Once a Month Cooking sounds like such a wonderful idea, but I was never able to get my act together enough to make it happen. Another thing that bothered me was that it didn’t make sense to spend the time preparing a meal and then only having one of those meals to put in the freezer. Here’s how I got over 50 meals in the freezer when I was over 7 months pregnant with 2 toddlers.

Getting these meals in the freezer happened without any conscious planning on my part and with very little extra effort. I just cooked a quadruple meal once a week for the last few months of the pregnancy. This was after 12 weeks of bedrest during the middle of my pregnancy.

Imagine my surprise when I counted the meals in my freezer one day and found such a quantity of meals available.

The beauty of this system is that you can do it as little or as much as you want to. You can cook two or three quadruple meals a week for a while and not cook at all during a time when you are not feeling well. You can also go without cooking any quadruple meals for several months if you so choose. This system is so adaptable to your needs.

I had been using this system early in my pregnancy but then had to rely on other people to bring meals when I was on bedrest. When I was able to get up and get around again, I was able to pick up where I left off.

So if you’re looking for a more simplified approach to Once a Month Cooking and want to multiply your meals quickly by using the time you are already in the kitchen, then I encourage you to try your hand at a few quadruple meals.

In December 2004, The British Medical Journal published a fascinating article concerning what researchers called the “Polymeal,” an ideal meal, that, if consumed daily, would significantly reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. After a significant amount of research, they came up with a theoretical meal that would reduce cardiovascular disease by 75% — not a pill in the world can achieve that! The ingredients of this Polymeal? Wine, fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables and chocolate!

Cocoa is loaded with compounds called flavonoids (also found in cranberries, apples, strawberries, onions, tea and red wine.) The particular class of flavonoids in cocoa are called flavanols, and flavanols prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from clogging the arteries.

Anytime you reduce the blood’s ability to clot, you reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. As an extra bonus, cocoa contains magnesium, a very important mineral for heart health. Flavanols also modulate a compound called nitric acid which is critical for healthy blood flow and healthy blood pressure.

In another study in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was reported that dark chocolate not only decreased blood pressure, but also improved insulin sensitivity in healthy people. But eating the right kind of chocolate is key. Health benefits from chocolate come from real cocoa, not the processed variety in commercial candy bars. So if you want the health benefits of flavonols, you need high cocoa content (at least 60-70%.) Put the facts together, and fine dark chocolate is ideal.

If chocolate triggers addictive eating for you, then stay away from it. However, if you can control your intake, and don’t have any medical condition that would prevent you from enjoying it, go ahead and have a small amount of dark chocolate. Renowned cardiologist, Dr Steve Sinatra, has gone on record as saying that even cardiac patients can enjoy dark chocolate regularly, in moderation — if they are not sensitive to caffeine.

Beef has a high content of B vitamins and iron. Food scientists believe that beef itself may help you absorb more iron in your grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, notorious for inhibiting iron absorption. These simple recipes use iron-rich ground beef to make an old-time favorite: Hamburg Steak.

Basic Hamburg Steak

For this basic hamburg steak recipe, start with one pound of ground beef. Add one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, and one-half to three-quarter cup water, using as much as the ground beef will absorb. Shape the beef in one large flat steak and broil on a greased baking pan on a rack under a broiler until half done. It should take five to ten minutes. Turn the steak over using a broad spatula and fork and cook on the other side for five to ten minutes. Remove the steak to a hot serving platter and spread with two tablespoons of butter and garnish with parsley. Serve with a baked potato and steamed broccoli.

Large Hamburg Steak With Peaches And Bacon

Use one pound of ground beef with one tablespoon of chopped parsley, one finely chopped onion, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, and one-half to three-quarter cups of water, using as much as the ground beef will absorb. Press out the meat mixture in one large flat steak. On a cutting board, press eight slices of bacon with the dull end of a knife to make them flatter still. Peel and cut in halves four peaches. Remove the stones from the peaches and sprinkle with sugar. Put the bacon, peaches, and ground beef mixture on a baking sheet. Broil five to ten minutes on one side and then cook on the other. Remove the meat to a hot platter for serving. Put the bacon on top and the peaches around the steak, alternating with potato pieces.

Planked Hamburg Steaks

Mix together one pound of ground beef with salt and pepper. Add about one-half cup of water, or as much as the ground beef with absorb. Shape into eight small cakes and wrap each in a slice of bacon. Cook in a hot frying pan for six minutes, turning once or twice. Then stand them on edge and roll them around to cook the bacon fully. In a warm baking dish, arrange the steaks and surround them with cooked potato pieces, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. Brush the potatoes with egg white. Place in a 325 degree oven and bake until the potatoes brown. Serve with a fresh green salad.

I sometimes hear from folks who aren’t sure what you are supposed to eat for breakfast when you are on the Medifast diet. So, in the following article, I will go over some basic options that will hopefully give you some ideas to provide a place to start.

Know That Many Breakfasts Are Provided For You: Please bear with me if you are already aware of this, but when you are on this diet, you’re supposed to eat five of the meals that they provide you with on a daily basis. In addition, you prepare only one main meal yourself, which is called the “lean and green” meal. On top of all of this, you are allowed two small snacks.

So, you have a couple of options at breakfast time. You can go with one of the prepackaged meals. And if you have a busy morning, this can be the easiest option because you don’t need to plan or cook. You can chose from eggs, pancakes, cold cereal, oatmeal, a shake, or a bar, to name just a few options. These are all items that you are provided with which you only need to assemble or basically heat up or add milk or water. It literally should only take a few minutes to assemble your breakfast and be on your way.

Ideas For A Medifast Lean And Green Breakfast: I will admit that many people eat their main “lean and green” meal for dinner. This is generally the time of the day when most of us are home from work and actually have the time to prepare a meal. And many like to share that meal with their family. So, it can make sense to eat a larger meal in the evening.

But some will chose to take this main meal at breakfast. Whatever time you chose this meal, know that it should be made up of a small serving of lean protein and three servings of vegetables. So if you are going to have this meal for breakfast, a no brainer option would be an omelet. The eggs provide the lean protein and you can easily add whichever vegetables appeal to you. Another idea is to have turkey bacon as your protein and add in some vegetables on the side. You can also make a mock egg or turkey bacon breakfast sandwich by wrapping an egg or a slice of turkey bacon or cheese into a piece of lettuce used like bread. Add in two more vegetables that may appeal to you and you have a nice meal.

One other options is to use one of the prepackaged items as a convenience ingredient in order to make your lean and green preparation easier. Remember that omelet I talked about before? Well, you can take one of those prepackaged eggs and add some bagged veggies to it. Another idea that I really love is to take the Medifast eggs and mix them with the chili or sloppy joe and use lettuce to hold it like a southwestern wrap. Since the sloppy joe and chili are vegetarian meals, this complies with that protein and vegetable requirement and you can throw the whole thing together in only a few minutes without needing to mess up your kitchen or stove.

The most basic of the desserts are invariably most classy and wholesome. In fact, nothing matches the charm of simple rice kheer as an after meal pudding on winter evenings.

Making kheer could be tedious. But if you choose to run through this recipe, you’d come to discover that Indian rice pudding is really easy to make!

This is an instant Rice Kheer recipe and takes no longer than 5-7 minutes to prepare.

So what are you waiting for? The idea for next great recipe for dessert is right here. You could prepare rice kheer when you are entertaining guests, or even serve the same to your family after dinner.

Your guests are sure to be in awe of the pudding, and compliments are sure to come your way!

Mithai

Rice Kheer

Preparation Time 5 minutes

Cooking Time 15 minutes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cooked rice

2 cups milk

1/3 cup condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder

1 teaspoon ghee

FOR THE GARNISH

4 to 6 cashew nuts

Let’s now figure out the recipe for ‘Rice Kheer’ (Sweet Rice Porridge).

We need rice, milk, sugar, condensed milk, cardamom powder, almonds, pistachio flakes and a little bit of clarified butter.

First, pour milk into a hot pan.

We will then add cooked rice to the milk.

The rice needs to be scented when we prepare rice kheer.

You may choose to go for Basmati or Nagmohar. Anything that is available should be scented.

While cooking it, we’ll add sugar to taste.

As we add sugar, we must remember that condensed milk too contains sugar.

So put sugar accordingly or else it will become too sweet.

When the mixture turns thick, we’ll add condensed milk.

This will thicken the ‘Kheer’.

In this recipe, we are making ‘Kheer’ using cooked rice. But another method involves cooking rice in the milk itself.

That way, the milk thickens while the rice is being cooked. It’s nice that way as well.

But this way is instant. It takes only around 5-7 minutes.

Our ‘Kheer’ is done.

Keep saffron water ready and add to the mixture now.

Kesar (Saffron) really adds to the flavor and taste of any sweet dish to a great extent!

Rice Kheer is ready. We can take it in a bowl.

Sprinkle it with some cardamom powder followed by almond and pistachio flakes.

Kheer is now all ready to be served!

In the aftermath of having a lengthy discussion, our editing staff can not figure out the fascination about supposedly ” crash diets that work”? Why is it that consumers want to escape from working hard and implementing diets that work? Seriously, why is it when summer comes around or when someone needs to look good for an event that is around the corner, a lot of people want to resort to crash diets that work! If you stay disciplined and stay consistent, you should probably not be under the pressure of not eating food for three days. Never the less, majority of us have heard of the low carb diet plan. Products such as protein are now being created for the low carb diet plan. Let’s take a look at the meal plan and see the effects of it.

Carbohydrates- Let’s Dig In To The Truth

Let’s break down the main objective of carbohydrates. The greater part of carbohydrates that we eat comes with glucose. The use of glucose is to supply our body with energy. With that statement alone, you never want to NOT eat carbs. Having said that, the key to learning the low carb diet plan is recognizing where you need to get your carbs from. If your generating your carbs from candy, soda pop, french fries, chocolate, cereal, and pastries, then I imagine it is very clear that these foods will have a severe impact on your weight loss. Many of these foods are high on the glycemic index. Sure, they will give you a spike in energy, but you will surely add to your weight gain. I’m pretty sure that these foods are not recommended for crash diets that work.

Foods that you want to get your carbs from are the following: One cup of Hummus, One cup of Oatmeal, Twelve Crackers, One Bran Muffin (2.5oz), One cup of Baked Beans, One cup of Wheat Berries, One cup of Wild Rice, or One cup of Black Beans. Each serving of food listed in the previous sentence equal 200 calories. Primarily speaking, you only need one serving of carbs per day. Also, some fruits and vegetables contain a nice serving of carbs and we are sure that you understand that fruits and vegetables are key to any diet viewed as to be healthy. This is immensely important for diets that work for weight loss. Even so, different individuals need different levels of carbs based on their lifestyle and level of activity with their fitness routines.

So, the consensus on the low carb diet plan is that it should be applied based on your goals. If your on the lookout for crash diets that work, this should be on your list. However, it should not be recommended for a professional athlete. The key to this diet is making sure that you are acquiring your carbs from the correct place. Supplements work as well. A lot of protein shakes will carry carbs that are in a desirable amount. Make sure you stay tune for new crash diets that work!

The 6 Week Body Makeover meal plan is about customization. The more you customize your meal plan, the less bored you will be with your diet. The less bored you are with your diet, the more likely you will stick to the meal plan and lose weight. This article is directed towards people who have taken the body blue print questionnaire and have body type C.

Body Type C people are known to have more lean muscle mass than the rest of the body types. This is good as lean muscle mass increases your metabolism. When your metabolism has increased, it will burn calories (energy) at a faster rate, which will allow you to lose weight faster. The majority of “C” bodies are allowed to eat simple and complex carbohydrates (in moderation) and fruit. They should stick to chicken and fish for protein and stay away from red meats as red meat will make them “bulk up”. Here is a sample menu using the Infinite Menu Planner for a body type c daily meal.

Breakfast

4 oz. protein A

1 cup carb A

1/2 cup fruit A

Mid Morning Snack

4 oz. protein A

1/2 cup of carb A

Lunch

4 oz. protein A

1 cup carb A

1-2 cups veggie A

Mid Afternoon Snack

4 oz. protein A

1/2 cup carb A

Dinner

4 oz. protein A

1 cup carb A

1-2 cups veggie A

PM Snack

1/2 cup fruit A

If you use the infinite menu planner, you will have an unlimited amount of food choices. Losing weight doesn’t have to be about suffering and being on a boring meal plan. Learn to eat correctly and eat for a lifetime.

I was a child during World War II. Like everyone else on the block, my family had a victory garden. We grew potatoes, carrots and lettuce. Our next door neighbors grew beans and corn. Food was scarce then, and all of the neighbors shared their crops.

Until I married my husband, I had never heard of Squaw Dish, and my mother never made it. Some may find the name offensive, but this dish still exists and by the same name. My husband told me how to make it and I did. This simple dish was tasty and satisfying — just right for our limited budget.

What is Squaw Dish? I looked on the Internet and was surprised to see a variety of recipes. Campers make the dish. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts make it. Effie M. Hudson of Muskegon County in Michigan, makes it and shares her recipe on the Farm Girl Cookbook Blog.

She found the recipe in an old coffee can that belonged to her great-grandmother. Apparently her great-grandmother stored recipes in the can. “Some of the recipes are handwritten,” she explains, “and many are torn from newspapers and magazines.” Effie thinks the recipe originated in the 1920s.

It’s hard to believe such simple ingredients — bacon, eggs, and creamed corn — could taste so good. Many depression era and World War II recipes made the most of a little food, in this case, a few strips of bacon. Bacon is cooked in a skillet until crisp and then removed. Scrambled eggs are added to the bacon fat. As soon as they start to set, a can of creamed corn is added to the mixture. Effie garnishes her eggs and corn with chopped green pepper.

Bob Wakeman posts his recipe on the Just a Pinch Recipes website. His recipe is basically the same as Effie’s, only Bob adds some diced onions for flavor. Another recipe calls for sour cream to make the dish even creamier. No doubt about it, this homey dish is budget-friendly and tastes good, too.

I updated the recipe to cut down on preparation time and the fat content. You may serve the dish with toast, corn muffins, or hard rolls. Add a tossed green salad and you have a whole meal. Worried about your grocery bills? Maybe it’s time to serve and updated version of Squaw Dish.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 envelope pre-cooked bacon (recipe pieces or crumbled)

6-8 large eggs, room temperature

1 can cream-style corn

Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

Method

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the cooked bacon pieces and saute for a minute. Put eggs and corn in a bowl. Beat well with fork to blend. Add egg and corn mixture to skillet and cook until set. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon onto plates and garnish each serving with chopped green onions. Makes 4-5 servings.

Copyright 2012 by Harriet Hodgson

Fiber is best in giving protection against heart diseases, cancer, and digestive problems. Fiber, depending on its type can help to lower cholesterol, gain control on weight and regulate blood sugar. Fiber can be found in complex carbohydrates, the center food group in a diet such as Atkins, Ornish, South Beach and Weight Watchers. To enjoy to the fullest the fiber content on your diet, we give you 29 ways from the experts.

1. Everyday, start the day with cereal breakfast. Select whole grain, unsweetened cereal with 4 grams of fiber per serving. Researchers at University of California studied and found that cereal eaters eat more fiber and less fat than non-cereal eaters do.

2. Eat two apples a day. This fruit is a good source for pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps make the individuals full.

3. Have a yogurt mix once a week for breakfast. Using one container of yogurt, prepare a mixture of 1/3 cups of all-bran cereal, 1-tablespoon ground flax seeds, and 5 large diced strawberries. You will have 12.2 grams of fiber.

4. on baby-carrots and broccoli florets dipped into low-fat ranch dressing as your mid-afternoon snack, which can be enjoyed three times a week.

5. Gorp can be great for munchies, particularly when it is mixed with peanuts, raisins, high-fiber cereal, and chocolate-covered soy nuts.

6. Select whole-grain crackers. Even one tiny cracker can make a difference with its ½ gram of fiber.

7. Make a blend of regular cereal with Cinnamon Cheerios and other brands of high-fiber choices.

8. Do not forget to add kidney beans and chickpeas to your salad. A quarter cup contains 5 grams of dietary fiber says Lisa Andrews, a registered dietician at VA Medical Center in Cincinnati.

9. In buying whole grain products, ensure that the word whole is present in it like whole wheat or whole grain.

10. Try exotic grain once a week. Amaranth, bulgur, and wheat berries are simple to fix yet they are rich in fiber and flavor.

11. Pearl barley can also make a good side dish.

12. Instead of bread crumbs for meatloaf and meat balls, use oatmeal.

13. In making sandwiches, whole wheat bread can make the best sandwiches. Diets like subway, recommends whole wheat bread.

14. Make a goal to switch from a white food to a brown food every week. For example, instead of white rice, use brown rice. Instead of regular pasta, use whole-wheat pasta.

15. For your sandwich spread, add ½ cup of hummus for a tasty and nutritious package.

16. Beans can be incorporated everyday in one meal.

17. To have a different flavor and taste on your next mashed potato, add in pureed cauliflower. It provides extra fiber and twin nutrition.

18. Salad and beet salad for dinner is fantastic.

19. To have another option for dessert, try rice pudding using brown rice.

20. Air-popped popcorn without the oil can make a tasty afternoon snack.

21. Baking is never absent in a diet, so why not switch to whole-wheat flour for the main ingredient?

22. For the batter, add on some flax seeds, wheat germ, or other high-fiber.

23. While eating baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, include the skin.

24. There can never be as healthy as eating dinner with green salad.

25. In making sandwiches, instead of putting cheese, replace it with tomato and lettuce.

26. Protein should be present in the diet, for that, add beans or lentils as the main source.

27. Fiber sources should go with the season. For example, in summer, have a cold lentil salad or corn and black bean salad. In winter, vegetarian chili is perfect.

28. Dried fruit everyday can be a good and healthy snack.

29. Drink the fiber from smoothies from whole fruits.

The moment you go search the internet, you are inundated with a lot of weight loss ideas and weight loss meal plans. Naturally, you are going to be completely confused. Which of these weight loss ideas are going to work, and is it possible that a weight loss meal plan is not going to leave you starving at the end of the day?

So, that is the reason why it is absolutely necessary that you know all about some useful tips and tricks, which you can use instead of going in for fad diets. The best weight loss meal plans are definitely not going to be on a long-term basis. Some diets require you to be fasting continuously. That is definitely not desirable, both from your health point of view, and from your physiological makeup. Your body needs a certain number of nutrients in order to keep functioning properly. The moment it starts getting deprived of those particular nutrients, it is going to start going downhill. So you definitely do not want to go in for meals, which deprive you of one particular food group.

For example, just imagine that you went onto the internet looking for some supposedly stylish weight loss meal plans. Do they have a high-protein, high carbohydrate and low fat basis? Is the meal planning on calories, depriving you of vegetables and fruit? Are all the meals, totally natural or do you need to supplement them with some particular mineral nutrient? These are some of the factors that you have to take into account, before you start on a diet. Also remember that the best losing weight diet plan is definitely not going to be more than a couple of days at a time. Remember to also consult your doctor before you go in for such a diet.

Crash diets are completely a no-no. There is a very popular 6 day army diet, doing the rounds, there you are going to eat granny apples for the first 2 days, cheese for these next 2 days and boiled chicken for the last 2 days. Where are the green vegetables? Where is the grain? Such diets are going to have a physiological effect upon your body in such a manner that it is going to take about 6 months or more to come back to normal. So remember that the best weight loss meal plans are going to consist of grain, vegetables, fruit, and lean meat, as well as potatoes and brown rice. A healthy losing weight diet is definitely not going to concentrate on one particular food item. It is also going to be variegated, so as not to become monotonous.

Many people consider a faddy diet to be effective, and go in for it on a long-term basis. This long-term idea should not be considered at all, if you want to keep yourself healthy. All weight loss meal plans need to be on a short-term basis and need to produce a positive result in a given period of time.