain study reported that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol. And, this somehow explains the lower rate of heart disease among Chinese men even though approximately 70 percent are smokers.

Other Benefits

New evidences that reveal the other benefits of Chinese green tea are now emerging. One of those is the claim that Chinese green tea can help dieters. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more fats than those given only a placebo and caffeine.

Chinese green tea is also said to prevent tooth decay. Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also fight the bacteria that cause dental plague.

Today, several skin preparations containing green tea, from deodorants to creams, are also starting to appear on the market. This is for the reason that Chinese green tea is found out to be powerful in fighting bacteria that cause skin imperfections.

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The Truth About Enriched Wheat Flour (White Flour)

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

The Truth About Enriched Wheat Flour (White Flour)

Open up your bread box and read the ingredients of your favourite bread. Chances are the first ingredient is going to be enriched wheat flour.

What does “enriched” mean?

Enriched flour is flour in which most of the natural vitamins and minerals have been extracted. This is done in order to give bread a finer texture, increase shelf life and prevent bugs from eating it (bugs will die if they attempt to live off it).

Why is enriched flour bad?

When the bran and the germ (the parts of the wheat that contain vitamins and minerals) are removed, your body absorbs wheat differently. Instead of being a slow, steady process through which you get steady bursts of energy, your body breaks down enriched flour too quickly, flooding the blood stream with too much sugar at once. Your body then has to work hard to absorb the excess and stores it as fat. This causes quick highs and lows in your blood-sugar level which can lead to type-two diabetes and obesity. All this and you’re not even getting close to the amount of nutrients that whole grains contain.

Whole grains

Whole grains are richer in dietary fibre, antioxidants, protein (and in particular the amino acid lysine), dietary minerals (including magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium), and vitamins (including niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin E).

Health benefits

By eating whole grains you reduce the risk of some forms of cancer, digestive system diseases, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Don’t be fooled

There are many products that seem healthy on the front but in reality they are not. If the bread you are buying says “soft wheat” or “multi-grain” make sure you still read the ingredients. Most of these breads are primarily made with enriched flour. Even if the word “enriched” is not there, if it does not say “whole” then it’s the same junk. Don’t get fooled by colour either. Even if it’s brown, unbleached wheat flour is still missing the bran and the germ that contain essential nutrients as well as the fibre that aids digestion.

Look for products that say 100% whole wheat. Trader Joes carries spaghetti that is 100% whole wheat and tastes great. Even my father-in-law, Mr. Anti-health, likes it.

1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20
…You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.

Foods that commonly contain enriched wheat flour
Bread
Pasta
Chicken nuggets (breaded)
Pizza
Pie crust
Crackers
Cake
Cookies
Brownies
Pretzels
Donuts

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Raw milk crusader sheds weight, maintains conviction

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

Raw milk crusader sheds weight, maintains conviction

An Ontario dairy farmer and raw milk activist says he’s lost around 40 lbs, a month after going on a hunger strike. But he’s still hopeful that Premier Dalton McGuinty will agree to meet with him.

In late September, the Ontario Court of Justice found Michael Schmidt guilty of 15 charges related to producing and distributing unpasteurized milk, which is banned in Canada.

While he waits to hear his sentence in the case, Schmidt began a hunger strike in the hopes of being granted a meeting with the newly re-elected Ontario premier.

In a phone interview from his farm south of Owen Sound, Ont., Schmidt said he’s under the supervision of a doctor and is running low on energy.

“I’m doing a few things here on the farm still, but I’m on the verge now to pack it in,” he said Friday, citing problems including shortness of breath.

But he has no plans to abandon his diet of lemon juice and water unless he’s able to “get into a dialogue” with the provincial government — and McGuinty in particular.

“I never said that I would stop until I meet him,” Schmidt said. “No sense going on a hunger strike if you don’t follow through with it.”

Meanwhile his lawyer, Karen Selick, said she has been given instructions to seek an appeal in the case after a sentencing hearing is held Nov. 25.

The province filed charges against the career dairy farmer in 2006 following a raid on his farm, which is run as a co-operative with about 150 members.

Schmidt’s legal woes don’t end there, however. The Grey Bruce Health Unit has said it plans to lay further charges against him, Selick said, after Schmidt allegedly distributed raw milk at a rally near their office two weeks ago.

The activist farmer is also scheduled to appear in a Vancouver court on Nov. 2 in connection with a co-op near Chilliwack, B.C., that had been slapped with an injunction barring it from distributing raw milk. Schmidt faces a contempt of court charge in that case, which carries a possible fine of $55,000.

Health Canada banned the sale of raw milk, or unpasteurized milk in 1991. The agency says that due to concerns over E. coli, salmonella and listeria, food regulations require that “all milk available for sale in Canada be pasteurized.”

Proponents contend that dangers associated with raw milk are exaggerated and that it offers more health benefits than does pasteurized milk. They also point out that it’s legal to sell raw milk in many U.S. states and in a number of European countries, where it’s even sold at vending machines.

With Schmidt’s legal battles has come a degree of notoriety as a sort of raw milk folk hero. A Facebook page devoted to him includes 4,000 members, and he was recently invited to speak at a raw milk rally south of the border in Maryland, which he plans to attend if his doctor says he’s strong enough.

“The issue is much larger than what people think,” Schmidt said. “It really comes down to, how much power should the government have to tell us what we put in our bodies?”

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The Wedding Cake: A Ceremony by Itself

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

The Wedding Cake: A Ceremony by Itself

When my son and daughter-in-law held a knife and cut the first slice out of their all traditional, butter-cream frosted, lavish, and very expensive wedding cake, I couldn’t help smiling. If we had been in the early Roman times, the wedding cake would not be one huge, tasty, decorative creation, but many small, possibly cupcake-sized, salty wheat cakes. In addition, the guests wouldn’t be eating the cakes but throwing them at the bride or crumbling it over her head for fertility and single women would try to catch the crumbs for the same reason they catch the bridal bouquet today.

In the olden times when children didn’t make it to adulthood due to childhood illnesses, fertility was important, and that is probably the reason the wedding cake tradition was born. Later on during their empire, Romans turned their salty cakes into sweet cakes. This time, they made a slightly larger bridal cake with many smaller cakes surrounding it. The smaller cakes were brought as gifts by the guests. These cakes everyone ate, but still crumbled some of those over the bride.
After the Roman conquest of the British Isles, Roman customs influenced the natives who baked dry cakes for their weddings and drank their ale with them. In old England and Ireland, there also was, and still is, the custom of a groom’s cake, dark in colour and made of dried fruit.

When the English sent their pioneers into the new world, they also sent their customs with them. First European settlers in the Americas made fruitcakes for their weddings because their preservation was easier.

The fancy wedding cake with several tiers was created through the initiative of the French, and although scorned by the English at first, it was later adopted and became the norm through all Europe. The wedding cake, owing to its long history, became an individual affair for a modern wedding party, with different shapes and styles and with a rich variety of flavours, fillings, and icings.

A wedding cake, after the vows, has become a vital part of wedding ceremony in our day. It is assumed that a wedding cake reflects the style, elegance, and delicacy of the couple’s upbringing, in addition to their enthusiasm for their marriage.

Not only the ingredients and the making of the cake, but the ceremony of its cutting has become another reception by itself. Traditionally, the bride and the groom cut the cake together, with groom placing his right hand over the bride’s right hand to cut the first slice. Then, they feed each other that first slice while everyone applauds. Sometimes, the top tier is saved for the first anniversary or the birth of the couple’s first child, whichever comes first.

In some new world weddings nowadays, smearing each other with the icing has been taking hold as a custom, adding hilarity to the reception. My favourite wedding cake anecdote is a real one that may have seemed like a disaster at the time; however in hindsight, it has become an amusing joke. Yet, since the marriage has lasted, the incident might have been a good omen.

Several years ago, we attended a large wedding reception. Over the several steep stairs to the main reception hall, the wedding cake had to be carried rather than wheeled. I don’t know why nobody thought of a ramp but two waiters, one on each side, took the cake up the steps.

Suddenly, a waiter tripped and the cake fell on the floor, but with luck or heavenly intervention, the top two tiers stayed intact. A pandemonium broke out with the bride’s mother fainting and maintenance people scurrying about. Since the reception hall was part of a big hotel, the management came up with their version of a wedding cake. Several small cakes were arranged as the bottom layer with the two top layers of the original cake placed over them.

Judging from that experience, I think it might be a good idea to have a just-in-case second cake. After all, cakes are loved by most anyone and they don’t go to waste.

author:Joy Cagil
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The Truth about Barbecue Sauce

Posted on October 31, 2011 by bilrob

The Truth about Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauces have a uniquely Southern and Western U.S. history. Most experts agree that the practice of adding sauce and spices to meat and fish began early in our history, with Native Americans teaching the art to early European settlers. The natives probably developed the process as part of an attempt to keep meats and fish from spoiling quickly. Salt played a major role in those early barbecue sauces, and salt is a well-known preservative in the meat curing process.

Because the nation’s first European arrivals lived on the East Coast of America, that part of the country is credited with spawning the original barbecue sauce styles. First and foremost, there are the various Carolina barbecue sauces. The most widely known are East Carolina, Piedmont, and South Carolina varieties. East Carolina barbecue sauce consists of vinegar, salt, black pepper, and crushed or ground cayenne peppers. It’s a very simple sauce that penetrates the meat nicely for a deep flavour. Piedmont barbecue sauce only varies from East Carolina in that it often includes molasses or Worcestershire sauce and thus clings to the meat more. South Carolina sauce is entirely different, using a mustard base instead, producing a much tangier and sharp flavour.

Then there is Memphis or Southern style barbecue sauce. This popular variety is typically more complicated (flavour-wise) and is built around mustard, tomato, and vinegar. Fans often point to the boldness of these flavour combinations as the hallmark of Memphis barbecue sauce. A saying often heard among hungry connoisseurs is no two bites alike.

Continuing our trek westward, we come to the acknowledged centre of the barbecue universe Kansas City! Kansas City barbecue sauce is distinguished by its noticeably thicker consistency and emphasis on sweetness. That’s because this style of sauce is built upon thick tomato sauce, chunks of vegetables, and lots of sugar. Many popular commercial brands are based on this Kansas City recipe. It’s most popular among amateur backyard grillers because of the availability in grocery stores (Kraft, Heinz, K.C.s Masterpiece, etc.). And also because the thick sauce can be applied only once and enough will remain in place to please the happy recipients of the grilled meat.

Finally, there are the Texas barbecue sauce styles. Now, Texas is one big state, and there are several regional varieties within it. The most common include thick and spicy sauces that are essentially spicier variations on the Kansas City sauces. These are found mostly in the north and east sections of the state (Dallas). In western Texas, thinner sauces that feature hot peppers can be found. These sauces are often added only at the very end of the barbecue or grilling process. And then, in southern Texas, the barbecue sauce of choice features an emphasis on Mexican spices and, of course, jalapeno peppers! Make sure to have a cold beverage handy to put out the fire!

author:Owen Miller

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