Flavors Baked Fudge Friday

Friday is already here with a packed weekend schedule straight ahead.  Mine is to be a working weekend but never fear I will be learning something new and fun in the process so that makes it a lot less work.  To kick off the start of the weekend I wanted to dust off an old recipe from Michael Fusco, a friend of mine who is also a 5 * chef here in Tulsa, OK.  You can visit his webpage, Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill and make a reservation for dinner at your earliest opportunity.  You WILL be very happy that you did!

This recipe is one of those super-secret, just pulled out of the vault, oh so delicious desserts that takes a little time but it well worth the effort.  Thanks to Michael for allowing me to post it for the readers.  The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients-

9 ounces dark chocolate

7 ounces butter (Whole, unsalted)

11 ounces sugar

8 egg yolks

8 egg whites


Directions:

Melt chocolate with butter over double boiler (not direct heat!).  Work 1/2 the sugar with the yolks and reserve the other 1/2 for the whites. 

Add the chocolate mixture to the yolks. 

Beat whites to stiff peaks (Medium mix speed until foamy, high speed for 2-3 minutes.) and add the remaining sugar.  Beat until smooth.  Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture and allow to set in refrigerator.

Fill individual 8" baking pan half full with mousse.  Bake in 350 degree oven 25-30 minutes.  Let cool.  Refill pan with additional mousse and freeze.  Cook again in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.  Inside of fudge should be moist and almost fluid.  Serve very warm.

This dessert turned out sooo good!! The inside was not fluid as described in the recipe (baked slightly too long because we were busy talking in the class!) but it was excellent and still had a soft, very warm center.  Enjoy!!

Black Elderberry Thursday

Many people have heard stories from their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents about "home" remedies that were routinely used to cure everything from headaches, cuts, scrapes and many others from your head to your toes.  I often chuckle to myself when people call these remedies  "alternative medicine" because of the title that has been assigned by the media and often the drug companies. 

While the name of my blog is "Alternative Health & Nutrition".... that is identifying with the popular title and not what I feel to be the true description.  The reason I say this is because throughout history, for tens of thousands of years, people have used the medicinal properties of the world around them to treat illnesses and injuries of daily life. 

What many people don't know is that the mega-companies that produce medications for blood-pressure, heart disease, stroke and every other malady you can think of spend astronomical amounts of money studying and researching the worlds rain-forests and oceans for Mother Nature's defense against these problems. 

After the natural cure has been identified, studied, synthesized, chemically reproduced, mass produced,  and marketed, the public flocks to their physician to get an un-natural chemical to cure what nature already fixed eons ago.  Not to mention the staggering list of side-effects on the small pamphlet the send with the meds. Could it be easier and safer to go with Mother Nature in the first place?  I think so!

One of these that we use often in my home is Black Elderberry.  It is outstanding for treating all types of flu whether you catch it at the onset or in the middle of the symptoms.  I have taken it in both instances with fantastic results.  I am one of those people that are rarely sick but when I am, it will be LEGENDARY.  My boys and I (and most of you readers) have all been in situations where we didn't quite feel right and then all of the sudden the raging fever, chills, and inability to keep anything down hit us like a freight train. 

We keep Black Elderberry in our home made by the same company (Energique) that packages high quality herbs and supplements for major retailers and it is an extremely high quality product.  It is sold in a pill or liquid form and when taken as directed, the flu and other viruses don't stand a chance.  I take it at the first opportunity whether at the onset or in the mdddle of a raging illness and within 12 - 24 hours I feel fine.  We sell Black Elderberry and many other products through our online sales company.

  Read this article on Black Elderberry from eHow......

What Is Black Elderberry Used For?
By Eulalia Palomo, eHow Contributing Writer


Photo courtesy of Morguefile

Black elderberry, also known as European elderberry, is high in antioxidants and flavonoids. It has a long history as a medicinal plant for treatment of common colds and influenza, and as an immune strengthener. Black elderberry was often used in Europe externally as a wound healer and internally for treating respiratory illness. Black elderberry has anti-inflammatory properties, can reverse the signs of aging and can lessen the symptoms of viral flu infections.


Constituents

Black elderberries are rich in organic pigments, natural sugars and tannins. The high flavonoid properties of black elderberry are found in the pigments called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are flavonoids in the pigments of dark-skinned fruits that have strong antioxidant properties. Black elderberries are significantly higher in anthocyanins than are other fruits such as blueberries. Black elderberry is very high in vitamin C and contains vitamin A and B6 as well as iron and calcium. It also contains amino acids, viburnic acid, carotenoids and rutin.


Antioxidants

Black elderberry is used primarily for its high antioxidant content. Antioxidants are known for their ability to combat the damaging effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are byproducts of natural processes such as breathing and energy expenditure, and outside sources such as air pollution and ultraviolet radiation. The antioxidant-rich flavonoids in black elderberries help to reduce the damage caused by these free radicals.


Immune Strengthener

The antioxidant flavonoids in black elderberry strengthen the immune system and help the body resist viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Viral infections are one of the major immune system threats. Black elderberry can combat a viral infection by preventing the virus from entering healthy cells. The antiviral agent acts to strip the virus of the hemagglutinin coating it uses for entering healthy cells. In addition to its antiviral properties, black elderberry can help to strengthen the immune system and combat infection while reducing symptoms of the flu.


Uses

The antioxidants in black elderberries have antiaging properties. By reducing the damage done by free radicals, antioxidants help the body combat disease, diminish signs of aging and improve health and stamina. Black elderberry can improve respiratory problems by soothing nasal congestion and reducing inflammation in the mucus membranes or sinuses. Black elderberry can improve vision, lower cholesterol and improve heart health. It is often used to treat coughs, common colds, infections and tonsillitis.


Considerations

Elderberry extracts have no known drug interactions or dangerous side effects, although conclusive studies have not been published. The extract might act as a mild diuretic and laxative when taken in quantity. Black elderberries should be taken as an herbal preparation or cooked. The unripe berries as well as the stems, seeds and roots can contain minor amounts of cyanide. Elderberry is often taken as a tea or prepared as a tinctured extract.

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Do you take natural supplements for your health?  If so, which ones do you take and why?  Would you take a natural supplement to cure your health condition even if  "modern medicine" said there was no cure?  Let's talk about it.......

Tasty Tuesdays! GF Sausage, Egg & Pepper Sandwich

It has been sooooo busy these past several weeks.  I know the last time I looked at the calendar it was Memorial Day and now it's the end of July.  Where does it all go?  Between camping, fishing, pulling teeth, and all of the other things that happen between breakfast and bedtime time just flies.  I always wanted to fly....pardon me.....back to the blogging.  :)  My boys just got back from spending several days with their granddad.  He spends quite a bit of time with them but wanted to get them individually this summer.  I took my oldest down and then we traded kids at the halfway through so he got to spend a bit more than 3 days each with them.  We were originally shooting for a week each but life got in the way.  He had a Colorado trip that had been planned for a year and the boys had other activities going as well.  They had a GREAT time together and talk about it constantly.  My dad is a lot more mellow than I used to remember but I suppose that is the way it's supposed to be with your grandkids.

I plan to do some more Dutch Oven cooking soon, as I got a new 12" oven from dad that I'm dying to try. You can see some of my Dutch Oven recipes on the right hand side when you look at the archives.This week's recipe is one that I have had in different variations in my life but never quite like this.  I have been to a good number of the 5* cooking classes at Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill in Tulsa, OK this summer.  Michael is a family friend and an unbelievable chef!!  I really enjoy the classes and you the readers get to "go" along with me as you read the Tasty Tuesdays! posts.   It's often enjoyable to write about something like this class after you've taken it because you remember and pick up on things that you didn't when you were there before.  This one is super easy and sooo good!  Ok, on to the recipe!  It is as follows:

Ingredients:

2 Tbps. olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

3 eggs, beaten

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 Large link of sweet Italian sausage (browned and cooked) 400 degree oven is the best way....

Feather shredded Pecorino Romano as desired

1 Loaf GF Italian bread (such as a bastone or a chiabatta)

Preparation:

When browning the sausage, it is best to put it in a 400 degree oven.  This browns it very nicely and you can do it a step ahead to save time or prepare more sausages to have extras for future meals.

Heat a saute' pan over medium heat then add enough olive oil to cover the bottom.  Add the onion and peppers, regulating heat so the onions don't burn.  Saute' until the peppers have softened. 

Slice the sausage on an angle and add to the peppers / onions & brown.  You want to brown well for a rustic flavor and aroma.  Just until the sausage skin is ready to come off but still attached.

Raise the heat to medium-high nad add the beaten eggs.  Stir to combine with the onions and peppers and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are set.

Slice the bread lengthwise without cutting all the way through, remove center.  When the eggs are done, gently slide them onto the bread to make a sandwich and cut the loaf into four portions.  Serves 2 - 4.

By the way, this tasted better than it looked, and that is really saying something!  I am normally not a bell pepper fan but the sandwich was delicious!  I have eaten many new things taking these classes than I normally would.   Enjoy!!

This post is part of the following blog carnivals.......Go check out these great sites!!

Mouthwatering Mondays
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
Tuesday Twister
Two for Tuesday
Real Food Wednesday
Gluten-Free Wednesday
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Fight Back Friday

Watermelon Mondays

This is undoubtedly my favorite time of year.  Warm weather, lots of sunshine, horseback riding, going to the lake and more all team up to make a great time in our family life.  The kids love to play outside and after they've gotten hot and are ready to cool off, nothing does that better than an ice cold watermelon that we keep in the refrigerator. 

Many people all over the world love watermelon, and in the wonderful USA you can buy them year round if you wish.  There is always a warm climate somewhere and the grocery stores will always have some on hand for the ever demanding shopper.  I often get a taste for them in December but my true favorite time to buy is right in the middle of summer.  You can find local growers with a large supply and the taste is unlike any other.  If you're like me you may not know any fancy watermelon recipes but armed with a knife and a salt shaker, I have presided over more than a few summertime snacks.  I have always loved them but didn't really know that they are truly one of the healthiest fruits you can eat.  Read this excerpt below taken from WhFoods 100 Healthiest Foods list.........

Watermelon


No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality.

As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, the watermelon is related to the cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin, other plants that also grow on vines on the ground. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds.

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Watermelon provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System.

Health Benefits

Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.


Concentrated in Powerful Antioxidants

Sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A, notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. Pink watermelon is also a source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the body that can cause a great deal of damage. They are able to oxidize cholesterol, making it stick to blood vessel walls, where it can lead to heart attack or stroke. They can add to the severity of asthma attacks by causing airways to clamp down and close. They can increase the inflammation that occurs in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and cause most of the joint damage that occurs in these conditions, and they can damage cells lining the colon, turning them into cancer cells. Fortunately, vitamin C and beta-carotene are very good at getting rid of these harmful molecules and can therefore prevent the damage they would otherwise cause. As a matter of fact, high intakes of vitamin C and beta-carotene have been shown in a number of scientific studies to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the airway spasm that occurs in asthma, reduce the risk of colon cancer, and alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. A cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the daily value for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the DV for vitamin A.


More on Watermelon's Lycopene

Watermelon is also a very concentrated source of the carotenoid, lycopene. Well known for being abundant in tomatoes and particularly well absorbed from cooked tomato products containing a little fat such as olive oil, lycopene is also present in high amounts in watermelon and mangoes. Lycopene has been extensively studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. In contrast to many other food phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied in animals, lycopene has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers. These cancers now include prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancers. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in patients with colorectal adenomas, a type of polyp that is the precursor for most colorectal cancers, blood levels of lycopene were 35% lower compared to study subjects with no polyps. Blood levels of beta-carotene also tended to be 25.5% lower, although according to researchers, this difference was not significant. In their final (multiple logistic regression) analysis, only low levels of plasma lycopene (less than 70 microgram per liter) and smoking increased the likelihood of colorectal adenomas, but the increase in risk was quite substantial: low levels of lycopene increased risk by 230% and smoking by 302%. The antioxidant function of lycopene-its ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage-has been linked in human research to prevention of heart disease. Protection of DNA (our genetic material) inside of white blood cells has also been shown to be an antioxidant role of lycopene.

Watermelon and Green Tea Team Up to Prevent Prostate Cancer

Choosing to regularly eat lycopene-rich fruits, such as watermelon, and drink green tea may greatly reduce a man's risk of developing prostate cancer, suggests research published the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Jian L, Lee AH, et al.)

In this case-control study involving 130 prostate cancer patients and 274 hospital controls, men drinking the most green tea were found to have an 86% reduced risk of prostate cancer compared, to those drinking the least.

A similar inverse association was found between the men's consumption of lycopene-rich fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, apricots, pink grapefruit, watermelon, papaya, and guava. Men who most frequently enjoyed these foods were 82% less likely to have prostate cancer compared to those consuming the least lycopene-rich foods.

Regular consumption of both green tea and foods rich in lycopene resulted in a synergistic protective effect, stronger than the protection afforded by either, the researchers also noted.

Practical Tips: Get in the habit of drinking green tea and eating lycopene-rich foods such as watermelon.

Take a quart of iced green tea to work and sip throughout the day or take it to the gym to provide prostate protection while replenishing fluids after your workout.

Start your breakfast with a half grapefruit or a glass of papaya or guava juice.

For a great summer thirst-quencher, blend chunks of watermelon with a few ice cubes and a splash of lime juice. Serve with a fresh mint leaf.

Serve cooling watermelon chunks as a side dish to balance the flavor of spicy black beans or other fiery Mexican dishes.

Energy Production

Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production. Our food ranking system also qualified watermelon as a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, and potassium. Part of this high ranking was due to the higher nutrient richness of watermelon. Because this food has a higher water content and lower calorie content than many other fruits (a whole cup of watermelon contains only 48 calories), it delivers more nutrients per calorie-an outstanding health benefit!


Protection against Macular Degeneration

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but watermelon can help you reach this goal. What could be more delicious on a hot summer's day than a slice of sweet, refreshing watermelon? For a great summer spritzer, blend watermelon with a spoonful of honey and a splash of lemon or lime, then stir in seltzer water and decorate with a sprig of mint. If you didn't experience the fun of a seed spitting contest as a child, it's not too late to introduce this summer ritual to your children or the child in you!

Arginine to Prevent Erectile Dysfunction, Lower Blood Pressure, Improve Insulin Sensitivity

One more reason to enjoy watermelon before summer ends: this sweet, crunchy, cooling fruit is exceptionally high in citrulline, an amino acid our bodies use to make another amino acid, arginine, which is used in the urea cycle to remove ammonia from the body, and by the cells lining our blood vessels to make nitric oxide. Nitric oxide not only relaxes blood vessels, lowering high blood pressure, it is the compound whose production is enhanced by Viagra to prevent erectile dysfunction. Arginine has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in obese type 2 diabetic patients with insulin resistance. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Nov;291(5):E906-12. In volunteers drinking three 8-ounce glasses of watermelon juice each day for three weeks, blood levels of arginine (synthesized from citrulline provided by the watermelon) were 11% higher than in controls. Volunteers who drank six daily 8-ounce glasses of watermelon juice for 3 weeks had arginine levels 18% higher than controls. Nutrition. 2007 Mar;23(3):261-6.


Description

If you have ever tasted a watermelon, it is probably no surprise to you why this juicy, refreshing fruit has this name. Watermelon has an extremely high water content, approximately 92%, giving its flesh a crumbly and subtly crunchy texture and making it a favorite thirst-quenching fruit.

As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, the watermelon is related to the cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin, other plants that also grow on vines on the ground. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds.

While we often associate a deep red-pink color with watermelons, in fact there are varieties that feature orange, yellow, or white flesh. While most watermelons have seeds that are black, brown, white, green or yellow, a few varities are actually seedless.

The scientific name for watermelon is Citrullis lanatus.


History

Originating in Africa, watermelons were first cultivated in Egypt where testaments to their legacy were recorded in hieroglyphics painted on building walls. The fruit was held is such regard that it was placed in the tombs of many Egyptian kings. It is not surprising that watermelon played such an important role in this country, and subsequently in countries in the Mediterranean region, since water was often in short supply in these areas, and people could depend upon watermelon for its thirst-quenching properties.

Watermelons were brought to China around the 10th century and then to the Western Hemisphere shortly after the discovery of the New World. In Russia, where much of the commercial supply of watermelons is grown, there is a popular wine made from this fruit. In addition to Russia, the leading commercial growers of watermelon include China, Turkey, Iran and the United States.


How to Select and Store

The best way to choose a flavorful melon is to look at the color and quality of the flesh, which should be a deep color and absent from white streaks. If it features seeds, they should be deep in color.

Oftentimes, however, we do not have this liberty when purchasing watermelon since it is more common to buy a whole, uncut fruit. When choosing a whole watermelon, look for one that is heavy for its size with a rind that is relatively smooth and that is neither overly shiny nor overly dull. In addition, one side of the melon should have an area that is distinct in color from the rest of the rind, displaying a yellowish or creamy tone. This is the underbelly, the place that was resting on the ground during ripening, and if the fruit does not have this marking, it may have been harvested prematurely, which will negatively affect its taste, texture and juiciness.

For the most antioxidants, choose fully ripened watermelon:

Research conducted at the University of Innsbruck in Austria suggests that as fruits fully ripen, almost to the point of spoilage, their antioxidant levels actually increase.

Key to the process is the change in color that occurs as fruits ripen, a similar process to that seen in the fall when leaves turn from green to red to yellow to brown- a color change caused by the breakdown and disappearance of chlorophyll, which gives leaves and fruits their green color.

Until now, no one really knew what happened to chlorophyll during this process, but lead researcher, Bernard Kräutler, and his team, working together with botanists over the past several years, has identified the first decomposition products in leaves: colorless, polar NCCs (nonfluorescing chlorophyll catabolytes), that contain four pyrrole rings - like chlorophyll and heme.

After examining apples and pears, the scientists discovered that NCCs replace the chlorophyll not only in the leaves of fruit trees, but in their very ripe fruits, especially in the peel and flesh immediately below it.

"When chlorophyll is released from its protein complexes in the decomposition process, it has a phototoxic effect: when irradiated with light, it absorbs energy and can transfer it to other substances. For example, it can transform oxygen into a highly reactive, destructive form," report the researchers. However, NCCs have just the opposite effect. Extremely powerful antioxidants, they play an important protective role for the plant, and when consumed as part of the human diet, NCCs deliver the same potent antioxidant protection within our bodies. . Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2007 Nov 19;46(45):8699-8702.

The quantity of carotenoids from watermelon, particularly lycopene and beta-carotene, increases if this melon is stored at room temperature, indicates a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Recent studies have linked lycopene to reducing the risk of prostate cancer and lowering inflammation that may cause hypertension and heart disease. A 180 gram (6.3 ounce) serving of watermelon is said to provide between 8 and 20 mg of lycopene, making it a rich source of the carotenoid.

The USDA research looked at the effect of storage on the carotenoid levels of three types of watermelon (open-pollinated seeded, hybrid seeded, and seedless) at 41°F(5°C), 55.4°F(13°C), and 69.8F(21°C) for 14 days.

Carotenoid levels increased in watermelons stored at 69.8°F(21°C). Compared to fresh fruit, watermelons stored at this temperature gained between 11-40% in lycopene, and beta-carotene content increased by between 50-139%. Fruit stored at 41°F(5°C) and 55.4°F(13°C), however, showed only very small changes in carotenoid content.

"The increased lycopene and beta-carotene contents of fruit held at 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit, but not at 55.4 or 41 degrees, indicate temperature sensitivity and enhancement of carotenoid pathway enzymes in watermelon," wrote the researchers.

Lycopene is produced by increased conversion of geranyl-geranyl diphosphate (GGPP) to phytoene by the enzyme, phytoene synthsase, which is then turned into lycopene by the enzyme, phytoene desaturase. So, increase the lycopene and beta-carotene your watermelon delivers by storing it at room temperature.

Yet, once cut, watermelons should be refrigerated in order to best preserve their freshness, taste and juiciness. If the whole watermelon does not fit in your refrigerator, cut it into pieces (as few as possible), and cover them with plastic wrap to prevent them from becoming dried out and from absorbing the odors of other foods.


Tips for Preparing Watermelon:

Wash the watermelon before cutting it. Due to its large size, you will probably not be able to run it under water in the sink. Instead, wash it with a wet cloth or paper towel.

Depending upon the size that you desire, there are many ways to cut a watermelon. The flesh can be sliced, cubed or scooped into balls. Watermelon is delicious to eat as is, while it also makes a delightful addition to a fruit salad. Jam, sorbet and juice are some nutritious and delicious things you can make with watermelon.

While many people are just accustomed to eating the juicy flesh of the watermelon, both the seeds and the rind are also edible. If you choose to eat the rind, we would highly suggest purchasing organic watermelon.


A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Purée watermelon, cantaloupe and kiwi together. Swirl in a little plain yogurt and serve as refreshing cold soup.

In Asian countries, roasted watermelon seeds are either seasoned and eaten as a snack food or ground up into cereal and used to make bread.

A featured item of Southern American cooking, the rind of watermelon can be marinated, pickled or candied.

Watermelon mixed with thinly sliced red onion, salt and black pepper makes a great summer salad.

Watermelon is a wonderful addition to fruit salad.

And fruit salad can be made days ahead since cut fruit, if chilled, retains its nutrients for at least 6 days.

It's been thought that cut fruit rapidly degrades, so fruit salad, which can take 15 minutes to prepare, would have to be freshly prepared to be good.

Now, a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has found that minimal processing of fruit-cutting, packaging and chilling-does not significantly affect its nutritional content even after 6, and up to 9, days. This is great news for all who enjoy delicious, colorful fresh fruit salad-and who doesn't since it's a perfect addition to any meal and makes a great snack or dessert?

Researchers cut up pineapples, mangoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, strawberries and kiwi fruit. The freshly cut fruits were then rinsed in water, dried, packaged in clamshells (not gastight) and stored at 41°F(5°C).

After 6 days, losses in vitamin C were less than 5% in the watermelon, mango, and strawberry pieces, 10% in pineapple pieces, 12% in kiwifruit slices, and 25% in cantaloupe cubes.

No losses in carotenoids were found in the watermelon cubes and kiwifruit slices. Pineapples lost 25%, followed by 10-15% in cantaloupe, mango, and strawberry pieces.

No significant losses in phenolic phytonutrients were found in any of the fresh-cut fruit products.

"Contrary to expectations, it was clear that minimal processing had almost no effect on the main antioxidant constituents. The changes in nutrient antioxidants observed during nine days at five degrees Celsius would not significantly affect the nutrient quality of fresh cut fruit. In general, fresh-cut fruits visually spoil before any significant nutrient loss occurs," wrote lead researcher Maria Gil. In practical terms, this means that you can prepare a large bowl of fruit salad containing watermelon on the weekend, store it in the refrigerator, and enjoy it all week, receiving almost all the nutritional benefits of just prepared fruit salad. Before cutting up your watermelon, however, don't forget to store it at room temperature to maximize its carotenoid content (see Select and Store tips above).



Individual Concerns

Watermelon is not a commonly allergenic food, is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines and is also not included in the Environmental Working Group's 2010 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides" as one of the 12 foods most frequently containing pesticide residues.

Nutritional Profile

Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good source of vitamin A and vitamin B6. In addition, watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium.

References
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-Collins JK, Wu G, Perkins-Veazie P, Spears K, Claypool PL, Baker RA, Clevidence BA. Watermelon consumption increases plasma arginine concentrations in adults. Nutrition. 2007 Mar;23(3):261-6. 2007. PMID:17352962.
-Edwards AJ, Vinyard BT, Wiley ER et al. Consumption of watermelon juice increases plasma concentrations of lycopene and beta-carotene in humans. J Nutr 2003 Apr;133(4):1043-50 2003.
-Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983.
-Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.
-Erhardt JG, Meisner C, Bode JC, Bode C. Lycopene, beta-carotene, and colorectal adenomas. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Dec;78(6):1219-24. 2003.
-Nortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.
-Gil MI, Aguayo E, Kader AA. Quality changes and nutrient retention in fresh-cut versus whole fruits during storage. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Jun 14;54(12):4284-96. 2006. PMID:16756358.
-Jian L, Lee AH, Binns CW. Tea and lycopene protect against prostate cancer. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl 1:453-7. 2007. PMID:17392149.
-Lucotti P, Setola E, Monti LD, Galluccio E, Costa S, Sandoli EP, Fermo I, Rabaiotti G, Gatti R, Piatti P. Beneficial effects of a long-term oral L-arginine treatment added to a hypocaloric diet and exercise training program in obese, insulin-resistant type 2 diabetic patients. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Nov;291(5):E906-12. Epub 2006 Jun 13. 2006. PMID:16772327.
-Perkins-Veazie P, Collins JK. Carotenoid changes of intact watermelons after storage. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Aug 9;54(16):5868-74. 2006. PMID:16881688.
-Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988 1988. PMID:15220.

Sugar High Thursdays

I am on a serious sugar high this week.  You would think that is a good thing.  Tons of energy to get things accomplished, created, and / or completed.  Kind of like a Mountain Dew around 2:30 to get you through the last part of the workday.  The problem I've run across is that I've have crossed the fine line between just enough and too much sugar.  I have a lot of energy, but it is unfocused today and my rambling post is the result for you, the lucky readers....:)

One the other hand, my sugar fits come from a natural source and not the 5 lb bag many of us keep in the kitchen.  Simply put, I am on a fruit kick these past few weeks.  I don't know how long it will last but I understand that I've gotta have it....LOTS of it....right now......

I like a lot of vegetables but I don't eat as many as I should.  I will however eat just about any type of fruit that has the misfortune to cross my path.  Here are a few examples of the survivors lying about the kitchen.

Although the picture might be misleading, these are sweet cherries that I have bought in large quantity since they have come in season.  I'm already contemplating how to make them survive through the winter.

Kiwi....Need I say more???

Summer is melon season and while cantaloupe is not one of my all time favorites, it fills the bill quite nicely.

Miniature oranges....I think they call them "Clementines"?  There is a large bag on standby..

This is the last "Porter" peach of a 6 lb purchase that I made at a roadside fruit stand on Monday.  I plan to get more today.  Those Quaker Oat Squares move to a whole 'nother level with one of these sliced on top in the morning.

I thought I had some delicious watermelon to put on here as well but after some investigation, it appears to hvae fallen victim to a late night snacker.  There is currently an APB out on the suspect...:)

Lemons rarely last longer than a few days with the sizeable amount of fish eaten in my home as well as making "real" lemonade and if you take the time to squeeze it properly, an excellent source of essential oils. 

We eat any and all fruits in season and as you might have guessed from this post, a LOT of them.  They are extremely healthy and naturally gluten free.  We're actually running pretty low and need to stock up.  Plums, apples, grapes, melons, bananas, whole cherries, oranges, peaches, and more are all fair game.  I suppose I need to learn how to make those fruit salads with all of the fancy cutting and trimming.  What are your favorites?? 

Enjoy!!

Increase Your Awareness Wednesday

We all know somebody who has a "mystery" illness.  That person, and in some cases it may be you, who seems to have an revolving line of credit at the doctor's office and you are fairly certain that your medical bills could buy that nice little house you've always wanted. 

My grandmother, god rest her soul, was what everyone called a hypochondriac.  She was a cheerful, loving person, but seemed to have a never ending string of maladies (real & imagined) from the common cold to cancer.  I still remember going over to her house when I was younger and patiently hearing stories about the latest ailment that affected her.  We got so used to hearing her stories that when she actually was sick, it sometimes fell on deaf ears.  I'd give nearly anything to hear about those aches and pains again.......

In today's world, there seem to be more "mysteries" than ever before.  Super busy lives, drive-thrus, and processed foods in my opinion all contribute to a lessened awareness of what is around us and more importantly, how these things affect our health.  Now more than ever with the plight of Celiac sufferers coming to the fore-front, we are learning just how critical our health can be.  I call this post "Increase Your Awareness Wednesday" and I want you as the consumer / patient to be more aware, but you must also make every effort that your medical professional is aware.  Many diseases are attributed to Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance and I think we don't know the half of it yet.......

Read this story from the New York Times.......

For a Celiac Sufferer, a New Mystery Illness
July 20, 2010, 1:05 pm
By JONATHAN PAPERNICK                                         Jonathon Papernick

The problems began not long after I moved in with my future wife. I was losing weight at an alarming rate, drifting for hours after meals in a confused fog. My acid reflux was so bad I felt like I had a golf ball lodged in my throat. I suffered from otherworldly constipation and had no sex drive. My tongue swelled like a wet sponge. It seemed everything I ate contributed to my misery.

These symptoms weren’t the ones familiar to me from my mid-20s, when I’d learned I had celiac disease. People with celiac can’t tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat found in many foods and everyday products. When I ate gluten, my sides ached and my small intestines felt as if they had been rubbed raw by sandpaper; I felt tremors throughout my body and deep, deep exhaustion. My mother lived with celiac disease for most of her life, and after overcoming years of willful ignorance of my mother’s condition, my health finally improved when I began avoiding wheat and other gluten-containing grains.

Now even gluten-free foods caused my throat to tickle and my head to throb, and I had no idea why. I had painful canker sores all the time. I couldn’t understand how I could have solved one mystery by removing gluten from my diet, only to be baffled by another, more frightening, condition.
My future wife was afraid I was dying and wondered seriously whether I was somehow allergic to her. By the time we were married a year later, several allergists had told me that I had no allergies at all. Gastrointestinal doctors blamed my mysterious affliction on stress. An acupuncturist said my chi was out of whack. I was tested for parasites and came up clean. More than a few friends and family members suggested indelicately that my problems were all in my head, or worse still, that I was simply seeking attention. I couldn’t even look at the skeleton resembling myself in the mirror anymore.

Illness can do strange things to an ordinarily rational mind, and I was desperate to find a solution. A friend told me about a new-age treatment that claimed to resolve undiagnosed health problems. After shelling out several hundred dollars for a consultation, I was informed that my problems were caused by “energy blockages,” disruptions in the normal flow of energy through my body’s electrical circuits. The practitioner said she could permanently cure me simply by treating my pressure points while I held in my hand a vial of charged water containing the same properties as the allergen. Apparently, a minimum of 30 to 40 treatments would be necessary to help me gain back chicken, potatoes, rice, beans and other staples that I had relied on my entire life. For more than six months I paid good money for treatments that did nothing to help me, the practitioner always promising that next time I was due for a breakthrough that would allow me to once again eat my favorite foods. I should have been more skeptical of this miracle cure. But with more and more foods finding their way onto my blacklist, I could not afford cynicism. I needed a miracle and nothing less.

My wife had had enough of my indulgence in expensive, unproven “voodoo” medicine, and she put out a frantic call to her friends and colleagues asking for help. A friend passed along the name of a doctor known to have success with people thought of as incurable — the last resort for many seemingly hopeless cases.

Within minutes of meeting the doctor and explaining my symptoms, he was certain that he had pinpointed the source of all my problems. Yeast.

He took a blood test just to be sure, and as predicted, my yeast levels were off the charts. He explained how Candida albicans, an aggressive sugar-eating yeast that had been colonizing my intestines, is a common concern for celiacs, whose tiny, hair-like villi in their intestines have been flattened and damaged by gluten.

Under normal circumstances, the majority of the human population lives with Candida albicans in their digestive systems without any problems. But I listened with horror as he explained how the roots of the Candida were starting to break through the walls of my intestinal tract, causing a leaky gut through which microscopic bits of food were entering my bloodstream.

I was ordered to cut out all sugar, alcohol, fruit, starch, peanuts and mushrooms and told to eat protein and vegetables with low sugar content. I was allowed kale and collard greens, but carrots and red peppers were off the list. I was taking no less than 12 different supplements, including probiotics and digestive enzymes, to heal my system. My compromised digestive system couldn’t even handle ordinary calcium supplements, and my wife and I sat at our coffee table filling gelatin capsules with white calcium powder. (You can imagine what it looked like to an unknowing visitor.)

The doctor prescribed an antifungal that would work slowly to kill off the unwelcome aggressor. Every time I took the medication, even at the lowest possible dose, I felt like I’d been struck down by the flu as the invading yeasts died off — evidence of how serious my problem was. It would take a long time to reverse the damage that the Candida had done, but I was finally on the right track.

When I didn’t improve as quickly as my doctor expected, he sent a mold remediation specialist out to our apartment to check out our living situation. There was black mold in our closets and on our walls, and the air shaft that was supposed to provide fresh air to three of our rooms was full of pigeon feces and filth. I was shocked to learn that our New York City apartment was slowly killing me.

My doctor explained that others could live perfectly normal lives with this mold, but in my case, with a compromised immune system, the toxic mold was simply piling on a heavily taxed system and adding fuel to the Candida — the literal last straw. We were ordered to clean our walls with hydrogen peroxide and to purchase an industrial-strength air filter with an infrared beam to get rid of the mold. The hydrogen peroxide had little effect, as the tenacious mold seemed to reappear within days.

I slowly reintroduced foods back into my diet, starting with a simple forkful at a time. However, with every slice of potato, mouthful of rice, nibble of chicken, I felt my head throb, my throat tickle. My doctor suggested that we move, and before long, a job opened up in Boston. I packed up and left town — four months ahead of my wife, who still needed to wrap up things with her job.

Within weeks of living in New England, I started to improve, slowly, ever so slowly, and I found the courage to reintroduce foods back into my diet. It took years, not months, as I followed the doctor’s strict diet, which included egg whites and spinach and tuna for breakfast. Eventually, gradually, thankfully I got better.

I have since gained the weight back (and then some) and have started a family. With the increased availability of allergen-free medicines and supplements, and my own hard-learned lessons, I am now able to enjoy life all over again. But I can’t help but wonder how many people with celiac disease have suffered unnecessarily because so many doctors are not prepared to deal effectively with the condition.

Jonathan Papernick is the author of three books, including the new short story collection, “There Is No Other.”

Tasty Tuesdays! GF Fillet of Sole Almondine

I had a great birthday week last week, dentist appointment included.  Friends, family, and good food....what more could you ask for??  Oh! I almost forgot, I also got an award from a fellow blogger late last week.  I will try to have that post ready for tomorrow but it may be Thursday so stay tuned. 

Things have been wildly busy these past several weeks....The kids are out of school and having a great summer and of course this means they are also underfoot since dad works a lot from home.  I'll never complain though, because the age will come soon enough when dad is just not "cool" anymore.  I currently enjoy a very generous "cool" status and I'm lovin' it....  I've been blessed with orders for Dr. Wise Formula II Intestinal Calm for Celiac disease.  You can click on the previous link to read all about the formula, and Dr. Wise, its creator.  Intact Multigland, which helps the body absorb B12,  has also been doing good, as well as a sharp increase in Kombu sales, which is excellent for balancing female hormones.   I thank you for your orders and even more for your questions. 

Hopefully this week, we will be adding more products to the shopping cart one of which is called Enviro-Detox.  It cleanses the body's 5 main detoxifying systems, liver, kidneys, bowels, lungs, and skin.  Adrenal Support which is self explanatory, works well in conjunction with Enviro-Detox which cleanses the body.  These are excellent products for many people and also work very well for eliminating migraine headaches!  Migraines are largely caused by toxin buildup in the body, especially the liver and when your body is cleansed, the migraines go away.  As my fellow sufferers know, when you have a migraine, your day just turns to......well, you know!   I will provide links to these products as I get them on the shopping cart or if you wish to order before-hand, you may call me at 918-836-0565 to place your order.

With all that being said, I am lucky to have a busy life and wouldn't trade it for anything.  Well maybe a few hours of it for another Gluten-Free cooking class at Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill in Tulsa, OK.  This weeks post is all about Fillet of Sole Almondine so lets get started! 

The recipe is as follows:

3 tbsp. sliced almonds (you know I don't like whole almonds but I can eat them sliced all day)

1 lb. fresh sole fillets (Sliced thin)

2 tbsp. GF all purpose flour (Rice flour also works very well seasoned with salt & pepper)

1 tbsp sliced scallions

A dash of ground black pepper and sea salt

1 tbsp. butter. ("clear butter" - melted, whey removed - fat only)

As you can see here, it is a very light meat....

In a large skillet, toast almonds over low heat.  Remove from skillet, set aside. Cut fillets in half lengthwise (this is where the "sliced thin" comes in.)  Season flour with salt and pepper; dredge fillets in flour.  Melt butter in skillet over medium-hi heat.  Saute' fillets until golden, turning once, about 3 minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet to a serving dish.  Return almonds to skillet with scallions; saute' until hot.  Spoon over fillets; serve immediately.....

Note to self....Fire the photographer or don't wiggle so much!! :)

Sole is often mistaken for another species but it is simply flounder in most cases.  Very light, delicious and I enjoy it a lot.  When you have your hot skillet with the melted butter, you should just start to get the first whiffs of smoke from the butter as you put the fillets in to saute'.  It will curl slightly (because it is thin) when done.  Spoon over the almonds & scallions and get out of the way!  Dinner is served!  Enjoy!!

This post is part of the following blog carnivals.........Go check out these great sites!!

Mouthwatering Monday
Two for Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
Tuesday Twister
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Real Food Wednesday
Gluten-Free Wednesdays
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Fight Back Friday

Scrambled Egg Friday

Most everyone loves Fridays.  They are the start of the weekend and the long anticipated end of the work week.  I love them more than most but when you work for yourself, it is, more often than not, just another day.  A scrambled egg day, as a matter of fact. 

I had the un-enviable pleasure of going to the dentist yesterday for an extraction.  The last of four, as I've never had my wisdom teeth removed until this later stage of life.  I DON'T like dentist's, not even a little bit, and for that reason chose to go to one specializing in sedation dentistry.  I've been for x-rays, examination, deep cleaning and three of the four extractions and all went well.  Yesterday was the fourth extraction and didn't go as planned.  I was heavily sedated because I'm very resistant to medication, and driven to the office.  They gave me all the shots for pain and then failed to extract the tooth.  Apparently my tolerance to medication is legendary and I was maxed out on pain meds to little effect.  They pulled on the tooth vigorously and failed to remove it so now I have to go to an oral surgeon to get it out. 

Never fear, I'm leading up the recipe.....:)

After a dental visit of this much fun I like to eat something soft that requires little effort on my part and is easy to chew.  So for the next few days, I've fixed a favorite of mine that I call Southwest Scrambled Eggs.  The recipe is as follows:

2 - 3 large eggs

1 cup spanish rice

1/2 - 3/4 cup sausage, browned and crumbled

Salsa of choice.

I've already taken the extra step of cooking the rice for this recipe but there are a variety of ways to prepare it for yourself.  I buy the whole grain, uncooked rice in the bag in the Mexican food section of the grocery store and brown it in a skillet with approximately two tablespoons of oil. 

After  browning, add a small can of tomato paste, 1 tsp of Caldo Con Sabor De Pollo, (chicken flavored bouillon) and about a clove of minced garlic.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, adding water as necessary, until the rice is tender.  You may also add diced onions for extra flavor.

Crack eggs and place into skillet under medium heat until about halfway done, add rice, and sausage into the mix, stirring well.  After the eggs are cooked, I like to add a little salsa on top for an added kick.  Its an easy, no mess recipe, that goes well with a lot of things or can stand alone for a delicious post-dentist visit and it's gluten free!

Enjoy!!

GOPAN Wednesday

Whatever would we do without technology??  We have cell phones that can instantly put you in touch with family and friends around the world, automated safety systems that tell you when your tires need more air, and flat screen t.v.'s less than 1" thick.  I remember not long ago when we didn't have a worry in the world with things like texting our friends and family, DVR'ing our favorite shows, or rushing around to finish blog posts for that matter....  Cell phones didn't exist, VCR's were unheard of because they were wildly expensive, and internet, what's that???

With the passage of time comes the relentless march of technology.  Many things for the better, and some things not so much....  One item that has some potential at least in Asian markets this fall is a new kind of bread maker that makes bread from grains of rice. 

Read the story below from Yahoo News.....

Sanyo launches first rice bread cooker


AFP – A woman displays the world's first
cooker that can turn rice grains into bread.
The machine -- dubbed …

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's consumer electronics maker Sanyo has launched the world's first cooker that can turn rice grains into bread -- an innovation that it hopes will be a hit across Asia.

The machine can mill a cup of rice grains into rice flour, then mixes it with water, gluten, yeast and other ingredients to bake a loaf of bread in four hours, Sanyo Electric said.

The machine is named "GOPAN" in Japan -- coined from "gohan", meaning cooked rice, and "pan", Spanish for bread.

Sanyo will start exporting it to other Asian countries next year after its Japanese launch in October.

"We are eagerly working to export this to other Asian countries, mainly China and Southeast Asia, which share the culture of growing rice," said company spokeswoman Liu Yingying.

The machine would retail between 50,000 and 60,000 yen (560-670 dollars).

Wheat-free bread is good for people allergic to the grain, Sanyo said, noting that the machine can also operate without using gluten, which is taken from wheat and helps dough to rise.

Sanyo argued that another benefit would be that in Japan the cooker would increase rice consumption and change people's eating habits, helping increase the country's low food self-sufficiency ratio.

Japan, the world's second-largest economy, now produces only 40 percent of its food and buys almost all its wheat, corn and soy beans from overseas.

The country grows enough rice for domestic consumption, thanks to heavy trade protection, but annual consumption of the staple per person has halved since the 1960s as people's diets have diversified.

The market for "home bakery", or home-use bread-making machines, has boomed in Japan in the recent years, with shipments rising 30.7 percent in 2009 from the previous year to 438,000 units, according to industry data.

The applications here in the United States could be tremendous for Celiacs or other people with food allergies.  It says that it could be used with or without gluten in making bread.  I don't see why a little Xanthan Gum wouldn't fill the bill and make delicous bread all day long.  What are your thoughts??

Tasty Tuesdays! GF Poached King Salmon

Summer is here in full force...and also half over for my kids.  They are happily playing every day while not realizing that the new school year is getting ready to ambush them.  Not only them but myself as well.  This year is more than HALF over!!  I just quit writing 2009 on my checks a couple of weeks ago!  I've always heard that time flies when you get older and wow were they ever right.  I've got the privilege of another birthday this week and I'm about to be half a decade until the big 40.  Just a kid to many but an OLD man to my boys!  It seems that when you're young, the time between breakfast and supper is an eternity, and I tell my kids to hang on tight and don't wish for things to hurry up because that seems to happen all by itself.

Ok, now that I finished that rambling thought, it's time for another installment of Tasty Tuesdays! and this week's post is a continuation of a Gluten-Free cooking class at Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill in Tulsa, OK.  Michael owns and operates a 5* restaurant that can cater to almost any taste and also those suffering from gluten sensitivites such as Celiacs.  I've cooked many gluten free things in my kitchen and they usually turn out pretty good, however, I couldn't even tell you how delicious Michaels meals are in his restaurant.  They defy description and since I have the opportunity to go to his classes now and then, I feel the least I can do is take a lot of pictures and let you know how good it was.  This week's offering is Poached King Salmon so lets get to the recipe!  The ingredients are as follows:  Serves 4



4 - 6 oz. Salmon Fillets

2 eggs per fillet

Pico de gallo or your favorite salsa

Medium-sized pot

2 cups water

2 cups white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 each bay leaves

3 each black peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in pot. (Not the salmon, pico / salsa or eggs)
Place on high heat.
Once it comes to a boil, turn heat down to medium or a low boil.

Not quite ready....

Place salmon in the pot and poach it.

Ready for a little decoration....

You will see the salmon shrink in size.  When it is firm to the touch and floats, it is done.

Poach eggs, place on top of salmon fillets with a bit of pico on top for added flavor.

As you can see, there is a great slice of crusty on the outside, soft of the inside bread under this fish....You can see how to make great GF bread by visiting one of my other 5* posts, Tasty Tuesdays GF Chocolate Eclairs.

Nothing tastes better to me than fresh fish.  I've heard many people say that they don't care for it because of the "fishy" smell.  Regardless of type, it should have very little aroma before cooking.  If it does have a strong odor, it is more than likely bad or at the very least questionable and shouldn't be cooked.

Needless to say, this was delicious and I can't wait to cook this dish at home as soon as possible.  The variety of ways to prepare are just as with any other dish and nearly endless.  I haven't found the strength to eat it raw yet but you never know.  I may be stranded on a deserted island at some point in my life and find that I've been missing out all these years.  Enjoy!!

This post is part of the following blog carnivals..........Go check out these great sites!!

Mouthwatering Mondays

Two for Tuesday

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesday Twister
Gluten-Free Wednesdays
Real Food Wednesday
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Fight Back Friday