You have me all warm inside

Well it’s finally getting cold; the leaves on the trees have started to change their colours and have begun to tumble to the ground in droves. To some people this is the start to a very beautiful time of year, to others including myself this time of year is probably the most depressing. Why would someone think that the magnificent colour changing leaves be so disheartening? That is easy, it’s a sign that summer is over and winter is on its way. No more BBQs, no more lazy days spent beside the pool or the beach sipping a lovely white wine or sangria (or even a wine cooler if so inclined). So more driving around with the windows down and the breeze in your hair, or picnics in the park, instead now it’s raking the leaves, bundling up with scarves and sweaters and rethinking unnecessary trips out of the house because it’s cold! But all is not lost I suppose! Even though it might be time to trade in our bikini bathing suits for long underwear and retire our BBQs for another year one can now rejoice in the fact that the time of year for hot mulled wine while snuggling in front of a fire is here! What exactly is mulled wine? Made from red wine, mulled wine (and its various counterparts around the world such as vin chaud, Gluhwien, Forralt bor and vin brulй) has various spices added to it and usually served hot. Sounds perfect for that cold winter evening doesn’t it? A little known fact however is, that mulled wine was not originally created as a warm and festive alternative to regular red wine. Rather, mulled wine was created as a way to make red wine taste better at a time when it would expire and go rancid rather quickly. The addition of a combination of honey and spices helped flavour and thus allowed wine that had turned slightly to be consumed again. There are a plethora of recipes online and in cook books that suggest the perfect way to make mulled wine. However, most mulled wines consist of the same basic ingredients: orange, nutmeg, clove a sweetener such as honey or sugar and of course red wine. Some like to add brandy, cognac or Grand Marnier to fortify their mulled wines while others give it a minty kick with a candy cane or two. The wine does not have to be an expensive bottle; most who make mulled wine themselves will actually suggest to anyone interesting in attempting their first batch to begin by using an inexpensive bottle of wine since you are adding so many other flavours. Remember, the original reason for mulled wine was to mask the flavours of spoiled wine so the original recipes did not use high quality vino. What recipe is the best to use? Well that is always going to be up for debate. As stated above there are pretty standard ingredients that make up the base for a mulled wine. What sort of proportions you add of each and what else you decide to add in addition is only limited to imagination (and of course palatability, don’t want to create a mulled wine that doesn’t taste good!). If you want to use wine but do not want the alcohol content simply boil the mulled wine for a few moments, those who want to maintain the alcohol are suggested to not boil the wine at all but rather simmer to infuse the flavours of the spices added. If you find the whole idea of combining all sorts of things together with wine a bit daunting and don’t want to worry about making a batch that is positively ghastly, try the little sachets or bottles of mulled wine syrups that are available in retail outlets. Using these are quite simple and the guesswork is taken out for you but still give you a fantastic mulled wine to enjoy with friends and family over the holidays of simply while snuggling with your loved one on a cold winter evening.

Curb cravings with green tea helps the body burn fat

Green tea has a long history of healthful benefits and its qualities are significantly more effective than black tea. Both teas come from the carnellia sinensis plant but green tea leaves are steamed rather than fermented like black and oolong teas. This prevents a powerful anti-oxidant, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), from being oxidized and therefore diminished. Antioxidant Properties Most of us have heard of the positive effects red wine can have on a fatty diet and its healthful benefits on heart disease. High amounts of catechins polyphenols, particularly EGCG, are present in green tea. And EGCG has twice as much resveratrol as red wine, making it a powerful weapon towards lowering cholesterol, inhibiting blood clots and negating the effects of a fatty diet. EGCG is also used to treat diabetes and is reported to have glucose-lowering effects. In addition glucose can cause a person to feel hunger and by controlling insulin levels, you control appetite. Try drinking a mug of green tea at the first hunger pain and you are well on your way to managing your appetite. Thermogenesis Thermogenesis literally means heat generation. Green tea increases thermogenesis in the body, becoming a potent appetite suppressant and increasing fat oxidation, helping the body to use fat as an energy source. This means the body is preferentially burning fat over protein. Green tea also raises the body’s metabolism, increasing the rate at which calories are burned. In a recent study, the combination of green tea and caffeine burned more calories than those given a placebo. Add to its thermogenesis benefits, green tea also has energy-boosting properties, which makes it a perfect breakfast tea or mid-afternoon pick me up. Other Healthful Benefits There are many other conditions in which green tea is reputed to be helpful: Killing cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells untouched Treating Rheumatoid arthritis Lowering LDL cholesterol Preventing thrombosis which causes heart attacks and strokes Addressing cardiovascular disease by inhibiting abnormal formation of blood clots Preventing infection Improving impaired immune function Stopping certain neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s) Treating multiple sclerosis Preventing tooth decay by killing the bacteria that causes dental plaque When you compare the heath benefits of green tea with the harmful effects of regular and diet soda, coffee and other damaging drinks, it is easy to see why green tea has a long and successful history of benefiting the drinker. Adding Green Tea to Your Diet Green tea has become so popular that it can be found in mainstream grocery stores as well as gas stations and convenience stores. There are many flavors and varieties of green teas so you will be sure to find a combination of flavors you’ll enjoy. Consider also adding green tea water to some cooked foods. Adding tea to a pot of boiling pasta will affect the flavor in a fresh new way. Toss that same pasta with pine nuts, pesto and a dash of olive oil and you have a healthful dish with many antioxidant properties. Challenge yourself to find new and exciting ways to add green tea to your diet.

Pairing food and wine and no rules

The matching of food and wine have been around for long period of time and at one time there was may rule to proper wine food pairing but these days with all the various types of foods those rule don’t all really apply. The old rules of wine food matching is primarily red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry however they don’t take into consideration the complexity of today’s multi-ethnic and subtly flavored foods and the corresponding wide range of wines from around the world that are now conveniently available to almost everyone and the wine and food together will each heighten the enjoyment of the other. These days you're more likely to hear food and wine pairing suggestions than hard and fast rules. There's considerable room for experimentation and expression of your own personality in pairing food and wine. This experimentation can be lots of fun and usually you can tell when things personally work for you and when they don’t. The biggest thing to remember as you do this experimentation of wine and food is to start off with small amounts of food and wine after all you don’t want to over do it when trying something new. Also remember that rules were made to be broken. Going contrary to the old rules to achieve a particular effect, or even just because you have found the results pleasing, can sometimes be the mark of a true artist. So what’s a good way to experiment with food wine matching? One of the best ways is to join a wine club that will allow you to sample various wines from all over the world plus you will they will provide you with information and feed backs from others that have tried the wines. Of course you’ll most likely making the meal but at least you’ll have the wine ready. Another good idea is to go to wine tasting which could save you money in the long run by going to these events because even though you might have to pay a fee you will have the chance to sample many wines and sometimes food is also provided and wine tasting are a great way to try different wines and learn which you favors you enjoy. Then begin with the foods and wines you like. Of course the last choice it just pick up wines while shopping at the supermarket or wine store just note that usually supermarkets don’t carry higher end wines but usually you can find some good wines as well as some that you wish you could get your money back but again you never know until you try. I would recommend that be for you buy any wine read the label first and if you really want do some research and ask others of course remember what one person might love there is a possibility that you might not like or even hate. Now as for food if you know some good recipes great then try them out with some nice wine but if you don’t then be sure to check recipes on the internet or check our site listed below. So if you really don’t feel like cooking some good restaurants will provide take out or leftovers could make a good meal which you can enjoy in the privacy of you own home but then again you could just eat there. We hope that this article as give you some good information that helpful as you enjoy your meal. The most important thing to remember as you try wine food matching is to have fun and enjoy yourself with your friends and family and enjoy the food, wine and conversation. If you do that then you truly will success full at pairing food with wine.

Dehydrated bananas 4 easy steps to make your own dehydrated bananas

Dehydrated bananas are available in any supermarket in the country. Many people like them because of their sweet flavor and delightful texture. But if more people knew how the manufacturers of commercially dehydrated bananas come up with their product, the popularity of this dried fruit would decrease dramatically. Many people are already very conscious of their health these days, and when they learn how dehydrated bananas are made, they would probably be shocked. This is the usual procedure for making commercially dried bananas: first, they are deep-fried in coconut oil, then they are dipped in sugar water. This is hardly the most nutritious way of making dehydrated bananas. That is why health-conscious people who know of this process have tried making dehydrated bananas in their own kitchens. They dry up the bananas by subjecting them to 135 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 hours. This works well in drying up the bananas, but it also dries up the nutrients of the fruit and leaves it quite tasteless. If you have tried making dehydrated bananas and have constantly failed, we now have the answer for you. Just follow these easy steps and you will have your own dehydrated bananas that taste just as good as the commercial version, but a million times more nutritious. For more info see dehydratedfoodguide/Articles/Dehydrated_Refried_Beans. php on Dehydrated Refried Beans 1. Soak your bananas for 5 minutes in a bowl of fresh lemon juice. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can use unsweetened juice. 2. Slice up the bananas into equally-sized thin pieces. Place the slices on a mesh sheet to let some of the liquid drip off. 3. Slow down the dehydration process. Instead of 15 hours, do it for 18 hours at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not heat them until they are crunchy. Turn off the heat when the pieces are pliable. 4. Let them cool down...and start eating. For an even more distinct flavor, you can try sprinkling your bananas with some cinnamon or coconut before dehydrating. There you go! You now have created your own home-made dehydrated bananas that are both delicious and very nutritious.

Coffee or tea time is all about me time

Nothing says “me time” better than a cup of coffee or tea? A hot, piping cup or mug of the favorite hot beverage alone or with a special friend can seem like an oasis of sanity in the midst of a hectic day. Hot or cold, with some favorite fruit or nut flavors added, can make for a very special time. Both coffee & tea come with caffeine as optional. If you find that caffeine disturbs your sleep or raises your blood pressure, you can opt for the caffeine free version. If, caffeine is not a problem then go for it! Since both coffee & tea contain caffeine naturally, they must undergo a process to remove it. The decaffeination process whether for beans or leaves, takes some of the flavor out of it, so plan to purchase a better grade of coffee when you want the caffeine out. There is some humor when people link caffeine products with relaxation and comfort, while at the same time, look upon alcohol as a party drink. When in reality, alcohol is a depressant. You can always spice up your coffee & tea with some flavoring. Just check out your local supermarkets. There are a huge variety of flavorings for your coffee & tea. A scented pot of coffee is the norm at breakfast time. The aroma is as exhilarating as the coffee itself. Tea makes a nice break in the afternoon, accompanied by a light sandwich. Coffee & tea are sometimes split up by gender as well as time of day. Coffee is the man’s drink, served with a newspaper while a flowered porcelain pot of tea is the picture of milady’s genteel tastes. In reality, men all over the world prefer strong mugs of tea and there’s no shortage of women who gather for a ladies afternoon with coffee. Hot or cold, man or woman, flavored or plain, caffeinated or not, coffee & tea are possibly the best part of the day.