Quite simply, organic baby food is that which is processed without the use of artificial pesticides and/or synthetic fertilizers. While many note organic food as being either store-bought, garden grown or gathered in the wild, the correct association is certified organic foods, which are produced and labeled according to strict regulatory standards. In a number of countries, including the United States, the use of the word ‘organic’ in the commercial market, without the proper certification, is prohibited by law.
Organic baby food is most commonly found in a supermarket and will be labeled accordingly. Because of it’s nature, organic baby food is more expensive than other types. Processed organic baby food typically includes only those ingredients that are organic and has no artificial food additives. While there seem to a number of benefits to using organic baby food, the most common reason for purchasing this type of product is the overall quality. Increased nutritional value, the absence of residues from artificial pesticides and better taste are all positive benefits of organic baby food.
Organic baby food, because it is believed to be fresher, often carries an improved taste over other baby foods. Because organic farms are small, their products are most commonly sold close to home. Therefore, organic baby food and other products feature a fresher taste simply because they are fresh.
By 2003, organic food products were available in 20,000 natural food stores and 73% of commercial grocery stores. While many believe that organic baby food is helpful, others are not as certain. Some believe that farming and organic fertilization may carry it’s own risks that may be passed along in organic baby food.
The main debate lies with the better approach to manufacturing organic food. Is it more healthy to use artificial and synthetic products in food processing or natural fertilizer and organic farming methods? There are both sides to any debate and the questions surrounding organic baby food is no different. There is legitimate concern over contamination and safety of organic food and products, but an exact determination as to which side of the table is right has yet to be decided.
The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes. It should not be considered as, or used in conjunction with, professional medical advice or recommended feeding for your infant, toddler or young child. Prior to beginning any food preparation involving the use of organic baby food, consult your child’s physician for additional information and/or a recommendation regarding the use of organic baby food as part of your child’s food intake.
Want to learn more about organic baby food? Make sure you visit our site at: www.organic-baby-food-guide.info for access to additional organic baby food tips and information.
No beverage can stir up the senses, curiosity and imagination as wine. Unlike beer or many distilled spirits, a particular wine will smell and taste different every year it’s released. That’s because wine is mostly an expression of soil, weather, place — what the French refer to as terroir. It’s a reflection of what happened during a particular growing season, as well as the decisions the vineyard manager and winemaker made that year.
All these factors can make tasting wine a very exciting and rewarding experience, especially in a group setting. It’s always interesting to hear others’ opinions on a wine: what they smelled, what they tasted, what they felt.
If you’ve always wanted to host a wine tasting in your home — or maybe are just interested in finding ways to learn more about wine — then read on. Below are six creative ways to learn more about (and enjoy!) this magical beverage with friends and loved ones.
Basic Wine Tasting
A basic wine tasting can be a unique and fun way to entertain guests. However, they are more enjoyable and rewarding when you limit the size of the group to no more than about 12 guests. Once you get much bigger than this it’s difficult to manage this format.
Keep it simple by deciding on a theme (say, Australian Shiraz, Red wines from the Rhone region of France, or whatever suits you). Set a price floor and a ceiling and have each guest bring one or two bottles that fit the theme.
Make sure to first number each bottle. That will help those taking notes keep track of what they’re tasting. Pour only one wine at a time and give your guests a chance to fully appreciate each one. Before moving on to the next one, try to create some discussion about the wine and even consider handing out scoring sheets (or at least pen and paper). This will allow everyone to record their impressions, along with each wine’s region, grape varietals, price and so on. Move to the next bottle only when everyone has had a chance to appreciate and discuss the previous one.
Blind Wine Tasting
This type of tasting follows the same steps as the basic tasting described above, except that the identity of each wine is not revealed until after everyone has tasted and evaluated all the wines. To do this right, you’ll have to open each bottle first and also fully remove the foil cap (to prevent it from revealing its identity). Then, put each bottle inside a brown paper bag and tie it at the end with a heavy-duty rubber band.
When you’re ready to start tasting, take the wines to the dinner table and number each bag clearly with a marker. Follow each step in the basic wine tasting description above — but again, don’t reveal the identity of any wine until ALL wines have been evaluated.
I find this to be the most intriguing and most challenging format — but also the most fun! It’s amazing how much our prejudices and preconceptions (including the look of a bottle’s label bottle or the price paid) have on our evaluation and perception of a wine. Blind tasting is the only truly objective way to judge.
Wine Party
Again, the formats above work very well with groups of 4 - 12 people. Once your group gets much larger, a basic tasting becomes too difficult to manage. So what can you do if you’d like to have a wine tasting but have too many guests to make it work? Simple: Have a “wine party.”
The best wine parties are the kind where you keep things casual and laid back, yet still ask your guests to follow certain rules. For example, you could set a theme such as “wines from Spain,” and have every individual bring a wine from that country (each couple should bring 2 wines; better to have too much than not enough!). As with the other tastings, set a floor and a ceiling: $15 to $30, for example.
For those that won’t know how to pick a good selection in this price range, suggest they go to a merchant and let an experienced sales clerk know what the wine is for. With this kind of guidance (country or varietal, as well as a specific price range), most merchants will do a good job recommending a wine for the occasion.
As the guests arrive, line up the bottles so that duplicate wines are together (invariably, there will be some duplicates. But that’s OK; more wine for everyone!). You can provide your guest with a tasting sheet if you’d like and use the scoring suggestions outlined earlier. If you’d like to keep it even more informal, skip the score sheet.
“Around the World” Wine Party
Another variation on this theme is to host an “Around the World” wine party. This is typically the way to go if you’re looking to host a party with 30 or more guests — and a terrific idea if you’re having a “house warming” party with a lot of guests (you’ll see why in a moment). Follow the same guidelines recommended here, but have your guests bring a wine from any country outside of the U.S.
Then, set up different tables around your living area, each of them “hosting” a different country and its wines. Have a stack of wine scoring sheets and pens available on each table, and as an option, number the wines with Post-it-Notes for better tracking on the scoring sheets.
If it’s a house warming party, set up a tasting area in each room. That way, your guests can check out every room in your new home.
By opening up the theme to ANY wine from ANY country outside of the U.S., you lower your chances of having duplicate wines, which is the main reason I like to suggest this format when the guest list is large.
Wine Tasting Dinner
Another variation of the traditional wine tasting discussed earlier is to have a 3-course (or 4- or 5-course) dinner and serve a different wine with each course.
You can ask each guest to bring a specific type of wine to match each of your courses. For example, you can ask one couple to bring a Pinot Grigio to have as an aperitif, another couple to bring a Sauvignon Blanc to pair with the first course, another to bring a wine from Rioja to have with the main course, and lastly someone to bring a dessert wine to have with, of course, dessert.
A nice touch would be to have a final cheese course (after dessert) and provide the cheeses and wine(s) yourself.
Tasting wine with friends and family can be fun and educational. Fortunately, there’s really no right or wrong way to conduct one. So whatever you do, keep things lively and relaxed. Keep some structure to the event without getting too serious and you’ll be sure to create a memorable event for all your guests.
Ed Gandia is a wine writer based in Marietta, GA. He is the author of the “The Bargain Hunter’s Wine Shopping Guide” (http://www.BestWineBargains) — an eBook that teaches wine lovers a simple method to find the best, most consistent $10-and-under wines sold in the U.S.
This recipe is one of my favorites, especially during autumn. The flavors of cinnamon, apples, oatmeal and vanilla blend beautifully in this tasty muffin. A treat for breakfast, coffee break, dessert or anytime.
*white cake mix (my favorite is french vanilla from Duncan Hines)
*1 1/3 cup water
*1/3 cup oil
*3 eggs
*3 Gala apples (peeled, cored and diced)
*4 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
*2 tbsp cinnamon
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1 cup quick oats (not instant)
*muffin liners
1-Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pans with paper muffin cups.
2-Pour white cake mix into mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice to the dry mixture and blend together. Set aside.
3-Peel and core apples. Chop and dice apples into small pieces and place in a medium size bowl. Add the remaining 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice and the brown sugar. Using your hands, toss the apples until they are well-coated. Set aside.
4-Add the water, oil and eggs to the dry mixture. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes (or by hand for 100 strokes). Add the oats, apples and cinnamon and fold in one at a time until the batter is well-combined and all the ingredients are incorporated.
5-Fill the muffin liners to the top and bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown. Remove from the muffin pan and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a covered container.
YIELDS: 28 muffins
Nichelle Parsons is a housewife and an excellent baker. Her favorite things to bake include cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, truffles, muffins and so much more. She loves to experiment with new flavors and combinations. She is also a writer and moderates a frugal living and sweepstakes group called “Our Winning Circle”. http://www.ourwinningcircle.net
Australian bbq recipes
What makes a great outdoor party? Grilling, of course. And the
Australians sure have some awesome bbq recipes that you are sure
to enjoy.
This first Australian bbq recipe is for shrimp.
This is a very unique recipe that will give your outdoor party
that down under feeling that everyone will remember.
You will need large raw peeled shrimp with the tails, 2
tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of hoisin sauce(a sauce
made from fermented soy beans, 1 tablespoon of your favorite
barbeque sauce, 1 teaspoon of chili sauce, 1 tablespoon on
honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of sherry, and 2
minced cloves of garlic.
Mix all of the ingredients together including the shrimp and
refrigerate. You should leave the shrimp in the marinade for
around 2 hours before grilling. When the shrimp are ready for
grilling, cook as usual on high heat marinating with the bbq
sauce while grilling.
There is also a wonderful Australian bbq recipe for beef that
you are absolutely going to love.
It is also a marinade, so you will want to include time for the
steaks to marinate before cooking. You should marinate for at
least a couple of hours but if you leave it overnight it is even
better.
For this Australian bbq recipe you will need 1 tablespoon of
vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of your
favorite red cooking wine, 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, 3
minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs and pepper
to taste. Place your steaks in a large dish with a lid or you
can use plastic wrap.
Mix all the above ingredients together and then pour over your
steaks, turn steaks to ensure that the marinade has coated all
sides of the steaks. Refrigerate and cover. Turn steaks ever so
often so the marinade can soak into your steaks.
With these meals you are sure to love Australian bbq recipes and
start searching for more.
In my younger days, I must admit that the thought of paying several hundred dollars for a kitchen appliance like a KitchAid stand Mixer was not only not in my budget but also something not to mention I couldn’t justify the expense. It’s been a few years now and several mixers later when I realized that quality matters.
Like many people just starting out, I was interested only in 1 thing and that was price. How could I mix up my occasional birthday cake without costing my anything. I could mix by hand but as anyone who has ever known 20 something, there’s a limit to the amount of actual effort we want to do before we justify going out and buying something. So during the first few years of independent life, the 25 dollar hand or portable mixers were my preferred kitchen mixing appliance.
Over the years I realized that buying the cheaper, or as the marketing people say “less expensive” portable type mixers, I decided to quit buying on price and start choosing consumer goods based on quality and a good value.
Now “good value” may mean a lot of things to different people but to me it means paying a fair price for a solid product that will last. You might ask why wouldn’t I just buy on quality alone? The answer is in the automobile the Rolls Royce. The Rolls is arguably one of the highest quality built automobiles in the world. It is not however what I would consider a good value due to the extraordinarily high price.
It’s not the same however with a lot of consumer goods like my KitchenAid mixer. Although far from what some would call cheap, it should definitely be considered a great value. The hand mixer was just tiring to use and underpowered so when shopping for my new mixer I knew I wanted a stand mixer. That’s one where I wouldn’t need to hold the mixer in the bowl while it worked. It needed a folding or very slow speed so I could blend in ingredients without them flying all over the kitchen. I also wanted a mixer with enough power that I could do 4 boxes of brownies without it slowing down. Heck, I even would like it to be able to knead bread and pasta dough for those special meals.
Although there are many styles and models, I decided on an Artisan Series KitchAid stand Mixer in a color that would match my kitchen. It met my needs as to quality and even included a dough hook. They wouldn’t include a dough hook if the machine didn’t have the power to knead dough, right? It’s necessary to shop carefully however as I found the unit price range several hundred dollars between the highest and lowest in my city literally .
So I did my shopping online and checked out several of the most popular kitchen appliance outlet stores. I picked up the mixer I wanted and it included several handy accessories including the dough hook priced at below the lowest price I could get it locally! To make things even better, buying at the online store also offered free shipping. Now that’s value!
I received my stand mixer in perfect condition at a price one third less than what I could have bought it for anywhere in town. It has speeds from a slow stir to a fast mix. My new Artisan Series KitchAid Mixer is a joy to own and does everything…including mixing the bread dough.
Aigail Franks writes on a variety of subjects such as home, family, and health. For more information on Kitchenaid mixers visit
www.kitchenaid-mixer.livingwellzone.com
Holiday seasons should be about sharing so here are two simple recipes
I would like to give to you like they were given to me.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients you need:
Pumpkin seeds
Cooking spray
Seasonings of your choice (salt,garlic powder, onion powder…)
Preheat oven to 250. Pull seeds of the strings and put them in a bowl.
No need to wash them but let the seeds dry. Spray cookie sheet with oil.
Spread seeds on cookiesheet, spray seeds with oil then season them to
your liking. Roast about an hour(until crisp). Stir every 15-20 minutes
(until golden brown) Watch so they do not burn. Let them cool down
before eating. Keep airtight at room temperature for 3 months or in fridge
for 1 year.
Enjoy.
Pumpkin Pie
You need:
1 7-pound-pumpkin,
teaspoon nutmeg,
6 eggs,
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups whipping cream,
teaspoon ginger,
cup brown sugar,
1 tablespoon maple syrup,
2 table spoons butter
Cut the lid of the pumpkin(save it). Clean out fibers and seeds.
Mix all ingredients together exept butter: pour into pumpkin. The
custard will expand while baking so do not fill to the top. Top the mixture
with butter. Cover with pumpkin lid, using wood toothpicks to keep
lid from falling into custard as it bakes. Bake at 350 for 1-1 hours, or
until mixture inside pumpkins has set like custard. If mixture has not set
after 1 hour, try removing the lid for the last 30 minutes of baking.
Serve from the pumpkin, scraping some meat from the pumpkin sides
With each serving. Serves 8.
Hege Crowton is establishing herself as an expert copywriter.
She is known for doing in-depth research before writing her articles.
Many of her articles are posted on http://www.EzineCrow.com
and she also does a lot of writing for http://www.Crowsites.com
Copyright 2005 HalloweenCrow.com
How the Easter bunny got his start:
Easter has many symbols to share,so many of which we have even forgotten their origins. Take the bunny and egg symbols….how did we get from the sacrifice and rebirth of Jesus to a fluffy
bunny delivering eggs?? Well, I had that same question. So after a little searching I found some information I’d like to share with you. Well eggs have symbolized life and rebirth for centuries and they were adopted as a gift to give at Easter time between the royalty hundreds of years ago. They use to be crafted from gold and silver though not chocolate, personally I prefer the chocolate, yummy. Great detail was crafted on to those eggs and now they are worth a fortune to own. The egg giving was a symbol of Jesus sacrifice of his life. The rabbit or bunny has symbolized life,fertility and has been thought to bring spring by many cultures. Then long ago in a tale began of women who hide Easter treats for her children outside one
Easter Eve and when the next morning children went looking they saw a bunny next to their treats in what looked to them as a nest. Thus spread the tale of the Easter bunny delivering the eggs. It was later adopted by to add to our Easter celebrations. It’s amazing to me how that wonderfully fun bunny is packed with a message of springs’ rebirth and the sacrifices made to bring us all a new beginning.
The bunny has become an all time favorite symbol of Easter for Children. This whimsical creature who slaves away to bring a special treat Easter morning warms their hearts and brightens their eyes. Childhood is too short not to enjoy with out some fun. Here are some simple Easter craft activities you can share with your little ones as I have with mine.
Bunny Drops
2 cups Brown sugar
1/3 cup Chocolate cocoa
1/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Margarine
3 1/2 cups Dry oatmeal
1/2 cup Coconut flakes
1/2 tsp Vanilla
A pinch Salt
Blend together sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine in a pot. Place on medium heat and let it come to a boil. Remove mixture from heat Add oatmeal and vanilla. Let cool for 5 minutes. Drop mixture in tablespoon size balls onto waxed paper. Place in
refrigerator for 1/2-hour until cool. This treat is a big hit with kids.
By Sharon Graves MacRae
Owner and Editor of Woman to Woman
Virtual Online Magazine
http://www.virtual-online-magazine.com.
These are your friends. Feed them right. Skip the brussel
sprouts and go for the food every one will enjoy. Also
Thanksgiving is not the day to start your new diet. Use the good
stuff, cook with salt, butter and eggs. Start tomorrow with the
healthier alternatives.
Make sure you have plenty for everyone. Guests on Thanksgiving
will typically consume; * 2-3 Drinks, either alcohol or
non-alcohol. * 4-6 Appetizers * to 1/3 pound of meat * 2
servings of all the trimmings * 1-2 slices of pie
Thanksgiving is a big day people tend to eat a lot, so prepare
for the feast.
Have your table set before your guests arrive. Thanksgiving can
be stressful without proper planning. Try wrapping your
silverware in napkins so that guests can just grab and go. Have
all your glasses handy with plenty of ice. Never allow your
Thanksgiving guest to feel awkward by having to ask for a glass
or ice.
Make sure your guests know where the trash can is. You can move
it out from under the sink and set it where everyone can see.
Also have one member of your family be in charge a trash patrol.
Have them keep an eye on the garbage can so that it does not
over flow.
Finally be prepared to send home leftovers. Everyone likes
having leftover turkey and mashed potatoes, even your guests. By
keeping on hand plastic bags or disposable containers you will
be able to package up turkey leftovers for you and your guests.
Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good for
you. Tea began as a Chinese medicinal drink, and modern science
proves just how green tea is good for you. In traditional
Chinese medicine, tea helps to clear the eyes and head, resolve
excess phlegm, promote urination, relieve toxins, aid the
digestion, and quench thirst. As with so many foods and
medicines, the traditional Chinese medicinal thoughts are being
proven scientifically in modern times. Today, there is ample
evidence that tea is good for you as a daily tonic in the
interest of preventing or treating a wide range of maladies,
including: cancer, hypertension (high blood pressure), high
cholesterol, premature aging, food poisoning, dental decay and
bad breath, and even arthritis.
How Is Green Tea Good For You?
* Tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful
anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it
kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also
been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and
inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter
takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the
formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart
attacks and stroke.
* Green tea may be good for your waistline. In November 1999,
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results
of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
Researchers found that men who were given a combination of
caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those
given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Immune System
* A Japanese report found that men who drank ten cups of green
tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men
who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately
240 - 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea).
Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland’s Western Reserve University
concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day
could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in
individuals already suffering from the disease.
* Scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered
that there were fewer recurrences of breast cancer, and the
disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking
five cups or more of green tea daily.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Prevention & Treatment Of Cancer
* Scientists also discovered that EGCG from green tea can help
to prevent metastasis, or the movement and spreading of cancer
cells from one organ or tissue to the other by bloodstream or
lymph. Cancer cells secrete special enzymes in order to enter
and colonize tissues. Research shows that EGCG stops the
secretion of these special enzymes.
* A case study that was done in China, reports that those women
who drank green tea regularly had a 50% lower risk of developing
esophageal cancer. Men showed less risk as well, but not as
significant as women.
* Researchers from Sweden reported that green tea blocked the
development of new blood vessels in the lungs. By blocking the
development of new blood vessels in the lungs, tumors are less
likely to grow and metastasize. Scientists believe that EGCG
plays a significant rule in blocking the development of tumors.
Similar results were achieved in breast cancer, colon cancer and
melanoma studies. It is believed that drinking green tea for an
extended period of time will help to prevent and might cure
cancer naturally.
* The antioxidants found in green tea–called catechins–may
selectively inhibit the growth of cancer. In laboratory studies
using animals, catechins scavenged oxidants before cell damage
occurred, reduced the number and size of tumors, and inhibited
the growth of cancer cells. National Cancer Institute
researchers are investigating the therapeutic and preventive use
of tea catechins against a variety of cancers.
* One Chinese study involving over 18,000 men found green tea
drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or
esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after
adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors.
* In the laboratory, studies have shown green tea catechins act
as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They
scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the
incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the
growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach
cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size
in mice that were fed green and black tea.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Teeth
* Green tea is good for your teeth, the catechins prevent decay
by killing the bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) that cause dental
plaque. Green tea also contains fluoride. One cup of brewed
green tea contains around 0.3-0.5 mg of fluoride. This is an
optimal level of fluoride according to dentists. As we all know,
fluoride builds in our teeth’s enamel, making it more resistant
against acidic environment, of our mouth. Green tea also
eliminates other bacteria that responsible for bad breath.
According to researchers, green tea polyphenols can inhibit, by
30%, the growth of bacteria that causes unpleasant breath.
* A study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams
of green tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application
of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of
leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque.
* Recent research suggests that green tea is good for your HDL
cholesterol ( the “good one”) and lowers triglyceride levels.
Several tests have been done. And green tea extract has been
shown to be good for your cholesterol.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Blood Pressure
* At the the end of a 5 week experiment, one group with the
regular diet showed blood pressure increases. For the catechin
fed group, the blood pressure stayed normal. After this initial
testing the scientists switched the diets for the two groups.
This switch led to a reversal of the blood pressure trends. The
study concluded that drinking moderate amounts of green tea each
day can help to prevent high blood pressure.
The catechins in green tea have additionally been shown to help
prevent excess cholesterol in the blood, killing the bacteria
that causes food poisoning, lower blood sugar, additionally
green tea is good for your high blood pressure by suppressing
the production of angiotensn II. Catechin is also a strong
anti-oxidant, which aids in aging related concerns.
Green and white tea leaves are less processed than oolong or
black teas, which prevents oxidation and retains the highest
levels of beneficial compounds. But all tea is good for you, so
find the ones you like and drink them daily!
