01/23/2012

A Spice Rack with Spices is a Cheap Way to Flavor Your Food

When you’re setting up your first kitchen it can be expensive to buy everything you need at once. It’s the little things that can blow your budget. Spices, which are so important when it comes to adding flavor, can really add up when you buy them individually.
Spice Rack
So I’d suggest buying a spice rack with spices already included in it. The attractive Kamenstein Spice Rack shown above is only $19.99. Not only do you get 16 jars of spices, but you also get a wonderful place to store them. Some of the spices included are your basic ones like parsley, dill, and basil. But then you also get some more exotic ones like general fish seasoning, Cajun, and pizza! That can help you make your dishes taste very different from one another.

All of the spice racks that come with spices sit on your counter. But most of these are quite small and don’t take up much counter space. You’ll find both traditional and modern  styles of spice racks. The one above would fit beautifully in a traditional country kitchen. But never fear if your your kitchen decor is modern, Kamenstein also makes a very similar spice rack to the one shown above, but it is made of black wood and chrome.

Kamenstein isn’t the only company that makes spice racks with spices. Another attractive version is shown and described in the video below.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A GREAT SELECTION OF SPICE JARS WITH SPICES!

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01/02/2012

A Healthy Tea Ritual

 

One of the most exciting aspects of tea is the fact that the same plant species Camilia sinensis can produce such a variety of different flavors and aromas: from a grassy green tea to a heady chai tea.  All flavors of tea (white, black, oolong, yellow, red, blue, green) are derived from the same 6 chemical compounds that are present in the tea plant: sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, caffeine, pigments and polyphenols. 

The best teas are infused from leaves picked at their peak, containing these compounds in perfect proportion. For most teas the peak occurs in the spring time after the winter dormant period.

From a health standpoint the polyphenols are the most interesting compounds.  These act as antioxidants, and tea has them in staggering proportions.   You’ll find many scientists claiming that they can reduce the effects of free radicals that may cause damage to DNA expression in our cells.  As a result of this the antioxidants in tea are thought to help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Tea also offers anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties which are thought to provide protection against high blood pressure, arthritis and osteoporosis. Some studies even indicate that drinking tea can help lower the absorption of carbohydrates and that tea can help the body responds to bacterial infections. Beyond this, tea is rich in fluoride an important mineral that helps us maintain healthy teeth and bones.

But it’s important that we don’t overreach ourselves. More long-term clinical trials are still needed before much of the evidence can be called conclusive. The way that I think about it is that there do seem to be many potential benefits to tea drinking and I’m sure that in the years to come more of the evidence will be decoded. But for now the simple ritual of enjoying a cup of tea does wonders for my spirit.  It brings me right into the present moment, which I’m sure is the best place to be. Any health benefit that I get from antioxidants is just a bonus.

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12/24/2011

Health Foods, Diets, and Vitamins

If you do a search online for the best diet plans, you’ll soon find out that everyone has their own opinions even if it’s based on science. The fact is that there is no single best diet. The best diet for you is the one that you could actually stick to. Eating healthy foods is great but if you constantly feel deprived, you’ll eventually cave in and when you do, you’ll feel bad and end up dropping your diet completely. Let’s look at a better option in terms of dieting and whether taking vitamins (see articles on Herbalife and Ariix) is beneficial.

A diet that consists of natural foods, vegetables, rich proteins, and so forth will be better for you compared to processed foods, foods with high trans fat, and junk food. Now instead of cutting out your favorite foods all together, a better approach would be to allow yourself one or two meals a week where you could eat whatever you want as sort of an award for sticking with your diet. Overtime, those cravings for bad food will be reduced.

In terms of whether vitamins are beneficial or whether they just increase the value of your urine is still up for debate. However, if you’re eating pretty poorly, taking vitamins in areas that you are lacking couldn’t hurt.

food

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