Posts Tagged ‘recipes’

Importance Of Eating Breakfast

Monday, December 5th, 2011

The most important meal of the day is breakfast. We often hear moms urging their kids to eat breakfast before going to school. The problem is that some kids don’t like eating breakfast and tend to skip this very important meal.

For those who love eating breakfast, the common food we see on their tables are cereals, fruits, oatmeal, eggs and pan cakes. Sugary cereals should not be included for breakfast because they are unhealthy. Since most kids love chicken, then you can prepare different healthy chicken recipes to motivate them to eat plenty during breakfast.

Well, if you’re wondering why breakfast is the most important meal, then read further to learn why.

We need energy to make us last for the day. With breakfast, we can store energy and use it up for the whole day or until lunch time. Without breakfast we will easily get tired and we will have a hard time focusing on work since we feel or stomach rumbling due to hunger.

Skipping breakfast in kids can be damaging to their body’s development and in their growth in general. Kids need the right nutrients everyday since they are still growing up. WWith a balanced and nutritious breakast, you will have the energy to get your work done and in general you’ll be healthier.

Studies have proven that kids who skip breakfast tend to get lower grades in school because they feel weak and can’t focus in listening to their lessons. Overweight children are often those who skip meals especially breakfast. These kids skip breakfast but eat too much sweet before lunch thus making them fat.

It is also vital for parents to set a good example to their children by eating breakfast. Your child will be inspired to eat their favorite breakfast if he/she can see you eating also. Prepare different recipes or healthy food for breakfast to urge your children to eat. Experiment on food or try to prepare easy to cook healthy recipes like chicken parmesan recipe. You’re kids will surely love it because most kids love chicken, bread and cheese.

It is not enough for you and your family to eat breakfast but what is important is to eat healthy. You should consider adding eggs, whole grain cereals, apples, fruits or oatmeal to your meal. You can also prepare a full meal and cook chinese chicken recipe which is healthy and full of proteins that your body needs. Avoid sugary cereals and chocolates in the morning. Don’t forget to let your kids drink milk every morning.

For men and women who want to lose weight, eating breakfast can help you achieve your weight goal. Studies show that those who eat breakfast have maintained the right weight and even lost weight in the process compared to those who skip meals. When one skips breakfast, you get hungry before lunch and once you eat you’ll have the urge to eat more than the usual. If you do it always, then you’ll surely gain weight.

Lobster Tales: Health Benefits (and A Recipe)

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

Lobster is high in protein, low fat, and, well, delicious. The health benefits of lobster have been pored over and we can all agree that lobster meat is beneficial. Like lean steak, lobster has no less than thirty grams of protein per 5 oz serving. But lobster has less fat than red meat. And lobster is not only low in fat, it has less cholesterol than chicken breast.

Lobster also happens to be perfect for a diet without carbohydrates or focused on a low glycemic index. And, on a Weightwatcher System, lobster only counts for four points. 

Lobster meat contains 10-20 percent of the USDA recommended daily value of potassium, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, copper and vitamin B12.

  • Selenium helps the immune system and thyroid gland and can also help prevent heart disease.
  • Diseases of bones and tissues can be prevented by diet with a high copper. Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy nerve and red blood cells.
  • Phosphorus contributes to the smooth functioning of the kidneys and reduces arthritis. Increased activity of the brain, a strengthened immune system and healthy reproductive organs are all benefits of the consumption of zinc.
  • Finally, potassium is credited with help function of your heart. The advantages ofOmega 3 fatty acids range from reducing the risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure.
  • And like other types of seafood, lobster also contains a high omega-3 fatty acid, which is really good for the heart and brain.

Lobster is ideal for people on a diet or for people following a healthy lifestyle but who also want a wider of foods to eat (besides the usual — which can sometimes be bland).

Lobster’s combination of taste and health benefits make it a truly unique food, which should make it a must-have for healthy eating. And so you’re forced to go to any Boca Raton restaurants for good lobster, below is a recipe for the perfect lobster treat:

The Perfect Lobster Roll (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

Lemon Mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canola oil

Lobster
2 live 1-1/4 pound lobsters
Sea salt
Lemon mayonnaise (see recipe)

Roll
2 Hamburger Buns (no sesame seeds)
Lemon mayonnaise (see recipe)

Preparation:

Lemon Mayonnaise
1. Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice and salt in the covered jar of a blender. Whirr at high speed to combine.
2. Turn the speed to medium and slowly add the canola oil in a thin stream. (To prevent splattering, keep the blender jar mostly covered while you are pouring in the oil.) If the blender clogs before you have finished adding the oil, turn off the machine, scrape down the sides and stir the contents with a rubber spatula. You can also add a little more lemon juice if necessary, but no more than a teaspoon.
3. Decant into a clean jar and set aside. The mayonnaise will be fairly bland at first, but after 5 or 10 minutes the citrus flavor will come to the fore.

Lobster Roll
1. To boil the lobsters, follow the instructions in steps 1-3 of the recipe in The Week of Eating Lobster.
2. When they are cool enough to handle, crack the claws and joints with a mallet or small hammer and remove the meat. Using kitchen shears or scissors, slit the underside of the tail up the middle and remove the meat. You can also extract every morsel from the legs and the “fan” of the tail section with a lobster pick or the tip of a sharp paring knife. Don’t forget the chunk of meat where the tail section meets the body cavity.
3. Cut the lobster meat into large, bite-size chunks and let cool to room temperature. This will only take a few minutes.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon mayonnaise to the lobster and taste. Add more, if you like, but do not smother the lobster. The mayonnaise should be added with a light hand. Set aside but do not refrigerate—unless you are making this ahead.
5. Split the hamburger buns and lay the tops and bottoms on the kitchen counter. Flatten each half by pressing down firmly with your hand or with the bottom of a clean, heavy saucepan.
6. Toast the buns all the way through. They should be moderately brown on all sides, but not dark and certainly not even the tiniest bit burned. (You may need to do a trial run to determine the right setting for your own toaster.)

Chef’s Tip: Assemble the lobster roll by spreading the inside of each bun, top and bottom, with 1 or 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise. Pile half the lobster on the bottom of each bun and cover with the top.