Food

Vegetarian Faux Meats Exposed - Better Check The Ingredients!

Vegetarians don't eat meat, right? So why is it so many vegetarian-friendly products are produced to impersonate various meat products? 

Veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs, even veggie breakfast sausage are all foods that are trying to be something they're not. 

The ingredients listed on many of these "mock meats" should be enough to scare you off.  Sometimes what they put in the product to make it taste something like meat is almost unbelievable.

The word vegetarian alone should indicate that a person eats vegetables and other plant-related foods.  Why eat "pretend meat" at all?

Vegetarians who are pregnant should be extremely cautious, because without meat in their diet they need to make sure to get enough protein.  Vitamin supplements should be considered as well.

Warning: Food To Avoid When You're Pregnant

Being pregnant brings about a whole new way of eating and drinking.  Of course, the most obvious thing is to not drink alcohol.

Do you know which foods to avoid during pregnancy?

Chemical preservatives, bacteria in yogurt, even mercury in seafood are a concern for pregnant women.  Unpasteurized eggs and dairy products, Salmonella, and other things that could make you sick could actually be deadly to your unborn child.

There's a lot to consider when you're expecting.  Here are 10 Tips To Ensure You'll Have A Healthy Pregnancy. By following those tips, you will be helping your baby to get off to a good start right from day one.

Food Safety Tips For Fall Family Picnics & Fall Cookouts

It's not too late for a fall cookout or picnic.  The Southern states are still ripe with color in the woods. 

Why not load up the picnic basket and head out this weekend and enjoy an outing before Old Man Winter comes rolling in?

Observe good food safety practices when you pack up your basket: 

• Keep the cold stuff cold and the hot stuff hot. 
• Don't let uncooked meat cross contaminate your fruits and vegetables. 
• A good plan is to use 2 coolers, so you can keep meat separate from the rest of your food.

If you find your picnic basket isn't big enough, the world's largest picnic basket might be what you need.  Like Yogi would say, be smarter than the average bear and pack a big picnic basket!

Pumpkin Seeds Recipes & Other Fun Uses For Leftover Halloween Pumpkins

Throughout the fall season one vegetable stands out among the rest. 

The bright orange pumpkin comes out for Halloween and stays out through Thanksgiving. 

All to often, beyond doing duty as a seasonal decoration, the pumpkin is ignored as a tasty food.  Sure you can make pumpkin pie, but that seems so unoriginal. 

The pumpkin is really a versatile ingredient. 

Pumpkin seeds make a darn healthy snack.  Seasoned in many different ways they are both satisfying and tasty. Plus pumpkin seeds are high protein and low fat, so when they're roasted and flavored you've got something really special.

There are lots of creative pumpkin recipes that will make use of the pumpkin meat, as well.  Pie is good, but you can also make pumpkin bars, cookies, even pumpkin pancakes.

Don't let that Jack-o-Lantern go to waste, there is a lot of good flavor just waiting to be made into something good for you to eat!

Condiments Don't Have To Be Boring... Think Outside The Box!

Unfortunately, in today's world people don't really cook anymore. 

Everyone's rushing here, chasing there, grabbing a quick bite at the drive-thru and getting on with a very hectic life.

Even homecooked usually means out of a box with a few extra ingredients tossed in.  So where does the flavor come into the picture?

It's in the condiments.  

Selecting the right condiments to have on hand can make an otherwise bland  processed meal taste much better.  

Mustard and ketchup are a start, but gourmet condiments like soy sauce, teriyaki and salsa can add another flavor profile you may not have thought of.

Personally, I'd still rather have homecooked.  With a crock pot you can still make it from scratch and let it cook all day while you run around in circles doing everything else.

Throw everything in the pot and 10 hours later your meal is ready to eat!

Turkey Brining 101: Ever Wonder How (Or Why) To Brine Turkey?

I wanted to prepare my Thanksgiving turkey differently this year. I have been cooking it the same way (my Grandfather's way) for 11 years now and it's time for a change.

My grandfather always cooked a good turkey with a simple process -- roasting with butter, salt, pepper and onion salt. It was always good, so I didn't mess with it.

Last year we tried a friend's deep fried Cajun turkey and it was really good!. The flavor was great, but not real juicy.

Still, the change got me thinking of trying something new this year for Thanksgiving and wondering, "How do you get the turkey juicy?"

The next thing I knew, a Martha Stewart Living magazine showed up in my mailbox. I didn't order it, but since I love to cook I thought I would check it out. Well, since it was her Thanksgiving edition I had found my answer: brine the turkey!

Continue reading: How To Brine A Turkey

Best Foods For Building Muscle

You are what you eat. 

Sadly, no truer words were ever said.  A lifetime of overeating combined with my love of carbohydrates has not served me well.  Its not that I dislike good food.  The problem is I like all food and a little is never enough.

A good workout program would do me good. However, exercise isn't the total answer. 

Eating a diet designed to build muscle mass will also help keep the metabolism fired up.  Perking up your metabolism is what it takes to keep diabetes from ruining your health. 

Here are 5 foods to maximize your muscle power.

Low-carb diets can be another useful tool in your war against the waist line. Dropping some of those extra pounds will go a long way toward controlling diabetes too. 

How To Eat Healthy At Parties ...And Still Have Fun!

Parties, social gatherings, work events... wherever people get together there is usually food. 

How in the world is someone supposed to keep their diet under control when everywhere you turn the main focus is eating?

There are a few tricks you can use that will help you control your urge to try one of everything on the table. 

I'm not saying it will be easy, but here are 9 fail-proof tips for eating healthy at social gatherings.

One big thing to avoid is alcohol.  It's nothing but empty calories, and be honest you don't really need it to have fun anyway. 

If you must have a glass to sip from, make it wine -- at least there are health benefits to drinking wine. Just don't overdo it.