Fast food restaurants may be a dime a dozen these days, but would their easy recipes ever erase the memory of the perfect dishes that your mother dished out, when you came home famished, from school or the playground? Today, all family members, including mothers themselves, grab a bite from the nearest fast food eatery, before they hop back into the office. Dinner may be a pizza oozing with cheese, that either parent picked up on their way home. Flavors of home cooking have been forgotten memories today that visit you only in your dreams.

All the fat from the cheese and chips that fast food chains gift, nestle in your body and most of it is seen deposited around the midriff. These fats live in the place of the essential nutrients that home cooking might have provided. From a theoretical point of view, everyone agrees that fast food delicacies are deadly concoctions that their bodies do not need. People do grow nostalgic now and then about home cooking recipes and smells that wafted from grandmother’s kitchen, but somehow they go back to their fast food eateries, like an addict going back to his bottle. People have to be de-addicted from it, and giving them free recipes is one way of attracting people back to cooking wholesome food at home.

A balanced diet is the ultimate requirement for staying healthy, and one way - rather the only way - in which this can be managed, is by home cooking. There are plenty of home cooking recipes, and easy recipes at that, which make the dishes tasty and provide the necessary nutrition. Tasty dishes are the best way to make mealtimes a pleasure, and perfect mealtimes in which everyone join, are the best way to make family members bond together. In short, home cooked food and the dinner table can become the factor that knits the family together.

Dieticians and nutrition experts strongly recommend home cooking. While medical expertise itself endorses the need for home cooked food, simple layman’s wisdom is sufficient to understand the importance of cooking at home with recipes that ensure a balanced intake of food. People of developing countries rely less on fast food chains for subsistence, and most of the households in these countries have hundreds of recipes that have been handed down through generations. These are time tested and proven, with unchallengeable nutritive values and taste. They have their own traditional spices and herbs and marinades, and each recipe is unique in its own way.

Cooking is an art, and a well laid out table is a symbol of the interest a person takes in the family’s health, its gastronomic delights, and the bonding among the members of the family. Nothing will help this interest and care better than easy recipes. There are plenty of tasty and free recipes which may have a rather long preparation time and may require too much of labor. While these have their charm, they may frighten off the beginners, and make them indifferent to cooking. So start with the easier recipes, which can be whipped up quickly. While making the food simple, try to change the recipes, so that there is some variety. Somehow or other make the mealtimes attractive so that the family is attracted less and less to the junk food that goes by the name fast food.

Please do visit our site for hundreds of Free and easy Recipes for Home Cooking - Veg Recipes, Vegan Recipes, salads, soups, main course dishes, chili recipes, Appetizer recipes, desserts, Cookie Recipes, Chocolate recipes, and an extensive cooking guide.

Article Source: Home Cooking Lays the Foundations For a Healthy Body

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With the heat of the summer and the fact that we have longer days, many times we would like to eat something light as well as later in the evening. Ideally speaking, a quick easy dinner as well as an easy healthy dinner. Here is a healthy food recipe for a quick meal.

Based upon one of my favorite marinades, this healthy food recipe is a quick easy dinner that can be made for 1 or more people (if you are entertaining). What I did earlier this week was prepare halibut over brown and wild rice mixed with dates and served green beans on the side. This easy healthy dinner took no time at all to make.

The ingredients to use for this quick meal are:

1 portion of halibut Brown rice Wild Rice Dates Green Beans

To start this quick easy dinner, marinate the halibut in a bowl of equal parts olive oil, balsamic vinegar (2 tablespoons each) and a clove or two of garlic. Coat the halibut and place the fish in the refrigerator for about two hours.

In the meantime, follow the cooking instructions on the back of the packages for the wild rice and the brown rice and cook both types of rice separately. When I made this healthy food recipe, I used 1/4 cup of wild rice and 1 cup of brown rice.

Once both sets of rice are cooked, mix them together and add chopped dates. Be sure you check the dates for nuts. Allow the heat of both sets of rice to warm up the chopped dates. Set the rice aside.

Once the halibut is marinated, cook the fish in the oven until tender and flaky but not raw in the middle. To make this a really quick dinner, purchase freshly frozen green beans and heat them up over the stove while you are cooking the halibut.

If the rice has cooled, you may want to pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to reheat it. Set the rice on your dinner plate, then place the cooked halibut on top and then the cooked green beans to the side, and there you have a quick easy dinner using a healthy food recipe.

I like to save even more time cooking dinner in the summer and often will prepare my combination rice serving ahead of time and refrigerate it. I make a couple of servings and then take it out for this dish or another quick meal that I may cook during the week.

I hope you find this healthy food recipe for a quick easy dinner enjoyable. What is so great about this easy healthy dinner is that it takes no time to make and is easy to clean up. Until next time, remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Andrea Wyn is a special event planner with over 15 years of industry experience. She has been the Awards Event Supervisor for the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R) since 2000. Her book, Budget Bash-Simply Fabulous Events on a Budget, is available at http://www.budgetbashbook.com . She has an MBA from the University of Chicago & a BA from UCLA. To learn more about Budget Bash & events go to http://www.awynningevent.com

Article Source: Healthy Food Recipe for a Quick Meal

With the world growing at a faster rate and as per our busy schedule, it is not surprising that eating out has become a part of our life and is a very common occurrence or rather we are bound to eat outside.

Eating out is a nice treat once in a while or a convenient option when you don’t have time to cook a meal. But, if you have to regularly consume food from outside, you should be very cautious about the nutritional value of the food. Here are some tips for making your restaurant meals as diet friendly as possible.

- most fast food restaurants and restaurant chains post nutritional information about their food offerings on their web sites, check them out.

- keep it small. Portion sizes at fast food counters and restaurants are usually bigger than what you would normally eat at home. Share a large meal with a friend, or ask to take leftovers home.

- pick nutrition over value, order foods that have been steamed, baked, broiled, grilled, stir-fried or roasted. The hidden fat and calories add up quickly when food is fried, deep-fried, breaded or served with rich sauces and gravies.

- if you ask for sauces and dressings on the side, you can control the amount that you eat. Often you can use less than is normally used and still enjoy the same taste.

- order much of vegetables and food rich in fiber- content.

- many of the restaurants have nutritional value menu, ask for it and make a smart choice accordingly.

- when choosing, be aware of highly caloric additions such as salad dressings, cheese, sour cream, etc. Sometimes, making your choice healthier is as simple as removing the condiments.

- drink water, low-fat milk or 100% fruit juice instead of soda pop. If you drink alcohol, limit it to one or two drinks.

- remember that healthy eating is about balance and enjoying your food. If you happened to overindulge at a meal, then plan on choosing some healthier choices over the next few days.

However, eating the home cooked food is beyond comparison how much so ever health consciousness is adapted. But, owing to the nature and timing of our work, we cannot help it. And thus the only way out is to be aware of the nutritious value of the food and avoid consuming food with high calorific or fat intakes for which you must have some knowledge in order to make a choice.

Palak Agarwal is a research analyst at Admanya.com, India’s leading consumer internet portal which educates consumers by providing extensive product information and robust research. Visit http://consumer.admanya.com for latest consumer reviews, buying tips, prices, advices, surveys and reports.

Article Source: Learn To Eat Healthy And Nutritious Food Outside

You are more than likely sick of hearing about what will not work. You have heard all the reports on how fad diets will never help you lose weight. The problem then is what can you do to lose weight? Here are a few tips that will make it easier for you to lose weight and then keep off the fat.

Television

Unless you are following an aerobics instructor on the set, it is time to turn it off! Americans spend vast amounts of time sitting in front of their television sets. Research suggests that this act actually burns fewer calories than sleeping if you can imagine that! Turn off the TV and go for a short walk after dinner you will feel much better about the use of your time and burn some extra calories in the process.

Sleep

Sleeping is a key ingredient in weight loss. People who do not get a proper amount of rest are at a much higher risk for obesity. Several things contribute to this fact. Exhaustion makes you think you are hungry more often, plus you can become irritable and depressed which further aggravates the situation. The recommended amount of sleep you should get is at least eight hours.

Set a nightly routine to help you get in the swing of things. A scheduled time to go to bed results in your body naturally becoming sleepy around the same time each night.

Never Go Shopping Hungry

Have you ever gone to the grocery store when you were starving? Chances are you went home with everything you can imagine and a few things you can’t. You probably snacked on the way home as well. This is why you should never go shopping hungry, the tendency is to buy everything that looks good, and it all looks good when you are hungry. Instead make a shopping list and then fill it right after you have had a solid meal.

Make a Menu

When you eat on the spur of the moment, you are not truly focused on weight loss so much as fixing your hunger. Set aside time to plan your menu including snacks, this way you are prepared and have already considered the health impact of your food.

Take it Slow

It is not healthy or advisable to lose massive amounts of weight very quickly. If you drop more than a few pounds per week, you are putting your health at risk. A healthy goal is two to three pounds of weight loss per week. This is not only healthy it is sustainable for the long haul.

Forgive Yourself

For someone who has tried many fat loss diets and failed it can be hard to look at yourself in the mirror. The first thing you must do is forgive yourself for what you see as failures and realize that most of what you were being sold was doomed to fail in from the start. Liking yourself is the key to success in any venture be it weight loss or life in general.

Fat Loss For Idiots gives you meal combinations for 11 days followed by a break of 3 days. Eat what you want during the break. Another 11 days course begins and you end up losing 9 pounds per course. For more info on the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet ,visit -> http://www.squidoo.com/fatlossforidiotsreview4u

Article Source: Fat Loss For Idiots - 6 Tips For Healthy Eating

In these uncertain times, invest in a sure thing: your child’s health. Economic hardships do not have to lead to weight gain. Food prices are climbing, and you might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods for cheap bites. But there is no substitute for proper nutrition. Today’s food savings will be tomorrow’s medical bills. That said, there are ways to have it both ways - healthy and economical. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you.

The best snacks are low in calories and fat, and high in protein and fiber.

Different Snack Ideas:

1) Produce that is big in health, small in price and a great snack! Look for fruits and vegetables in season; they are healthy and cheap.

Vitamin-rich vegetables can become the centerpiece of your snack without putting a dent in your wallet. Try broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, celery, and peppers with a fat-free yogurt dip. These veggies range from $0.79 to $3.00 for a supply that will last for many snacks.

Opt for apples, pears, bananas and cranberries for inexpensive fruits packed with nutrients. A banana can be as little as $0.30 each and a 3-lb bag of apples sells for $2.85.

Looking for even cheaper fruits and vegetables? Browse through your supermarket’s freezer section. Frozen fruits and vegetables have all the same nutrients as fresh for a lot less money.

2) Get protein rich snacks from less expensive sources.

Nuts, beans and legumes cost very little but provide a robust flavor and a bounty of benefits to your health. They are packed with protein, fiber, and the good kind of fat. Another savings tip: You can buy in bulk.

3) Make us of leftovers.

When you make more than one meal at once, you save money and time. The trick is to plan in advance so that nothing goes to waste. Get creative; yesterday’s chicken dinner can be today’s fat-free chicken salad for a great snack!

4) Low-sodium soup: The low-cost, low-calorie superhero.

Sipping on soup can fill you up without emptying your pockets. A large 14.5 oz can sells for as little as $0.80.

5) BYO snacks.

Don’t leave home without a healthy snack for your kids tucked in your bag. When hunger strikes, you can give them a healthy, homemade snack instead of buying something unhealthy at a vending machine or fast food restaurant. Be adventurous; try making your own trail mix from cereal, whole grain pretzels and raisins.

General tips:

Look for the generic or store brand.

Look for bigger containers and boxes to save some money. To see if you are really getting a better deal, compare the unit prices of the bigger and smaller containers on the store’s shelf.

Stock up on non-perishables when they go on sale.

Avoid the temptation of the cookie and chip aisles.

Fresh products are found in the perimeter of the store. Focus on the fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy.

Use coupons, but only for things that you normally would buy.

Cook at home instead of going out to eat.

Joanna Dolgoff MD is a Pediatrician, Creator of Dr. Dolgoff’s Weigh: Online Child & Teen Weight Management and Mommy of two. Dr. Dolgoff’s Weigh has been featured on NBC, ABC, WPIX & My9 News & boasts a 96% success rate! Let your child lose weight today with Dr. Dolgoff’s Weigh at http://www.DrWeigh.com.

Article Source: Inexpensive Healthy Snacks for Kids

What you eat is one of the biggest determinants of your coronary heart disease risk. A diet high in the eight foods below will go a long way to maintaining a healthy heart.

1) Garlic

Garlic contains powerful chemicals that have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It has been estimated that a clove of garlic a day is needed to obtain these health benefits. If the thought of eating a clove of garlic a day is too much for you, odorless garlic capsules can be purchased from most pharmacies and supermarkets.

2) Oats (Oat-meal and Oat-bran)

Oats are high in soluble fiber which have been shown in many studies to reduce your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Research has shown that the higher your ratio of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to LDL, the lower your risk of heart disease is. One cup of oatmeal a day provides enough dietary fiber to reduce your LDL cholesterol levels significantly.

3) Alcohol

Moderate consumption of Alcohol (up to two glasses a day) has been shown in most studies to reduce heart disease risk by between 20 percent and 40 percent compared to non-drinkers. Moderate Alcohol consumption has been associated with an increased ratio of HDL to LDL, thinner blood (leading to reduced blood clotting), reduced blood insulin levels and a reduction in arterial plaque build up. Heavy alcohol consumption however raises blood pressure and is associated with a greater risk of heart disease.

4) Oily Fish

Fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which reduce heart disease risk by reducing blood pressure and increasing blood vessel elasticity. Medical experts recommend a minimum of 2 servings of fish a week to obtain the full benefit of omega-3, alternatively fish oil capsules can be taken.

5) Nuts such as Almonds, Walnuts, and Cashew Nuts

Nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fats and contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. A handful of nuts a day has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 20 percent.

6) Tomatoes and Tomato Products

Tomatoes, especially cooked tomatoes have high levels of Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. In a study of 40,000 women at the Harvard school of Public Health, women who consumed seven or more servings of tomato-based foods were 30 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed less than 1.5 servings. Women who ate more than ten servings a week were up to a massive 65 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

7) Green Tea

A Japanese study of over 400,000 individuals aged between 40 and 79 found that those people who consumed five or more cups of green tea a day were 26 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Researchers also found that the effect was stronger for women than men. Green tea is high in polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants that are also found in most berry fruit, apples, celery, broccoli and parsley.

Spinach

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K and is also an excellent source of Folate. Folate helps the heart by reducing homo-cysteine levels in the blood. High homo-cysteine levels are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

Anthony Wilson is the owner of Health Hubs, a daily updated news and information website about many health topics such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Article Source: Eight Heart Healthy Foods You Should Be Eating

You may think that buying healthy items at the grocery store is too expensive for your budget, but it doesn’t have to be. To slim down, and eat healthier meals at home all you need is a little organization. When you are losing weigh you are eating less, which in turn will save you lots more money. The key is to be a more savvy grocery shopper and to not waste food.

Think about your current food tastes and take a look in your pantry or refrigerator. Do you notice that most of your foods are processed? While these items may be cheap and easy to prepare, chances are preparing some of your favorite dishes from scratch will save you many calories and provide more nutrients.

Create an inventory spreadsheet so that you will always know what you have on hand. This spreadsheet will make meal planning and grocery store shopping a snap. Once this becomes a habit, the process will become much easier.

There are several food items that you should always have on hand that will provide you with quick and nutritious meals. Beans, rice (preferably brown), potatoes, frozen vegetables, peanut butter, whole wheat bread and eggs are the perfect low-budget health foods to have on hand. Canned goods such as beans, and some vegetables are a great way to lower your calories and stick to a healthier diet on a small budget. Canned black beans or kidney beans are full of protein and fiber and low in calories in fat. You can make giant pots of chili, add them to your salads or even make your favorite Mexican dishes with them. You can even save more money when you buy bulk bags of beans and rice.

Fresh produce is great, but you should only buy enough for one week at a time. If you buy more than you can eat you will waste money and food. Before going to the store check out local flyers to see what is on sale that week. Consider buying only those vegetables that you can get cheaply or on sale. Avoid bagged salad mixes which tend to have a larger markup than just a regular head of lettuce. Opt for organic produce when it is on sale. You can also buy fresh fruit in bulk that will last for the week and are great for snacking. A bag of oranges can cost about $8 a bag and apples can be as low as $3 a bag.

Onions, potatoes, and bananas tend to be very inexpensive items to keep on hand. When it comes to protein, lean and organic is best. Switching to ground turkey or chicken are both great alternatives to ground beef. Not only are they cheaper, but when bought lean they can be much healthier and lower in calories and saturated fat. A pound of lean ground turkey can be purchased for as little at $2 a pound and the same goes for chicken.

Also keep an eye out for weekly meat specials and stock up as much as you can. When you are eating less for you will be saving money on all the snacks and non-essentials items in your house that you don’t even need.

Sarah Elena Elliott recommends The Day Off Diet for weight loss: http://DayOffDiet.INFO

Article Source: Eating Healthy Food On A Budget

Proper Nutrition? Nutrition is a huge part of you health and appearance. Some professionals will attest that as much as 70% of your weight loss and fitness results are based on what you eat. The word alone can make people cringe – as the guiltily think of the drive thru lunch that they just ate. Nutrition is a subject that people spend their careers studying and takes volumes of books to explain. My objective is to teach you how to eat a healthy diet that encourages your body to burn fat rather than store it. You don’t need overwhelming science to “get” this.

A healthy diet needs to be well rounded with the proper amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The RDA’s recommendation for daily intake of such things is a good place to check your optimal intakes.

The first thing that you need to know about nutrition is this fact: Eating small meals every 3 hours will increase your metabolism and reduce fat storage. This is a proven fact that bodybuilders, models, athletes and lean people in general abide by – and so should you.

Eating right when you wake up is vital to breaking the fast your body enters every night. About 3-4 hours after you eat your body shuts down your metabolism and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine breaks out and you don’t see food for weeks. After all, if there’s famine you’re going to want your body to work “efficiently” by storing fat, and using it slowly.

However, you don’t want your body to store fat and burn it slowly now, right? Since there is no food shortage or famine at the moment (and there likely won’t be one any time soon) then it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds. So, in order to communicate with your body that it is healthy, well fed, and not in need of extra fat storage you need to reprogram your metabolism. Here’s how to go about it. Start your day off with a small meal and continue to eat small meals every 3 hours or so.

What should you eat? In this article, I am just going to give you general guidelines – These suggestions are a basic guideline to healthy meals that do not promote fat storage. Protein: 20% Fat: 15% Carbs: 65

%Each meal that you consume needs to have calories coming from protein, carbohydrates and fat. Your body needs each of these in small amounts throughout the day.

Machelle Lee owns and operates The Invisible Gym in Santa Cruz, CA. Her mission is to inspire people to become physically active and enjoy the benefits of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. For more information and questions you can visit her website. http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/

Article Source: The Importance of Making Healthy Food Choices

We’ve all heard the cliche you are what you eat. In the computer industry they say: GIGO garbage in - garbage out. You’re probably asking yourself what this has to do with health. That is a fair question and here is the answer - EVERYTHING.

Our bodies are complex organisms. They are composed of trillions of cells which combine in their unique way to produce you and me, and the billions of other people on our planet. If you look at any process that produces or manufactures a machine you will find that the finished product is a reflection of what went into the making and maintaining of the machine.

I don’t think anyone out there would change the oil in their vehicle with used oil. Would anyone make a new batch of french fries with last weeks grease? We all know better. So why is it when it comes to our bodies we continue to insert junk?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not trying to bash the fast food industry or anyone else for that matter. Just look at reality. If you put something in your mouth, that element becomes part of you in some way, shape or form. Some of those cells stay with you, maybe for a lifetime. Many of us have no clue what these substances can or will do to us. I remember hearing how healthy the Asians were as a race. Now look at their newer generations growing up on fast food. They are clearly not as healthy as their ancestors.

If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, or if you don’t know exactly what it is then, why would you put it into your body? Even if one element is ok, who has done the research to know how it will interact with all the hundreds or thousands of other elements we consume regularly?

You may say "Show me the data". That is also a fair statement and if I did have the proof I would probably be writing in a medical journal and be blasted by all the junk food lobbyists who are trying to protect their profits. The truth is there is also no data showing that these elements are healthy and will not cause potential problems. Our health organizations do what they can. My question for each of us is "Why take the risk"?

Sure, one polyunsaturated hydrogenated slab of whatever probably won’t kill me. But if I take one today, another next week, then a few more the next day, it all adds up. The question each one of us needs to ask ourselves is this: Why take the chance?

Do you want to live a long life? The obvious answer is yes, but are you doing what it takes to live a long healthy life? That is a key point. While I want to live a long life, I want to be healthy all the way to the end.

There was a character in Greek mythology who won a bet with one of the god’s. The character got immortality, but the god played a trick on him: while he would be immortal he also grew old and decrepit. He forgot to ask for a youthful body at the same time.

The choice is in our hands. Are we worth the few extra dollars to be healthy, or are we only interested in the immediate gratification of our food choices tasting good? Remember not everything that tastes good is good for you. The choice is in your hands. Make it wisely.

Josef Mack of Creative Holistic Business Solutions LLC helps people lead better and healthier lives. Get your free copy of Introduction to Health Secrets Explained at my website which is at http://www.healthsecretsexplained.com

Article Source: Make Healthy Food Choices A Priority To Ensure Optimum Health

Making small changes in the way you eat can help you shed unwanted pounds and lead to long term success in managing your weight. Try to incorporate the following healthy eating tips into your day and you will be amazed at what a difference these small changes can make in helping you achieve your weight loss goals.

1. Portion control is a highly effective way for you to control the calories you consume while still being able to enjoy the foods you love. Enjoying the foods you love in healthy portions and in moderation prevents feelings of deprivations. When you do not feel deprived, you can stick to your healthy eating plans for the long term.

2. Do not skip meals to try to lose weight. All this does is slow your metabolism and could lead to you consuming more calories at your next meal because you are so hungry by then. Instead focus on eating smaller meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism going all day long.

3. Do not consume too few calories. Your body becomes more efficient at surviving at the lower calorie intake making it even harder for you to lose weight.

4. Do not be afraid of having some fat in your diet. Your body needs some fat daily and it will help you feel fuller longer. Instead, switch to reduced fat products such as reduced fat dairy products and use healthy fats in cooking such as olive oil. Also check the nutrition label of fat free foods. Sometimes you find they have increased the sugar content to make up for the fat.

5. Do not be afraid of carbohydrates. You need a balanced diet for proper nutrition. If you eliminate an entire food group you also remove essential nutrients from your diet. You give yourself the highest chances of success when you do not cut out total food groups. Instead switch to healthier carbohydrate options such as whole grains and high fiber choices.

6. Do not restrict yourself to only eating at certain times of the day. Eating a healthy snack at 10:00 p.m. if you really need one is better than mindlessly snacking on empty calories at 4:00 p.m. The quality and quantity of the food you are eating in addition to how active you are throughout the day are much more important.

7. Track the food you are eating each day in a journal. Research has shown that the people who write down everything they eat have more success at weight loss than people who do not. The act of monitoring your food intake helps you to become more aware of the food choices you are making.

Nina Greene is owner of BennettHealthArticles.com and writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic Nina recommends you visit: http://www.BennettHealthArticles.com

Article Source: Healthy Eating Tips For Losing Weight