When you cut the corn from the cob, the possibilities for preparing corn are endless. You can add it to bread to make a wonderful spoon bread recipe, or a great Southern favorite, corn pudding. Corn combines well with other summer vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. The secret to a great dish is to use the freshest corn available. The less time that passes between the garden and the finished recipe the better.

When you’re selecting corn, choose ears with tight, green husks and tender milky looking kernels that are evenly spaced on the ear and firm enough to puncture if you squeeze it a little. If you’re not going to be preparing your corn immediately after you get it home, then buy it with the husks and put it in the refrigerator to prevent the sugar in the corn from turning to starch and tasting less than sweet. If your recipe calls only for kernels of corn, remember that two average size ears will usually give you about one cup of corn kernels. Here’s a delicious summer corn recipe to try out this year.

Corn and Tomato Casserole

8 slices bacon, cut in half
2 c soft breadcrumbs
2 c peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes
1 med green pepper, chopped
3 c fresh corn cut from cob
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp pepper
¼ c butter, melted

Place half of bacon in a shallow 2 qt casserole, and top with 1 c breadcrumbs. Layer half of tomatoes, green pepper, and corn over breadcrumbs; sprinkle with half of salt, sugar and pepper. Repeat layers of the veggies and seasoning. Combine the melted butter and remaining 1 c breadcrumbs, stirring well; spoon evenly over casserole. Top with remaining bacon; bake at 375 F for 40-45 minutes. Serves 8.

Margarine As Opposed to Butter
When following recipes when preparing a meal, there are many recipes that now list a choice between using butter as an ingredient or margarine. By using margarine in the recipe instead of butter the cook cuts the caloric content significantly yet still keeps a good taste overall. It is very hard to tell the difference between margarine and butter that is used in cooked foods and since margarine is lower in calories it is a great substitute. So, the next time you are cooking and run across a choice between butter or margarine as an ingredient make the healthy and low calorie choice by using margarine. The taste will remain great and it won’t affect your waistline!

Splenda as Opposed to Sugar
Another great way in which to save on the caloric intake is to use Splenda in one’s recipes as opposed to sugar. Splenda consists of sucralose, which was approved for sale on the market in the late 1990s. Not only is this ingredient low in calories but it is great tasting as well. Splenda is also a wonderful ingredient to use in baked foods as it is heat stable and there is no real loss of the substance during cooking. For these reasons, Splenda is a great ingredient to use when cooking using those recipes which call for sugar. You won’t notice a difference, but you will enjoy great foods and beverages with considerably less calories!

These are two ways in which a calorie-conscious individual can make fantastic light calorie meals that are abundant in the taste department and easy on the waistline as well.

You can make herb vinegars for salad dressings, marinades, or soups. Herb oils are very useful in cooking whenever a recipe calls for it.

Fresh herbs as garnishes dress up any dish making it look truly spectacular. Lay individual sprigs of rosemary over broiled lamb chops. Chop fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the top of your potato salad. The combinations are endless and the outcome delicious.

Fresh herbs will keep in the refrigerator for several days but then you must freeze them. They can be frozen by laying them a paper towel and putting them in a plastic bag. Once they are frozen only use them in cooking not as garnishes. A friend of mine washes them, puts them an ice cube tray, covers them with water and then freezes them. When she needs them for soup, stews or sauces she just drops a cube in.

My favorite herbs to grow are basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley and mint. Mint is great but be careful, mint can over run your garden. A tip here would be to bury an empty coffee can and plant the mint in it. The can prevents the mint from “creeping” all through your garden.

I love to make herb butters. Take a half of a cup of softened butter and mix in about 4 tablespoons of a fresh herb. Lay out a piece of saran wrap, place the butter in the middle roll the saran wrap up to form a “log” out of the butter. Put in the refrigerator and anytime you need a pat of butter just cut it off the “log”. (Hints for “log” butter: potatoes, bread, steaks, noodles or any kind of sauce).

A fresh herb in any salad dressing really makes it sparkle. You can use any herb or a combination, be creative.

I learned a trick a long time ago using basil, lemon and avocados to create and instant natural face mask. Put a big handful of basil in a blender and run it on high. Once the basil has been pulverized, throw in a half of an avocado and a large teaspoon of lemon juice, mix until smooth. Wash your face, pat it dry and gently rub the avocado mixture on. Leave it on as long as you like, then use warm water to it wash off.

Eat every 4 hour
Metabolism that is now working at a more effective level will make you want to eat sooner than before. Having four meals a day at intervals of 4 hours keeps your metabolism moving constantly as it has to continuously absorb, distribute and convert the foods into energy. However, this rule is easier said than done. Planning and preparing your every day meals on the previous night/day is more likely to keep you on course with your diet. If you have not prepared yourself like this you are more likely to give up after a few day. Once you skip a meal, the metabolic processes in the body will slow down dramaticaly to preserve the energy.

This will interrupt the “kick-start” that you’ve been trying to enforce upon your metabolism.

Divide your food into 4 equal sized meals
Now that you should have a pretty good idea of how often you should eat, however, you should also know what to eat and how much to eat of it. Health diets include dividing your every day meal into four parts. Quarter of your food should be protein-rich food including lean meats, yogurt, tofu, fish, eggs and legumes. The second quarter should contain unrefined carbohydrates, which includes various whole grains, pastas, breads and brown rice. And finally the remaining half of your food should consist of fruits and vegatables.

It’s always a healthy choice to avoid any fried foods like crisps, KFC etc… and foods that are known to have high levels of saturated fats. Although it may be acceptable to treat yourself to some special food every now and then but you should keep in mind that the amount of those should be kept to minimum. In fact when it comes to food, you should make sure that everything, even your meal size is best when enjoyed in moderation. Remember to have smaller sized portions, after all its only 4 hours till your next meal.

Potatoes are the most popular vegetable, even being before of other well known vegetables such as lettuce and onions. You can cook potatoes in many different of ways and theycan be included in one of the three meals eaten by almost anyone. Once they are prepared in a healthy way, potatoes can be an superior source of energy and in addition to pack a nutritional punch.

Similar to oranges, potatoes has very high in vitamin C. The truth is, one medium sized potato contains about 45% of the vitamin C, which is recommended for good health. Potatoes are also high in fiber and carbohydrates and has more potassium than a banana.

Potatoes are naturally low in calories and carries no fat, sodium, or cholesterol. The skins of the potatoes has a helpful dose of fiber, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and many
B vitamins.

You can cook potatoes by boiling them, steaming them, or roasting them. If possible you should avoid putting potatoes in the refrigerator or freezing them, as low temperature will turn the potato starch to sugar and make them to turn dark when they are served.

When you store potatoes, try to keep them in a cool and dark storage place. Too much light will cause them to turn green. You could store them in the basement if you have one, as the basement is the best place to keep potatoes.

From mashed potatoes to baked potatoes, a potato is something we know and love. They serve up many different tasty foods, and they provide our bodies with a good deal of healthful benefits.

1. Because good company is what makes or breaks a successful backyard barbeque make sure you organize your guests first. Send out invitations or call as much in advance as you can to guarantee that the people you want to come will be able to come.

2. Choose a theme and decorate the backyard and your home to suit that theme. Match tablecloths and napkins. Add candles and fresh flowers. A backyard barbeque needs a theme to induce a fun mood amongst guests and to make it memorable.

3. Plan the menu. Check to see what your guests are bringing and cross those items off your list. Make a list of what you need (don’t forget insect repellent) and do all the shopping the day before so that ingredients are fresh and so that the morning of your backyard barbeque can be dedicated to food preparation. Make sure you purchase the highest-quality meat products you can find. And select vegetables, such as corn, tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms. These vegetables are perfect accompaniments for a barbeque.

4. In the morning (or the night before) marinate the meat. A simple marinade that includes soy sauce, barbeque sauce and garlic is perfect. Stock your cooler with cold drinks.

5. By the time your guests arrive you should be dressed and ready. Music should be playing to add ambience, salads and other starters should be laid out and ready, and the fire should be kindled.

The healthy food shopping list is not complete without a vitamins supplement included. Some vitamins are known to prevent skin cancer while some others help maintain the health and fitness levels. Certain vitamins that help build the body tissues along with collagen are specially prescribed for the people undergone a facial cosmetic surgery. These vitamins can be depleted from the body as a result of the intake of certain drugs or chain smoking.

Healthy eating means using fresh ingredients and gentle cooking methods without adding any artificial ingredients and fats. Healthy eating requires a lot of cooking, since take-out food often contains too many refined fats and artificial seasonings. However, with modern appliances you will discover that cooking is no longer an annoying chore reserved for special occasions, but an exciting part of everyday life.

So which products should we buy when we actually decide to begin eating healthy food? Here’s what your weekly shopping list should include.

Vegetables. All vegetables should be eaten young, when they are tender and not coarse. Vegetables are best bought from fresh food markets or seasonal, when they are sold in boxes or baskets. Supermarket vegetables are often genetically modified or have been picked green and ripened in boxes when traveling long distances. Sprouts and brightly colored vegetables contain the most vitamins and antioxidants.

Fruits. Again, the trick is to buy seasonal fruit, since exotic fruits have often traveled long distances and ripened in their boxes, not on trees. Local, naturally ripened or, better yet, organic fruit are the best choice for the health-conscious cook.

Herbs. Aromatic herbs and spices can be used fresh or dried. The best idea is to plant the aromatic herbs in pots on your window and use them fresh whenever you need them. To preserve flavor, you can buy spices whole and use them freshly ground.

Cheese. Although cheese is quite rich in fats, cheese is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Buy only fresh cheeses in small quantities and try to eat them at once, since gourmet cheeses don’t have a lengthy shelf life.

Eggs. Buy only organic or free-range eggs, and shake them before buying to ensure freshness.

Fish and shellfish. The best way to buy fish is fresh and unfrozen. Again, most of the fish in supermarkets comes from fish farms where it is fed with artificial substances, and this fish cannot be used in healthy recipes. Pink salmon and other popular kinds of fish will most likely come from a fish farm. Shellfish is a more healthy choice, since shrimp, for example, does not live in chemically polluted water. When you boil mussels, discard those that do not open.

Meat. For truly healthy eating purposes it’s better to skip meat entirely, since it’s almost impossible to find meat that comes from an environmentally and health conscious farmer. Most of the meat in supermarkets has enormous quantities of growth hormones and antibiotics. The best meat for use in healthy recipes comes from small farming communities or organic farms.

Grains. Whole wheat and whole grains should become a staple of your healthy eating routine, because many healthy ingredients are contained in the grain shell. Rice is the only exclusion from the rule, because, even though the rice grain shell is removed, many nutritional elements still remain in the rice grain.

What we eat become a part of us. So make your kitchen a starting point for your new healthy eating habits, and enjoy preparing healthy meals.

Healthy eating can only go so far, affordable health insurance and quality life insurance cover can help protect you and your family when you need insurance most.

14 Nutter Butter peanut butter
-sandwich cookies, crushed
3 tb Butter, melted

1/3 c Chocolate chips; semi-sweet
4 tb Corn syrup, light; divided
4 tb ;Water, divided
1/3 c Peanut butter, creamy
1/3 c Sugar; + 2 Tbsp
1/4 c Peanuts; chopped
2 Egg whites
1 ts Vanilla
1 c Heavy cream; whipped

Prepare the crust by combining cookies and butter. Press into bottom and up
sides of a 9″ pie plate. CHILL UNTIL SET.

Combine the chocolate chips, 1 Tbsp corn syrup and 1 Tbsp water in the top
of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water until the chocolate melts and
the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and COOL WELL.

Meanwhile combine the peanut butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp corn syrup, and
3 Tbsp water in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well blended.
Pour into a bowl and stir in the peanuts; COOL.

Beat the egg whites until foamy, using an electric mixer at high speed.
Gradually add 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, beating well after each
addition. Beat in the vanilla and continue beating until stiff, glossy
peaks form when the beaters are slowly lifted. Fold the egg white mixture
into the whipped cream. Then fold in the peanut butter mixture. Pour half
of the peanut butter mixture into the crust. Drizzle half of the chocolate
mixture over the filling. Top with the remaining filling.

Drizzle the remaining chocolate in parallel lines over the filling. Pull a
knife across the lines at 1 inch intervals. FREEZE UNTIL FIRM. Wrap
securely in aluminum foil. Return to the freezer and CONTINUE FREEZING 8
HOURS OR OVERNIGHT. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten chicken
to 1/4−inch thickness, using a meat mallet; cut into 1−inch pieces. Place in
a shallow container. Combine next 7 ingredients, mixing well. Pour over
chicken; cover and chill 1−2 hours. Thread chicken onto skewers; cook over
hot coals 6−8 minutes or until done, turning occasionally and basting with
remaining marinade. Serve with additional picante sauce.