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Quick, light soup the antidote to holiday splurge

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:06:21 +0000

Quick, light soup the antidote to holiday splurge.

After all that heavy holiday eating, it’s good to tone it down a bit for the new year.

Whether you resolve to make a commitment to better eating or just want a palate cleanser from all the roasts and dips, this light and creamy soup will do the trick. Creamy in texture without being cream-based, this soup satisfies with vegetables, wild rice and rosemary.

We’ve opted for quick and lean protein in the form of chicken breast, but shrimp would be another easy, tasty option.

Recipe: Creamy Rosemary Wild Rice Soup

Phoenix gardens take aim at ‘food deserts’

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:03:44 +0000

Phoenix gardens take aim at ‘food deserts’.

A few times each week, Karla Zarceño and her two young sons weave their way around vines, flowering squash plants and fluffy greens outside of the Golden Gate Community Center.

They pluck peppers and tomatoes and cut greens to take to their home in Maryvale in west Phoenix.

The tiny garden at the center at McDowell Road and 39th Avenue is an oasis in an area that the federal government has deemed a “food desert,” which a local organization is trying to change.

Food deserts are low-income areas where at least 20 percent of residents live in poverty and are more than a mile away from a supermarket or grocery store that sells fresh, healthful produce.

The city is home to several food deserts in south Phoenix and various neighborhoods, including near downtown Phoenix, Maryvale and the communities next to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, federal maps show.

The neighborhoods are among the 65,000 areas in the nation that federal officials have deemed food deserts, and the bulk of them — 85 percent — are in inner-city areas. A family of four in these food-barren neighborhoods earns $22,350 or less per year.

A Valley health organization, St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, recently focused on assisting the Maryvale area with a grant it received last year from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Phoenix was one of 41 cities nationwide chosen for the four-year grants, worth up to $360,000 each, to back efforts to help cities combat obesity.

To start on the Phoenix project, researchers from Arizona State University,Greenzona, St. Luke’s Health Initiatives and west Phoenix residents began a survey to assess the difficulty of accessing healthful foods in the Maryvale area.

It is a 37.6-square-mile region from Van Buren Street to Bethany Home Road and El Mirage Road to the Black Canyon Highway.

The survey found:

The area has 101 food stores, but 54 percent of those were convenience stores and 16 percent of them were pharmacies or dollar stores.

Most of the food stores were not in walking distance.

None of the 101 stores in the area had an adequate range of healthful foods.

Fewer than one-third of the stores had fresh vegetables or healthful chicken, beef and cheese options.

Healthful foods were more expensive than the other options in the stores.

Jon Ford, a spokesman for St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, said the results revealed that Maryvale residents are at a disadvantage because so many families in the area are in poverty and have few transportation options.

Such factors force them to choose between price and health.

Although fresh fruits and vegetables are better for people to eat than high-sugar, high-salt items, stores struggle to keep fresh foods on the shelves for more than a few days.

Apples, bananas, lettuce, items like that are perishable and will rot if they aren’t sold quickly, Ford said.

“On the other side of the coin, if you stock processed foods for 18 months, not only do they keep better but they fly off the shelf,” Ford said.

Maryvale families are at a greater risk for health problems, in part because of their poverty and in part because of their genes. Medical studies have indicated that Latino residents, such as those in Maryvale, are faced with higher rates of diabetes and obesity.

Ford said St. Luke’s Health Initiatives is now working on solutions to bring healthful food to the neighborhoods in the area, mostly populated by Latinos.

Medical studies have shown that Hispanic communities suffer high rates of diabetes and obesity.

“There really are two routes to go,” Ford said.

“One is already in process: We are establishing community gardens. There are three locations in Maryvale that are planting.”

Ford said the Golden Gate center garden is one of the three.

Zarceño and her husband Jose Montiel said they are grateful for it. Montiel believes he and his family are eating well and staying more healthy than if they were to buy the highly salted and sugary foods sold at neighboring convenience stores.

The garden “is a good start,” Montiel said.

“We think it’s better for you.”

He is holding out hope for stores with more fresh fruits and vegetables to help fill the void that even the garden cannot sustain.

Feast of seven fishes

admin — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:18:41 +0000

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Feast of seven fishes

Chef Ed Brown stops by the TODAY kitchen to prepare a traditional Christmas Eve meal featuring several varieties of fish.

http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45783297

Ordering a Online liquor store is quite simple – get something delivered to your door method

admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:44:31 +0000

With the advent of Web commerce & online, to get something delivered to your door method has become a convenient & hassle free for everyone. Since the world has shrunk & commerce & trade have transcended the physical boundaries, Online Liquor Store lots of have opened on the World Wide Web. These stores offer a wide selection of alcoholic drinks, ranging from tequila whiskey & champagne & beer on the premises of customers.

With the appearance of Web business & online, to get article delivered to your aperture adjustment has become a acceptable & altercation chargeless for everyone. Since the apple has diminished & business & barter accept transcended the concrete boundaries, Online Liquor Store lots of accept opened on the Apple Advanced Web. These food action a advanced alternative of alcoholic drinks, alignment from tequila whiskey & albino & beer on the bounds of customers. As online food that accommodate liquor at home casework accept become a benefaction for individuals who charge to accelerate ability affected wine with ancestors & accompany on appropriate occasions geographically isolated.

Ordering a Liquor Store Online is simple

Ordering a Liquor Store Online is simple, as buyers basically aces the products, accommodate the commitment abode & date & pay for a acknowledged purchase. All sites such as accepting acquittal by acclaim & debit cards as able-bodied as added modalities, such as Pay Pal. Lots of sites that action commitment account of booze at home are additionally discounts for echo buyers, abbreviation the accepted costs complex in this method. Lots of arch retailers are alms melancholia discounts & appropriate ability & wine accessories in bulk. This is abundant added acceptable to appointment the concrete food & loading & auction of abundant items from abode to another.

Ordering a Online Liquor Store is simple

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Ordering a Online Liquor Store is simple

Online Liquor Store

Online Liquor Store added affordable than aircraft & administration charges, although this may change in case of all-embracing commitment location. Usually, individuals who are committed to action drinks to your accompany & ancestors away to administer for all-embracing aircraft options. In such cases, the fees answerable by the net armpit that accommodate liquor to access the home commitment account according to the ambit & calm customs duties. However, abundant abatement in ante for aggregate orders, & can become affordable for & all. This has led to an exponential access in appeal for home commitment of alcoholic drinks in the all-embracing market

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SendLiquor.com arranges for the delivery of gifts of liquor on a worldwide basis to your family, friends and associates. Choose from hundred’s of name brand beer, bourbon, Canadian whiskey, champagne, cognac, cordials & liqueurs, gin, Irish whiskey, liquor baskets, rum, scotch, tequila, unique gift bottles, vodka, wine and wine pairings.

Send Wine Gift Baskets For Less Money by Shopping Online

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:08:02 +0000

Typically, the basket of wine is quite popular during the holidays as a corporate Wine gift baskets, so you can add some elements that might be shared between the company personnel in the party. Here are some articles that can be found in a Wine Gift Baskets.

Wine Gift Baskets are a traditional gift, not only to close friends, but also for their business partners, especially if its members love to drink wine. Wine Gift baskets are also good for the holidays, like Valentine’s, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, weddings, Mother’s Day, birthdays, Father’s Day, etc.

Send Wine Gift Basketis only appropriate when the person you want to give too have an addiction that is not allowed to drink those containing alcohol. So before giving this kind of Wine Gift Basket fist someone should find out if allowed to drink alcohol or not.

Also remember that not all the same items baskets inside varies depending on where purchased.

Bottles of wine white or red wine, or it may be both.
Cookies
Cheese
Cookies
Wine glass
Caviar
Corkscrew
Crown
Chocolate
Decorative wine stopper
Cheese Slicer

These are just some of the topics can be found on the inside, if you, personally, this type of basket you can add some items you like.

Send Wine Gift Baskets to your friends is easy here are some tips for you:

When you want to send this type of gift you should know first if the person you want to give you allow drinking alcoholic beverages.
The next thing is that you also have to know if the person you are giving too much is a wine snob, if he or she is one, you should be aware of what came to him or her.
Also be aware that foods and fruits that match the wine in the basket. Like white wine goes well with fresh fruits, while the chocolates in red.
Also decide whether to send your shopping came personally or whether to send the person directly where it was purchased.
It’s easy and quick to buy this line, except that you can also see if you could send directly to the person you want to give it.
But be careful when shopping online even when requested to be sent directly to the person you want to give, over there, a lot of fake web site on the web and if not careful they can be victims. You should find a web site trustworthy and reliable to purchase the item you want to buy.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benefits of Cooking on a Budget

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:38:02 +0000

Benefits of Cooking on a Budget

By Rachel M Turner

Cooking on a budget does not have to be a difficult thing. It can be accomplished by simply knowing where to buy the cheapest meats, vegetables, and fruits among others.

Weekly planning

In order to properly cook on a budget, you actually need to prepare menus for each week. The ingredients should be listed on the menu along with where to buy them. For example, you could buy the meat from one source, the vegetables from another and the sugar from yet another store. Does this sound complicated for you? At first you may find this a little difficult but over time you will become more accustomed to it and it will greatly benefit your finances.

Know where to buy cheap food

When shopping for food items, buy only what you need according to what is on your menu. Never buy in excess; always buy the exact quantity listed on the menu. The prices vary from place to place depending on the type of food item you are looking for. Milk, sugar, and bread for example are cheaper when you buy them at supermarkets. They’re considered as staple foods and are usually sold at a losing price to attract customers into buying other products.

Also shop at farmers’ markets but remember to keep a list of schedules of where and when they open in your area. They’re usually open twice a week. You will probably notice that it is cheaper to buy eggs, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, flowers and jams there. Buying meat direct from a butcher’s store will also give you some savings but it really boils down to knowing where to buy what from where.

Avoid cooking by impulse

Do not give in to cooking impulse. Cooking food by impulse in contrast to weekly scheduling will end up making you spend more. And what are you going to do with the extra ingredients? They’ll end up being stocked in the fridge or cabinet for a long time ending up money in the inventory. And the worse of it all is when they get spoiled they’re considered as lost money.

Stick with your list

When you shop for your grocery, stick to your lists. If you want to buy something else, return some food of equivalent amount back to the shelf. It’s easy to be swayed into buying other items which are not on the list. Discounted items can often attract you making you think that you can save by buying it but if you really think about it, it’s usually things that we don’t actually need.

How much is the least amount per meal is possible per person

How much money is enough for food? Can a person eat less than a dollar a meal? If not, how much? One source gave it $100 a week with two adults, one kid and a toddler. This is without coupons, food stamps and no shopping from farmers’ stores. All foods were brought from supermarkets. It is up to you to determine your own budget depending on what you can and can’t afford.

If you enjoyed reading this article, please remember to share it with all your family and friends.

If you are interested in learning more about cooking on a budget, make sure you visit my website. You can also find other useful budgeting tips there.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_M_Turner
http://EzineArticles.com/?Benefits-of-Cooking-on-a-Budget&id=6718553

Have a Healthy Helping of Peanut Butter

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:35:03 +0000

By: Virginia Butters

If you love peanut butter, feel good about digging in. It turns out America’s favorite peanut spread is a great source of vitamins and nutrients.

Peanut butter is one of the hallmarks of American cuisine. It’s in our sandwiches, our cookies, and even alights on our celery from time to time. It’s delicious, sure, but how good is peanut butter for us? It is one of the most caloric foods found in the average American kitchen, weighing in at roughly 170-200 calories per two tablespoon serving – and for some of us, limiting ourselves to two tablespoon servings of our favorite nut spread can be quite difficult. Most of the calories come from fat.

The good news is, most of the fats contained are monounsaturated, and have been shown to improve the cholesterol profile by lowering “bad” LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. The positive effect it has on cholesterol levels is further enhanced by peanut butter containing polyunsaturated fats, which in turn help raise “good” HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels. This synergistic effect makes peanut butter a good choice for those trying to naturally regulate their cholesterol levels.

Peanut butter is also fairly high in fiber, providing about 8% – 10% of the recommended daily allowance in each serving. Dietary fiber has been shown to play an important role in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and colo-rectal cancer, and helps to regulate cholesterol and blood-sugar levels. What’s more, it’s fairly high in protein, supplying roughly seven or eight grams per serving. Protein is vital to our entire physical system, making up about 16% of our total body weight, and playing a role in all of the cells and most of the fluids our bodies contain.

Along with beneficial minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, and potassium, peanut butter is a good source of vitamins E and B3, also known as niacin. Vitamin E is a powerful lipsoluble antioxidant, which means that it blends with the fatty or lipid portions of our bodies. It’s able to remove toxins from the body, and promotes protection against numerous forms of cancer, including lung, colon, and breast cancers. Vitamin B3, or niacin, is a water-soluble nutrient, which means it cannot be stored in our fatty tissues and should be replenished frequently. It also has antioxidant properties, and aids bodily function by regulating the secretion of sexual hormones. Yowza!

Incorporating moderate amounts of peanut butter into your diet has a number of highly beneficial health effects. So go ahead and spread!

Here’s a delicious, healthy recipe for frozen peanut butter pie. This pie tastes especially good with a gingersnap crust, which is a cinch to make. If you’re making a vegan version, read the label on the gingersnap package to make sure they’re dairy-free – chances are they will be. Look for the cheapest snaps – typically they’re the ones which contain no dairy. You can make your crust out of any cookie or graham cracker you’d like, of course; gingersnap is just a suggestion. Here’s how you do it: Mix about 1 1/2 cups of fine crumbs (use your blender or food processor) with about 1/4 cup of melted Butter-Flavor Crisco and press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for about eight minutes, and allow the crust to cool completely before filling.

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. medium-firm tofu, mashed
* 1 cup Splenda
* 1/4 cup oil
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. butter-flavor extract (optional)
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 cup peanut butter

Have your baked pie shell ready.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until fairly well blended. Put about a cup of the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula to make sure everything gets well-combined. Transfer the blenderized portion to another mixing bowl, and repeat the process until all the pie filling has been blenderized. Give the blenderized pie filling a good stir, and pour it into your prepared crust. Freeze the pie until firm, and let it thaw for at least 10 minutes before serving.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you enjoyed this healthy living article, check out my post on sugar free cookie recipes for diabetics and try some of my awesome recipes for sugar free cookies.

Tarbell on wine: Sakes, roses, and other holiday party drinks

admin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:48:21 +0000

Tarbell on wine: Sakes, roses, and other holiday party drinks.

Forget cruising the holiday-party circuit with eggnog, beer or a fancy Pop mini bottle of champagne. Spice up your festive gathering with one of these new “it” drinks.

Premium sake in personal walking-around-size bottles is the new rage. The world of sake is almost as broad and complex as wine; just switch out rice for grapes, Asia for Europe! And it makes for a fun theme for your next gathering. Look for Junmai Daiginjo-shu, Daiginjo-shu, Junmai Ginjo-shu and Junmai-shu sake styles.

Gekkeikan Zipang Sparkling Sake, Japan ($7-$8): This sparkling sake is a great new one for the holidays. The color is very lightly tinted with pale yellow. The bubbles are super fine. The aroma has baked rice and a touch of butter; the fruit is light and tropical. The taste is clean and lightly fruity with a soft mousse of bubbles. Very pleasant and easy to drink. 87 points.

Sho Chiku Bai, Junmai Ginjo Sake, Berkeley, Calif. ($7-$8): Junmai Ginjo Sake is made with pure rice, with no distilled alcohol added and is considered to be of higher-end quality. This sake is clear in color, with nice legs (thickness). The aroma is slightly nutty with some rice and cream on the end. The taste is smooth up front with a hint of spice and white pepper in the finish. 86 points.

Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose, Alsace, France ($17-$20): Roses are the hottest thing going. Once often overlooked, they’re now appreciated for their depth of flavor and ability to be paired with many foods and environments.

Wine Gift Basket Delivery – The Easier Way to Send Wine

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:02:17 +0000

You can also send gift baskets of wine to someone you love or are close to you. If someone living in another country, you can have it delivered and add a certain amount for shipping where to send the gift. When sending baskets of wine in the country, some stores do not charge for delivery. Some stores charge for the provision of a distance limit of the place.

Each of us wants to give a unique gift or even the best of those who love and care. But sometimes it is difficult to find a gift to give. If you know the person you love wine then you should consider looking at the provision of Wine Gift Basket.

The best wine is one of the best gifts you can give to an entrepreneur or a wine lover. Give a gift not only for the time, but can also give gifts to express gratitude as a stimulus or to congratulate someone. The gift must be of the highest quality, reflecting the state of the business or person you are giving the gift.

A basket of wine can be a bit expensive as shipping charges are included living away from delivery. But surely arrive in time any day you want the person receiving the gift you send. Wine shops to deliver the wine to some countries, such as the Philippines, Canada and other countries you want to give the gift.

If you’re tired to go shopping for wine gift basket on the market, you can shop online through the Internet. You have the time, it is easy to make and you can explore the different websites where wine gift basket are offered or available. It is open 24 / 7 and no time to rest. Shopping on the Internet is the easy, no hassle, no traffic and you can save time and energy.

On the Internet, you can compare the price so you can easily find or choose any wine you want to send to a friend, someone you love, entrepreneur, wine lover, father, relatives, etcPor general, online shopping rather it is cheaper to shop around.

Just make sure you know what kind of gift you want to send wine and always give the correct name and address of the person you want to send Wine Gift Basket.

For more information on wine delivery gift basket including how to Send Wine Gift Basket to take a look at the website of Ian Wright.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

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20 places for pork dishes in Greater Phoenix

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:14:18 +0000

20 places for pork dishes in Greater Phoenix.

Pork is more than ham and bacon – not that we are at all opposed to bacon. Pork is just so darned versatile that chefs can use their imagination when it comes to preparing “the other white meat.” Here are some restaurants around the Valley where you can pig out.

» PHOENIX | SCOTTSDALE | SE VALLEY | WEST VALLEY
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/dining/articles/2011/11/25/20111125restaurants-pork-dishes-phoenix.html#ixzz1fVosxkUw