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Grains are a variety of seeds and grasses processed for breads, pasta and cereals that we use for food. Grains are low in fat and provide a good sources of complex carbohydrates for healthy cooking. Whole grains are grains that haven’t been refined. They are a better sources of fiber and important nutrients such as selenium, potassium and magnesium than grains that haven’t been refined. Even though vitamins and minerals are added back into refined grains after the milling process, they still don’t have as many nutrients as whole grains do. Whole grains also provide a better source of fiber. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, and removing the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content. Some whole grain foods are barley, brown rice, buckwheat, cracked wheat, oatmeal, popcorn, wild rice and whole wheat bread, pasta or crackers.

Some of the health benefits of adding fiber to your diet are lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. High-fiber diets not only have many healthy benefits, they also help to make a meal feel more filling, so you stay full for a greater amount of time.

Baking Tips

• You can bake a cake even if you don’t have any eggs. 1/4 tablespoon of light miracle whip can be substituted for 1 egg.
• Put a toothpick in the center of the cake if it comes out comes out free of batter or just has a few crumbs on it the cake is done. Pay attention to how the cake smells when you do this test. You soon will be able to identify when the cake is done by how it smells.
• To keep the cake from sticking, lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan add a tablespoon of flour and shake it around the pan until it sticks to the greased areas. Dump out the excess before adding the cake batter.

For non dairy diets

• A substitute for buttermilk is 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)+ enough dairy alternative to equal one cup. Set it aside for 4-6 minutes before adding to any recipe.
• Evaporated milk can be replaced with 1 cup of light cream alternative or dairy free coffee creamer that does not contain milk proteins.
• 1 cup of undiluted rice or soy concentrate can be substituted.
• Non-dairy powder mixed doubled in strength to equal 1 cup.

Whole wheat bread is one way to meet the Government guidelines recommending that you eat at least three servings of whole grains each day. For the many people who don’t like the taste of whole grain, food companies have introduced whole-wheat bread that looks like and tastes like white bread. This bread has the same nutritional benefits as regular whole-grain breads. An albino variety of wheat, which is lighter in color and has a sweeter, milder flavor, is used to make white whole-wheat bread. The whole grains of albino wheat go through an extra processing procedure to make it softer in texture.

You can identify white whole wheat bread by checking the nutritional label. Whole-grain products must contain a least 51 percent whole grains by weight. Because of this requirement the Food and Drug Administration requires “whole grain” be first on the ingredient list. So if it doesn’t say “whole grain” first, it isn’t whole-grain bread.

When cooking a meal, plan on using whole grain breads to add vitamins to your meal.

I love the selection of small kitchen appliances at this site.  It surely answers all my simple kitchen preparation needs. The line of easy-to-use kitchen gadgets such as the 3 liter deep fryer, quality Panini press gourmet sandwich maker along with the espresso coffee maker are all sure to make having friends over more fun and convenient.

Now, making a gourmet coffee to serve to my guests is as simple as 1-2-3. Same goes in preparing specialty sandwiches with the use of Panini makers all available at this online store.

I started to shop for small kitchen appliances since I transferred to a condo unit that actually has a minimal kitchen space. It was great finding this site because of the wide variety of kitchen appliance that would perfectly suit the size of my kitchen.

As a person who loves to prepare something special for family and friends, a small kitchen should never be a hinder to continue enjoying such hobby like baking or even brewing.  That is why with these types of appliances, I still get to have fun in the kitchen.

Water is a great thirst quencher; it’s inexpensive, and easy to come by. To promote good health, our doctors tell us to drink 6-8 glasses per day. On the other hand, sports drinks are in fashion. They tend to hydrate better merely because the good taste causes individuals to drink more. Today’s popular sport drinks come in a surplus of colors and flavors, making them more appealing than water. Sports drinks aren’t new. Gatorade, the first sports drink, was developed in the mid-1960s. Gatorade was developed to help football players make it through a long, hot game without dehydrating. The fluids and electrolytes the players lose through sweat and the large amounts of carbohydrates the players’ bodies used for energy are not replenished with water. Sports drinks specifically address these issues.

Most sports drinks provide only small amounts of the nutrients a body needs. Therefore, unless you need the beverage to boost carbs or replace electrolytes, there is no real advantage for the average person. Nutritionists suggest that if you enjoy drinking sports drinks, you should eliminate the extra calories from some other portion of your diet or utilize alternatives such as a natural juice extractor.

 When the weather is warm and it’s time to fire up the grill, a steak dinner is the best way to dazzle your friends and family. It may take a while to get the hang of mastering the grill, but with a little patience and practice, you should be able to barbecue steaks to mouth-watering perfection.

Avoid buying meat that contains large fatty areas. The Porterhouse, Flank, Rib, and Sirloin wick have better flavor and usually contain better marbleizing of fat content, which lends both flavor and moisture to the steak. Cuts that have been dry aged will provide the best flavor and will usually be very tender. Allow the meat to reach room temperature before grilling. Preheat the grill, for charcoal grills wait for a single layer of coals to turn ashy white. If you are using a gas grill turn it up to “very hot.” To avoid any food contaminations use a different platter or wash your platter after placing the meat on the grill and before taking it off. Many health authorities recommend cooking red meat to at least medium to kill bacteria that may be present. Using a meat thermometer will enable you to determine the necessary cooking.

Pros use tongs or a spatula to turn their streaks. Keep in mind that Steak will remain juicier and more flavorful if you are not puncturing the meat with a fork or probe. This will prevent all the natural juices from escaping. Let steaks rest for 2-3 minutes before serving, to allow the juices to flow outward from the center, leaving the whole steak nice and juicy.

 Mothers Day has been celebrated throughout the years. Each spring the ancient Greeks paid tribute to Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. The English honored mothers the fourth Sunday of Lent. This day was called “Mothering Sunday,”.

Anna M. Jarvis of Philadelphia was very close to her mother Mrs. Anna Reese Jarvis. Anna’s mother died in May of 1905, when Anna was 41 years of age. From the time of her mother’s death Anna cared for her blind sister, Ellsinore. Anna missed her mother very much and felt that children should appreciate their mother’s more while they’re still alive. She began a letter-writing campaign to make Mother’s Day a national holiday. Anna hoped Mother’s Day would increase respect and love and strengthen the family.

In 1907 Anna’s mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia was the first place to celebrate Mother’s Day in the United Stated. The celebration was held on the second anniversary of Mrs. Anna Reese Jarvis’s death. In 1908, Mother’s Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia. By 1911 every state observed Mother’s Day. Congress passed a Joint Resolution May 8, 1914, designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. President Woodrow Wilson issued the first proclamation making Mother’s Day an official national holiday.”

As a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country, the U.S. flag is to be displayed on homes and government buildings.The white carnation was Miss Anna Jarvis’s mother’s favorite flower. This flower was chosen to represent the sweetness, purity and endurance of mother love. As time passed the red carnation has become the symbol of a living mother while white signifies that one’s mother has died. Many children spend the morning cooking breakfast on their indoor grill and serving it to mother in bed.

 If you enjoy making smoothies, shakes and malts a blender is a must have countertop appliance. It also comes in handy for pureeing, chopping and even crushing ice for drinks.

The first thing to look for when making your selection is space. Measure the countertop or place you plan to store your blender to be sure the area is the right height.

Next decide on the features you want. If you choose a metal base the appliance will be more stable, but a plastic base will be offered in more colors. Once again a glass jar is more stable than the plastic jar. In both cases the plastic features will be more economical. A glass jar is also quite a bit heavier than plastic.

Settings and functions are also important to consider. Before buying, read the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure the blender has all the features you are looking for.

It is real easy to go to the bakery and buy a beautiful layered cake for almost any occasion. It is also real easy to spend $30.00 or more when you do. These tips for baking a layered cake can help you make your own cake and save some money too.

The cake will easily release and come out of the pan if you cover the bottom and sides of the pans with butter or shortning.

Put flower in the pan and shake it around so it sticks to the greased bottom and sides, dump the excess in the trash.

Fill pans 1/2 to 2/3 full

3 in. deep pans should be filled only 1/2 full

Batter amounts for 2 in. deep pans is 2/3 full

You will need 3 cups of frosting to cover a 6 or 7 inch cake

Add one cup of frosting for each 2 inch increase in pan size

A 6 -7 inch, two layer cake will serve 13 people.

For every 2-3 inch increase in pan size the amount of servings will double.

Baking temperatures for cakes 13 inch or smaller pan is 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Bake larger cakes at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

You can tell when a cake is done when it comes away from the side of the pan or put a tooth pick in the center.

If the toothpick comes out clean the cake is done.

After you bake many cakes you will be able to smell when they are done.

To even the cake that ha risen higher in the middle dampen a clean thin dish towel.

While the cake is warm cover it with the towel and press lightly.