How to Jump Start Weight Loss on a Low-Carb Diet

A low-carb diet can be an effective and quick weight loss method. It is centered around the concept that our bodies work properly and efficiently when we consume mostly protein. It identifies carbohydrates as the enemy in our battle for a healthy, fit body. The diet requires an initial withdrawal from all carbohydrates, but eventually allows for small amounts to be added back to your diet gradually. This approach will allow you to jump start your diet and eventually find a comfortable daily intake of carbohydrates that allows you to maintain a healthy weight.

Jump start the diet by severely limiting your carbohydrate intake. On the first day, your diet should mostly consist of beef, pork, fish, chicken, sausage, cheese and eggs.

Eat no more than 30 g of carbs daily for days 2 to 14 of the diet. Your body will probably be in ketosis (a state in which fat is primarily used to fuel the body) during this time. This will jump start your diet by causing you to shed pounds immediately. By the end of the first 2 weeks, you should lose between 8 and 20 lbs.

Drink plenty of water while practicing the low-carb diet. This will help you stay hydrated. Most other beverages are off limits.

Take a multivitamin each day to ensure your body is receiving important nutrients.

Start an exercise regime to compliment the diet and help you establish a new healthy lifestyle. Along with fat, you will also lose muscle while dieting. A strength-building activity will help you maintain the muscle, but still lose the fat. It is important to exercise 4 days a week for at least 30 minutes each time.

Add in a few complex carbs starting on day 15 of the diet. This can include a few vegetables, berries or whole-grain foods. Slowly increase the carbohydrate intake each day until you reach a level where you are still achieving weight loss, but are happy with the variety in your diet.

How to Eat Subway Sandwiches in a Healthy Way

Think Subway sandwiches are healthy? Well, compared to most other fast foods, it's probably healthier. People have reported significant weight losses under a "Subway diet." But you need to be careful. Subway sandwiches can seem deceptively healthy because we're constantly told how healthy these are. Here are some tips to ensure that the sandwiches you eat are indeed healthy.

First and foremost, don't accept any cheese in the sandwich. It's very tempting to have cheese, but the fat and caloric content will make it less healthy. It's kind of like starting out with a bowl of healthy salad but then adding globs of cheese crumbs to it. So, lose the cheese and you'll eat much healthier.

Similar to cheese, try to have the sandwich without any mayo or other mayo-like dressings. Stick with just mustard or no dressing at all. Again, this is very much like starting out with a healthy salad but then adding globs of greasy dressings. Get rid of the dressings and you'll be eating much healthier. If you absolutely must have some dressings, ask for a light version (low calorie, low fat, etc.).

Typically, Subway asks if you want oil on your sandwich. Say "no!" Oil will go to your mid-section, your butte, your thighs, and anywhere-else you don't need it. Your body will thank you for not accepting the splash of oil at the end.

Along with meat sandwiches, try to mix it up with vegetables. That is, try to have vegi-sandwiches once in awhile. Also, ask the preparer to use half the meat and to add more vegetables. That will further help to cut down on calories and fat content.

How to Eat a Healthy Low-Fiber Diet

The average person needs 21 to 38 grams of fiber a day, but for some people, that's simply too much. A doctor might advise a low-fiber diet if you're having digestive problems, about to have bowel surgery or if you have a narrowing of the bowel because of a medical condition. Talk to your doctor and a registered dietitian before going on a low-fiber diet. Low-fiber diets should only be used as a short-term plan because it's difficult to get the nutrients you need when eating this way.

Fiber-Free Foods

It's possible to eat an entirely fiber-free diet, incorporating foods such as beef, poultry, eggs, cheese and milk, all of which have zero grams of fiber. However, it's not necessarily a healthy idea. Fiber plays an important role in your health, including normalizing bowel movements, maintaining bowel health, lowering cholesterol levels and helping to maintain a healthy weight. Therefore, stay on a low-fiber diet only as long as your health care provider says it's necessary. While eating this way, you might experience fewer bowel movements. Drink extra fluids to help prevent constipation.

Breakfast Ideas

Start off your day with a traditional breakfast of eggs and toast -- just make sure the toast is made from white bread, rather than wheat or whole-grain bread. Other options include pancakes or waffles made from white flour, refined hot cereals such as Cream of Wheat or cold cereals that have less than 1 gram of fiber per serving. Double-check the nutrition label before purchasing. You can also eat some low-fiber canned fruits; MayoClinic.org recommends a half-cup of canned peaches, which contains 1.6 grams of fiber. Fruit and vegetable juice is OK if there's little to no pulp.

Possible Lunches

If you're used to eating a soup and salad for lunch, think again -- raw vegetables often contain a lot of fiber. Instead, choose well-cooked fresh or canned vegetables free of seeds, stems or skins, such as beets, green beans, carrots, pureed spinach and asparagus. You might also eat a cooked sweet or white potato without skin, or cooked meat, poultry, fish, eggs or tofu. A possible lunch menu is chicken noodle soup, a grilled cheese sandwich made with white bread and canned applesauce.

Dinner Suggestions

When preparing a low-fiber diet, MayoClinic.org recommends using a cooking method that tenderizes your food to make it easier to digest. Try simmering, poaching, stewing, steaming or braising your food rather than roasting, broiling or grilling it. Dinner options include tender cuts of meat or ground meat, fish or shellfish or tofu. Pair 3 ounces of protein with a half-cup of white rice and a half-cup of cooked vegetables. If you are a fan of bread, you can add a dinner roll if it is made with white flour.

Foods to Avoid

When on a low-fiber diet, skip grains that are whole-wheat or whole-grain, even though they're often touted as the healthier option. You should also skip brown rice and other whole grains, such as oatmeal. When it comes to produce, avoid all raw fruits and vegetables, along with dried fruits and dried peas, beans and lentils. Seeds, nuts, coconut and popcorn are also on the no-go list.

How to Keep Bananas From Turning Dark in Banana Pudding

Recipes vary but one thing remains consistent when it comes to a homemade banana pudding: no dark bananas. Creamy, yellowish white custard, dotted with dark brown banana slices or chunks can be a visual turnoff, making even the best-tasting banana puddings unappealing. A few extra steps prior to preparation helps to keep your bananas from turning brown before, during and after serving up your prized banana pudding special.

Enzymatic Browning

Despite the lack of appeal, dark, brown bananas in a pudding do not indicate that the bananas or the pudding is unsafe to eat. The browning is nothing more than a chemical reaction known as enzymatic browning. The reaction occurs when enzymes in cut bananas encounter the oxygen in the air. This union creates melanin -- a natural pigment -- responsible for the brown color. The longer the air exposure, the more prominent the browning.

Undercover Bananas

Completely coat the bananas with the custard when preparing the pudding. The pudding coating acts as a barrier between the bananas and the oxygen in the air staving off enzymatic browning. If you are preparing a layered banana pudding, place the bananas on top of the wafers and cover with a layer of pudding. Repeat the process for each layer, ensuring that the final layer is pudding to shield the bananas from oxygen.

Perfect Timing

The ideal time to make banana pudding is right before it is time to eat it. Otherwise, any leftovers require refrigeration because pudding is a perishable. The coolness of the refrigerator tends to turn bananas dark, so if you do not plan to eat the banana pudding right away, toss the sliced bananas in a few tablespoons of lemon juice before you add them to prevent browning during storage. If your pudding calls for mash, mash the lemon juice right into the bananas.

Ripe and Ready

Resist the urge to prepare your banana pudding with unripe bananas in hopes of prolonging browning. The bananas should be ripe but not over-ripe. Ripe bananas are soft but not mushy with brown speckles on the skin. If your bananas are ripe but you are not yet ready to make the pudding, prepare the banana and lemon juice mash, place it in an airtight container and freeze.

How to Make Healthy Brownies

When you think of healthy foods, items such as brownies are not often at the top of the list. They don't have to be bad for you if you change your recipe to include items that are healthier for you. Use yogurt or fruit puree instead of most of the margarine or butter, add a healthier variety of oil, use whole wheat flour and add dark chocolate to the mix for its antioxidant benefits. With these steps you can indulge your craving for brownies in a way that doesn't ruin your diet for the year.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and coat your 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray so the brownies don't stick. Place 8 oz. of chopped dark chocolate and 2 tbsp. of butter in a small bowl in the microwave on medium heat until just melted.

Place the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together. This includes 1 cup of whole grain pastry flour, 1/4 cup of unsweetened natural cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of baking soda.

Whisk four eggs and 1 cup of packed light brown sugar in a large bowl until they have a smooth consistency. Place 1/2 cup of plain low-fat yogurt or applesauce, 1/4 cup of safflower oil and 2 tsp. of vanilla extract in the bowl and whisk until smooth.

Add the chocolate mixture to the large bowl and stir until blended well. Stir the flour mixture into the large bowl until it is moist. The mixture does not need to be lump-free.

Pour the mixture into the pan. Place nuts over the top if desired. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. The brownies are done when you can stick a fork in the middle and it comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Italian Brunch Ideas

Italian brunch ideas can range from traditional dishes to new takes on old favorites. Many Italian dishes are very flexible and can easily be combined with breakfast mainstays to create new entrees. Having simple, delicious Italian food for brunch is also a great way to use fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a dish that starts with thick slices of crusty bread. The bread is grilled in a pan or toasted in the oven until it's golden brown, then topped with a variety of accompaniments. Traditionally, bruschetta is finished with a mixture of diced tomatoes, basil, vinegar and olive oil, which would make a delicious Italian brunch dish on its own. However, a sweeter option is to top the toasted bread with ricotta cheese and either fruit preserves or sliced berries. You can even set up a build-your-own bruschetta bar at the brunch with various toppings. Allowing people to make their bruschetta as they go will keep the bread from getting soggy and save time as you prepare the meal.

Frittata

A frittata is a type of Italian omelet. A mixture of eggs, cheese, meat and vegetables are poured into a skillet and baked or broiled until the creation is firm and easily sliced into wedges. Frittatas can be made with a variety of ingredients, including pancetta, asparagus, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, Parmesan, mozzarella and fontina cheese. Frittatas are a great addition to an Italian brunch menu because they are simple to prepare and customize.

Breakfast Pasta

Carbonara-style breakfast pasta is a simple, yet satisfying Italian brunch idea. To make the pasta, place a serving of al dente noodles into a bowl and toss them with some crumbled bacon, Parmesan cheese, butter and sauteed onions and garlic. Top the pasta with an over-easy egg and some minced fresh parsley. When the diner cuts into the egg, the yolk combines with the butter and cheese to make a sauce. Breakfast pasta is an easy dish to assemble in individual portions and is great for a sit-down brunch.

Bellini

No Italian brunch would be complete without Bellinis. Bellinis are simply a combination of about two tbsp. of pureed fruit (traditionally peaches) topped off with chilled sparkling white wine in a flute glass. You can serve Bellinis pre-made in a pitcher or individual glasses, or you can set up a make-your-own Bellini bar, complete with several different types of fruit puree. Other good types of fruits to puree for Bellinis include strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Simple Vegetarian Diet Plans

A vegetarian diet is not complicated, and you can easily whip up meals that are not only delicious but nutritious, too. The key is to keep it simple. Consult your doctor to discuss your diet and health before making changes to your eating habits.

Vegetarianism 101

A vegetarian diet means not eating animal flesh, but there are different types of vegetarians. Vegetarians who include dairy in their diets are referred to as lacto-vegetarians, while those who eat dairy and eggs are called lacto-ovo-vegetarians. A vegan is a vegetarian who avoids all animal foods, including milk, eggs and honey.

No matter which type of vegetarian you consider yourself, you still need to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups to meet your nutrient needs.

No-Brainer Breakfast

It's easy to eat vegetarian at breakfast. A bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk, either cow's or plant-based, with fruit makes an easy and nutrient-rich option. You can also scramble eggs or tofu seasoned with turmeric and serve it with whole-wheat toast and glass of milk. For vegetarians with little time to sit and eat, blend a banana and berries with milk and nut butter for a healthy smoothie you can take with you.

More Than Veggie Lunch

While salad certainly makes a healthy and simple vegetarian meal, especially when you add yummy beans, nuts and dried fruit, you don't have to limit yourself to just greens. A peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread can be put together in no time and makes a healthy lunch option. Or, you can stuff a whole-wheat pita with hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots. A bowl of vegetable soup with whole-grain crackers and fresh fruit for lunch is also an easy option, and filling too.

Keep-It-Simple Dinner

Toss whole-wheat pasta with cooked frozen veggies such as peas, carrots and lima beans, marinara sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese for an easy dinner meal. Omit the cheese if you're following a vegan meal plan. Or, stir-fry fresh veggies with tofu and peanuts and serve with brown rice. You can also smash cooked kidney beans and spread the paste into a corn tortilla topped with shredded lettuce and chopped onions and serve with a mixed salad.

Grab-and-Go Snacks

No need to prep most of the snacks on your vegetarian meal plan. Good options include fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, whole-grain crackers, yogurt, cheese sticks or air-popped popcorn.

Vegan Potato Recipes

Low-carbohydrate and low-calorie diets often malign the misunderstood potato. But these humble tubers are actually rich in nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium, and high in fiber with the skin. Vegan potato recipes let you sidestep rich, high-fat preparations such as deep frying, which helped earn potatoes their bad name. Without cream and butter, the potato's flavor shines, especially when you use tasty varieties with appealing textures, such as Yellow Finns and butterballs.

Potted Pies

Potatoes work well in vegan main course oven dishes such as pot pies. They make up part of a filling that can also include mixed seasonal vegetables and a protein such as beans, tofu or seitan. Make a vegan shepherd's pie with a top layer of mashed potatoes and a bottom layer of lentils and roasted vegetables. Instead of butter in the mashed potatoes, use a creamy potato variety such as a butterball, and season it with enough salt and pepper to make it flavorful.

Substantial Soups

It can be challenging to thicken vegan soups without the aid of cream or a butter-based roux, but potatoes stand in well, breaking down as they cook and making the broth more substantial. Bite-size potato pieces start to break down after cooking in water or stock on low heat for about 15 minutes. They continue to thicken soup during the next half hour; after an hour, they integrate almost entirely with the broth.

Summer Salads

A wealth of vegan potato salad recipes range from versions that marinate the potatoes rather than tossing them with mayonnaise, to creamier versions using vegan mayo alternatives. You can purchase vegan mayo options made with everything from soy to grapeseed oil, or you can make your own by processing silken tofu, olive oil, lemon juice and salt until smooth. Mix the sauce with cooked potatoes, and add pickles, chives and fresh or dried dill.

Roasted Roots

Roasted potatoes have a chewy exterior and a creamy center, and you don't have to adapt the recipe to make it vegan. Parboil bite-size pieces of potatoes in boiling water for a minute and then drain them. Let most of the steam evaporate, then toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and fresh or dried herbs. Roast the potatoes in a hot oven until they brown. Alternately, toss and roast the parboiled potatoes with other root vegetables such as yams, beets and onions for a colorful mixed-vegetable dish.

How to Lose Weight With the Raw Food Diet

Eating only raw food in its whole, natural state immediately eliminates much of the unhealthy fats, sugars and refined carbohydrates in your diet that lead to weight gain. Because weight loss is largely a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn each day, the effectiveness of a raw food diet makes sense. There are some risks of a raw diet, however, including potential nutrient deficiencies. If you decide to try a raw diet, speak to your doctor about how to lose weight safely.

Raw Diet Details

Most adherents to a raw diet are vegans, meaning they eat no animal products, according to U.S. News & World Report. Their diet consists of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds that haven't been microwaved, steamed, sauteed, baked, grilled or cooked or processed in any way. Some followers of the raw food lifestyle do include raw animal products such as raw milk, raw milk cheese, raw fish and even raw meat. But the diet is often devoid of processed foods such as chips, cake, cookies, sugary beverages, processed meats and ice cream.

Losing Weight With Raw Food

Eating a raw food diet will make it harder for you to go over your daily calorie budget, but it's not impossible. Nuts are very calorie-dense, with almonds containing 165 calories per 1-ounce serving, for example. Eating several servings of nuts or nut butters each day can up your calorie intake significantly. Avocados are also high in calories, with one avocado providing 320 calories. It's important to stick to proper portion sizes and balance your intake of high-calorie foods with lower-calorie, nonstarchy fruits and vegetables like leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and mushrooms.

Sample Menu

Start your day with a simple raw food smoothie packed with fruits and vegetables, as suggested by Laura Wilson, author of The Alkaline 5 Diet: Lose Weight, Heal Your Health Problems and Feel Amazing, on the Marie Claire website. Blend five very ripe bananas with a handful of spinach and about 5 ounces of water. For lunch, try Wilson's creamy avocado, kale and tomato salad, which includes chopped kale, mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes and a dressing made with lime juice, a little agave syrup, paprika and black pepper. Indulge your craving for pizza at dinner with a raw pizza with spinach, pesto and marinated vegetables. The crust for this pizza is made from seeds, walnuts, basil, a few dates, and garlic and onions mixed in the food processor, pressed into rounds and dehydrated.

Potential Drawbacks

In some ways, a raw food diet is easier to prepare than a cooked diet. Salads are a snap to throw together. But when you grow tired of salads day after day and want to make something more exciting, the preparation time and complexity increases. A raw food diet can also be more expensive than a regular reduced-calorie diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds, especially if they're organic, can put a dent in your pocketbook. These factors may make it difficult to stick to your diet and lose weight successfully.

Lastly, a raw vegan diet, if not carefully planned, can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin B-12 isn't found naturally in any unprocessed vegan foods, so many vegans need to take a B-12 supplement. Iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids can also be harder to get. Plan your diet carefully with your doctor's or a nutritionist's help to be sure you're getting all the nutrients you need.

How to Make Red Food Coloring From Scratch Without Beets

Many people prefer to avoid commercial food colorings, either because of a specific allergy or a general sense that natural colorings are healthier. Some colors are easier to achieve than others. Either turmeric or saffron, for example, will provide a vivid yellow. Beets are commonly used as a natural red coloring, but can stain clothing and kitchen linens quite badly. Other foods such as pomegranate and strawberries can give varying shades of pink and purple-red, but raspberries produce the deepest color aside from beets.

Rinse the raspberries and place them in the small saucepan. Place the saucepan on a burner at low-medium heat, and heat the berries gently until they soften and release their juices.

Scoop the softened berries into a blender, using a flexible spatula to "squeegee" the juice from the pot's bottom and sides. Process the berries to a puree in the blender. Alternately, use an immersion blender to puree the berries in the pot.

Fold several layers of cheesecloth, and line a colander with them. Place the colander over a bowl, and empty the blender or pot into the cheesecloth lining. Again, use the flexible spatula to get all the juice from the blender or pot.

Press firmly with the back of the spatula to extract as much juice as possible from the berries. When all the juice is extracted, pour the juice into a storage jar and refrigerate until needed.

How to Extract Nut Oil

There are three methods for extracting oil from nuts. Cold pressing, which grinds the nuts to a paste and forces the paste through a hydraulic press, produces the lowest yield but highest quality oil. Expeller pressing uses some heat and forces the paste through an expeller using a screw. It gives a greater yield but produces a lower quality oil. Solvent extraction uses high heat and a small amount of a petroleum based solvent to extract oil. It is the most common industrial process, producing the highest yields but the lowest quality oils. Almost all soy oils are produced by the latter process.

Grind whatever nuts you plan to use into a fine paste using the mortar and pestle. The mortar is the bowl and the pestle the solid, nearly cylindrical piece you use to crush with. Push it around the bottom of the mortar in a circular motion until the nuts have become a fine paste. Do not repeatedly pound the nuts with the pestle. The near stirring motion will do the job, without losing any oils in the process.

Transfer the paste into the metal cylinder. Put the fitted insert into the cylinder after you put in the nut paste.

Put the cylinder into your shop press. Slowly apply pressure on the press until it has pressed the nut paste as far as it can.

Remove the cylinder from the hydraulic press. Place the cheesecloth over the jar. Pour the contents of the cylinder through the cheesecloth before removing the fitted insert from the cylinder.

Remove the fitted insert from the cylinder and pour the remaining contents of the cylinder onto the cheesecloth atop the jar. Let the paste sit for several hours, then squeeze the cheesecloth with all the paste in it to get the last bit of oil into the jar. Cap the jar and store after you have finished. Wipe the cylinder with a clean cloth.

How to Make Bacon Pancakes

Pancake stacks drizzled with syrup and accompanied by bacon strips is a breakfast staple, but combining the two creates an entirely new experience. Salty and sweet, crisp and fluffy combine to create a memorable breakfast. Cook the bacon and prepare the pancake batter, then either combine both at the batter stage or on the griddle to create savory pancakes just begging to be drizzled in sweet maple syrup.

Bacon First

Before you begin preparing your pancakes, cook the bacon. Doing so ensures the bacon is thoroughly cooked and crispy. Different flavors of bacon, such as applewood-smoked bacon, add a smoky sweetness to pancakes and pepper bacon adds a bold, savory note. Crumble the bacon directly into your pancake batter or pour the batter directly over whole strips of bacon to create dippers; just make sure to dab the bacon with paper towels to remove excess grease first.

Batter Up

Whether you plan on making your pancakes from scratch or a packaged mix, bacon pairs well with all types, from buttermilk to whole-wheat and even gluten-free pancakes. If you plan on crumbling your bacon directly into the batter, add it last, gently folding to combine. Avoid adding bacon directly if you plan to save any leftover batter because the bacon will become soggy.

Preparing the Pancakes

Preheat a skillet or griddle to a medium-high heat. Melt a pat of butter or use some leftover bacon grease to oil the cooking surface. For batters containing bacon crumbles, pour the desired amount onto the hot surface and let it cook, flipping once the underside has reached a nice golden brown. For bacon strips, place a strip of bacon on the griddle and coat it with a layer of batter. You can also bake one large, bacon pancake in the oven. Pour pancake batter containing bacon crumbles into a greased pie pan or cast iron skillet and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the pancake is golden brown.

Serving Suggestions

Drizzling or dipping bacon pancakes in maple syrup is an obvious choice, but nutty syrups, such as butter pecan or maple peanut butter, pair well with their savory sweetness. Take it a savory direction by melting a handful of shredded cheddar cheese on top, or create a pancake sandwich by layering a fried egg between two bacon pancakes.

How to Cook For Someone Needing a Soft Diet

Coming up with a list of items for someone needing a soft diet (such as after dental surgery) can be a bit challenging. Oral surgery can leave the mouth tender for quite a few days and stitches are never fun. I'm hoping the ideas in this eHow will help you get creative in cooking for someone requiring a soft diet.

Post dental surgery can be a painful time alleviated slightly by a soft diet. There's nothing better than a bowl of hot soup. Prepare a clear broth chicken soup which can be used as a base for many other types of soups. Strain the soup so there are no vegetables, chicken, nothing but clear broth (in fact, when I'm making a clear broth, I bundle up all of the solid parts, including the whole chicken, in cheesecloth so I can easily lift the whole thing out). Place the soup in the refrigerator and, once congealed, skim the top of the fat. Add rice or very small, thin egg noodles, or saltine crackers (which will soften to mush) to mix it up a bit. You can scramble an egg in a bowl and swirl it into the soup to make egg drop soup which adds in additional protein.

Make different types of soups from your basic chicken soup - such as potato soup or cheese soup. I always hop on foodnetwork.com to get other ideas. Make sure that the person with the affected mouth will eat the types of soup you're cooking up. Also, it's great to make enough to freeze. My chinese friend, Sophia, makes a Congee soup which is basically rice cooked in A LOT of water. She'll throw in some small pieces of ginger or hamburger meat to add protein for my mother.

Stock up on ice cream, sorbets, pudding, jellos. Yogurt is not always recommended as it contains live yeast cultures that can affect healing - check with the doctor before you serve this to your patient.

You can easily mix up a crustless cheese cake to add some additional calories to the diet. Cakes are also easy to whip up and satisfying too. Freeze 1/2 of the cake for later consumption.

Also, when we were younger (and before the advent of processed baby food), my parents would put anything they were eating for a meal in a blender and add a little liquid. It might not be totally appealing to suck beef stew through a straw, but it can be done. Scrambled eggs are always easy as is egg salad with the egg chopped very fine. Mashed potatoes with some cheese are always good also.

Vegan Weight-Loss Diet Plan

If you're trying to lose weight, a vegan diet is a healthy way to go. Not only can it help you drop those unwanted pounds, but it may also help improve your overall health by filling your diet with nutrient-dense foods. On a vegan diet, you'll be eating all plant foods and omitting animal foods and any foods containing animal products, such as milk and honey. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet.

It Starts With Calories

Even if all your calories are coming from healthy plant foods, if you're eating too many calories you won't lose weight. Determining calorie needs for weight loss requires some work.

First, you need to estimate how many calories you currently consume every day. To lose 1 pound a week, subtract 500 calories from your usual daily calorie intake; to lose 2 pounds a week, subtract 1,000 calories from your daily intake. Continue to monitor and track your calorie intake to help you stay on target.

Weight-loss calories usually range from 1,200 to 1,800 per day, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, depending on gender, body size and activity.

Fill Your Diet With the Right Foods

For weight loss, the vegan diet is filled with plant foods that are not only low in calories but also high in fiber, which helps you feel full longer.

Good foods to include on your vegan weight-loss diet include whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, quinoa and oats; legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and peas; and vegetables and fruit.

To limit your intake of empty calories, keep your intake of vegan treats such as rice milk ice cream or vegan cakes and cookies to less than 100 calories a day, suggests the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Nutrients of Concern

When on a vegan diet for weight loss, it's important that you eat mostly whole foods and not processed foods to make sure you're getting all the nutrients your body needs for good health. Nutrients of special concern for vegans include calcium, iron, vitamin D and vitamin B-12.

To help meet your needs, include plant milks fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and eat leafy greens for iron and calcium. Legumes are also a good source of iron.

Vitamin B-12 is found primarily in animal foods, and unless a food is fortified with the vitamin or you're taking nutritional yeast, you may need to take a vitamin B-12 supplement while on your vegan weight-loss diet.

Sample Weight-Loss Plan

A healthy and balanced vegan breakfast might include 1 cup of cooked oatmeal topped with a sliced small banana with 1 cup of calcium-fortified soy milk. For lunch, you might enjoy a peanut butter sandwich made with two slices of whole-wheat bread with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and served with 2 cups of mixed greens topped with 2 tablespoons of low-fat salad dressing and a small apple.

For dinner, try 1 cup of brown rice mixed with 1/2 cup of lentils and 1/2 cup of peas, along with 1 cup of broccoli sauteed in 1 teaspoon of olive oil. A healthy snack might include one container of soy yogurt with five whole-grain crackers. This meal plan contains about 1,500 calories.

Good Breakfast Menu Ideas for Diabetics

When diagnosed with diabetes, you must quickly learn the important role your diet plays with managing your disease. Yes, breakfast has traditionally always been how you should start your day. However, with diabetes it becomes a must. The good news is that you can easily prepare a wide variety of your classic breakfast favorites with just a little tweaking, as well as prepare delicious choices quickly for those people who are always on the go. You can also prepare and freeze some innovative breakfast meals so you have them handy anytime.

Breakfast Burrito

According to the American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org), a healthy breakfast burrito is a wonderful and easy way for busy diabetics to obtain the nutrition they need. Instead of using whole eggs, use egg substitute and replace traditional sharp cheddar cheese with a reduced fat brand. You an also use reduced fat flour tortillas to make it even healthier. After scrambling your egg substitute and cheese, spread it on the flour tortilla, spoon on some picante sauce and roll it up for a quick nutritional breakfast you can eat as you run out the door to work or school. You can also include some lean protein or a meat substitute as you scramble your egg substitute for even more protein. See the links in Resources for this recipe and cooking instructions, along with other diabetic breakfast ideas.

Breakfast Cookie

With this healthy treat from the American Diabetes Association, have a delicious cookie that contains your bowl of oatmeal, fruit, and milk–everything you need for a great breakfast. It also can be a wonderful snack or sweet treat following a meal. Another great fact about this recipe is that it makes 30 cookies, so you can freeze them and have them available whenever you want. One of the secrets to this wonderful, diabetic recipe is that you rely on the natural sweetness of applesauce, orange juice, raisins and honey, so that it only requires 1/3 cup of brown sugar.

Toasted Walnut Waffles

Just because you have diabetes, it does not mean you have to give up on eating this classic breakfast treat. According to diabeticlivingonline.com, what makes this great diabetic breakfast recipe so special are the toasted walnuts you grind and sprinkle on top giving it a light crunchy, nutty flavor. The secrets behind this recipe’s success are switching from white flour to whole wheat flour and replacing the traditional sugar saturated syrup with a fantastic homemade blueberry sauce.

How to Mix Your Own Breakfast Health Shakes

Start your day with a freshly made breakfast health shake for a quick, easy, nutritious meal. Of course, you also want something that tastes good. You can purchase ready-made shakes, but making your own gives you control over how the shake tastes and just how healthy it is for you. Select your favorite ingredients to make a shake you'll love. Customize the ingredients to meet your nutritional needs, as well.

Pour 8 oz. of skim milk into your blender. Use more or less skim milk if you want a bigger shake or a smaller shake. Use 2 percent milk or whole milk if you prefer. If you have lactose intolerance or prefer not to consume dairy products, use soy milk or almond milk.

Add one serving of protein powder to your blender. Choose whatever flavor you prefer. Vanilla protein powder works well with lots of other ingredients but chocolate is a popular flavor, too. Look for a protein powder that is low in sugar.

Add any other ingredient you like to provide flavor (other than the fresh or frozen fruit; you will add that in a moment). For additional flavor, consider ingredients such as a spoonful of instant coffee (decaffeinated if preferred), sugar-free flavored syrups (the kind found in the coffee aisle of most grocery stores), extracts such as vanilla or almond, a spoonful of peanut butter or a spoonful of sugar-free dry pudding mix.

Put the lid on your blender and blend your shake for 1 minute.

Add fresh or frozen fruit to your blender. Frozen fruit will create a frosty shake that resembles a milk shake. Fresh fruit will produce a breakfast shake that resembles a smoothie. Add as much fruit as you like, keeping in mind that the more fruit you add, the thicker your shake will become.

Put the lid on your blender and blend your shake for 1 to 3 minutes, until relatively smooth.

Brunch Party Ideas

A brunch party is the perfect get together for family and friends alike when you don't want to go through the hassle of hosting a full-out bash. One of the best things about a brunch party is the food is often quick and easy to make. And there is an abundant choice of recipes to satisfy even the pickiest guest.

Nibblers

Nibblers are the equivalent of appetizers at a cocktail party, but at a brunch party, the standards are more casual. Fruit platters are a great appetizer for brunch, and complement the breakfast theme as well. French toast slices with powdered sugar are another quick and easy nibbler, and you can even spice things up by offering different types of syrup at the table. In your grocery store's refrigerator section, you can purchase dime-size hot cakes, and follow up on your dipping idea with French toast. Don't hesitate to get creative!

Juices

If you really want to make an impact on your guests, offer a few kinds of homemade juices. Anyone can serve tea bags or juice from the carton, and your guests expect that. Wow them with anything from fresh squeezed orange juice to pink lemonade; it's bound to be appreciated. There are several recipes online where you can find fruit drink concoctions that are sure to knock the socks right off your guests (see foodnetwork.com site in Resources below).

Entrée Ideas

When hosting a brunch party, you can get away with making easy breakfast food, as long as you do it right. Scrambled eggs are a quick and easy way to fill up your guests and are best presented on a decorative platter. Hot cakes are another filling entrée that are easily served on a platter and complemented with a variety of syrups. Keep in mind that they are also easier to make for a large number of people, as opposed to items like waffles. Don't forget to include slices of toast on your menu, and maybe even a fruit parfait. Your guests are sure to have a great time, and leave happy with a full stomach.

Christmas Dinner Meal Ideas

If you are the regular host of Christmas dinner for family and friends, you may feel that it is time to try some new meal ideas rather than prepare the same dishes you serve every year. By being more adventurous with your Christmas menu, you will have more fun planning it and cooking will seem like less of a chore.

Alternatives To Turkey

If you and your family and bored with your usual beef, ham or turkey Christmas dinner, try something different with a more exotic flavor. The Middle East-inspired quail with pomegranate is a quick, simple recipe to follow but will nonetheless impress your guests. The delicious marinade of lemons, bay leaves, garlic, crushed black pepper and olive oil adds flavor to the quail, and the pomegranate seeds add crunch and color. Other turkey alternatives are chicken with a mushroom and sausage stuffing, fish and lobster pie and tuna coated with sesame seeds, seared and served with leafy green vegetables and rice.

Vegetarian Option

If you have vegetarian guests for Christmas dinner this year, you will need to provide them with a meat-free dish. A vegetarian dish that will go well with the cranberry sauce and other Christmas relishes is a cheese and parsnip roulade (a roll made with butter, flour, eggs and milk) with sage and onion stuffing. Alternatively, make a vegetable pie; lightly cook the vegetables before putting them into the pie with a veloute sauce (a white sauce made with stock instead of milk) and watercress.

Dessert

For a light Christmas dinner dessert that presents lots of different options, try a trifle. You could stick to the traditional English trifle with vanilla custard, whipped cream, ladyfingers, jam and fruit puree, or go for a more adventurous recipe, such as a Panatone trifle with a zabaglione sauce, made with Italian fruit bread and marsala wine. Other delicious trifles include drambuie trifle and pear and chocolate trifle. The beauty of a trifle is that it is quick to prepare, can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, and will taste great the next day if there is any left over.

Swedish Breakfast Foods

Despite the deliciousness of the dish known as Swedish pancakes, Swedes don't actually eat pancakes for breakfast. They prefer their first meal on the savory side, with bread, dairy and fish products featuring prominently on the table.

Crispbread

The backbone of Sweden's famous open-faced sandwiches, or smorgas, is the flat, dry cracker known in Swedish as knackerbrod. Made of primarily rye flour, these crispbreads store well, an advantage born of of long winters and short growing seasons. Smorgas can also be based on more traditional breads such as leavened rye, thinly sliced and buttered.

Sandwich Toppings

For breakfast, the open-faced smorgas sandwiches can be topped with a variety of foods both savory and sweet. Slather the crispbread with a generous layer of butter to start. Kalle, a brand of cod roe packed in a tube, is a perennial favorite, often paired with sliced hard-boiled eggs. Slices of ham and cheese are common toppings and Swedes are also fond of liver pate as part of their breakfast fare. Raw slices of bell pepper or tomato make for a good sandwich topping as well, as do cucumbers, both pickled and raw.

Fil

Fil's full name is filmjolk, and it's a fermented dairy product somewhere between yogurt and buttermilk in flavor and consistency, pourable but not quite drinkable. Filmjolk is difficult to find in the United States, but is sometimes carried by specialty and natural foods stores. It can also be made at home. Icelandic skyr is closely related and can be used as a substitute. Swedes like to mix muesli, jam or a mixture of dried fruits and nuts into their breakfast fil.

Berries and Jams

The sweet side of Swedish breakfast emerges with the Swedes' fondness for berries. They are often served loose at breakfast or in the form of jam. Both jam and loose berries then make an appearance atop smorgas or mixed into fil. Swedes are particularly fond of lingonberry jam, which has become an icon of Swedish cuisine. Lingonberries grow on evergreen shrubs even in the coldest climates and traditionally have been free to foragers to harvest wherever they find them. Other common berries at the breakfast table include raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, cloudberries and red and black currants. Oranges are not native to Sweden but orange marmalade is nonetheless a breakfast fixture for many Swedes.

Coffee

Swedes drink a lot of coffee -- in fact, per capita, they are third in the world in terms of coffee consumptions, according to The Atlantic. Coffee drinking isn't confined to the morning hours, but it's certainly present at the breakfast table. Swedes prefer their coffee brewed strong and taken black.

Chia Seeds & Weight Loss

Chia seeds are a nutrient-rich food that is easy to find, inexpensive and may be able to help you trim down and burn unwanted fat off your body. These seeds have a long history of human use as a superfood, and recently have been touted as a great natural ally in the battle against obesity. Let's take a look at the facts about chia seeds and some of the information that has come to light recently about their role in an overall strategy to burn fat.

History

Chia seeds come from a sage plant, Salvia hispanica, that grows in Mexico. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, chia seeds were an important food crop for the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Aztec warriors who needed a source of energy and highly concentrated nutrition used chia as a survival ration. One tbsp. of chia seed reportedly sustained them for 24 hours, and much of their modern usage as food that helps you lose weight comes from this appetite-suppressing ability.

Benefits

According to Dr. Weil, chia seeds contain more omega-3 fatty acids than flax seeds as well as high levels of antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, zinc and other nutrients. In a 2005 clinical study done at the University of Arizona in Tucson, chia seeds were found to lower triacylglycerol (fat cell) levels in rat blood as well as increase HDL cholesterol and omega-3 levels.

Weight Loss

Besides their high nutritional value and beneficial fatty acid content, chia seeds also contain another property that may be linked to their reported ability to help you lose weight. According to Botanical.com, chia seeds contain a soluble fiber that forms a gelatin-like mass when bound to water. When this happens inside the human digestive tract, it slows the digestive process and helps to effectively alleviate and suppress hunger.

Considerations

A 2009 study done at the Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, concluded that chia seeds did not promote weight loss or lower disease risk factors in a group of overweight adults. However, chia seeds were added as a supplement to the diet and not as a meal replacement or used as an appetite suppressant. The unique ability of chia seeds to suppress hunger may be their greatest value as a weight-loss supplement.

Potential

Since chia seeds seem to effectively suppress hunger and also contain a wealth of nutrients that support vital functioning in the body, they surely can be a great addition to any overall weigh-loss strategy. Used as a snack in between meals to suppress hunger and nourish the body, the little chia seed may be one of your best allies in the fight to lose weight.

How to Roast Vegetables

Preparing vegetables on the stovetop is quick and easy, whether you prefer stir-frying or simple boiling and steaming. These are fine and versatile cooking methods, but they do little to emphasize the vegetables' own flavors. If that's your focus, consider roasting your vegetables instead. The oven's dry heat caramelizes the vegetables' natural sugars, creating new and complex flavor compounds, and cooks the veggies without sapping them of flavor or water-soluble nutrients.

Delicate Vegetables

Many delicate vegetables, which might otherwise be steamed or stir-fried, take on a very different character when you roast them instead. Asparagus spears, or florets of broccoli or cauliflower, are good examples. Prepare your asparagus spears by snapping off the woody ends of their stems, and by peeling the lower half of each stem if you wish. For broccoli or cauliflower, separate the heads into bite-sized florets and blanch them for a minute or 2 in boiling water. Drain them thoroughly before proceeding. Toss the vegetables with a small amount of oil, and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse salt, and roast them at 450 to 475 degrees Fahrenheit until they begin to caramelize and darken at the edges, roughly 10 to 12 minutes.

Longer-Cooking Vegetables

For larger or denser vegetables, you'll need to adjust your technique slightly. These include starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes and squashes, as well as softer and moister vegetables, including fennel and radicchio. Bulbs of fennel and heads of radicchio should be cut lengthwise into quarters or thick wedges, and lightly oiled. Cut starchy vegetables into wedges, cubes or -- in the case of squash -- thick half-moon slices. Large pieces yield a slightly crisp, caramelized exterior with a soft and creamy interior; small pieces have more of a french-fry texture. Roast the oiled vegetables at 450 F until they're tender and caramelized. The exact time varies with the size of your pieces.

Hard Root Vegetables

Hard root vegetables such as carrots, beets, parsnips and rutabagas take the longest to roast, but, in many ways, they are the quintessential roasted vegetable. They're all rich in natural sugars, with sweet and earthy flavors that are enhanced and concentrated by roasting. Peel the vegetables if needed -- carrots and parsnips can simply be washed, if you prefer -- and slice or dice them. Toss them with oil, and arrange them in a single layer on your baking sheet. Roast the vegetables at 450 F until they're tender and caramelized. If they brown too quickly and threaten to char, turn the heat down and finish them at 350 F.

Tweaks and Tips

Although roasting emphasizes the vegetables' own flavors, there's plenty of opportunity for creative cooks to tweak their taste. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar or pomegranate syrup when you toss the vegetables in oil, for a sweet-and-tangy note that complements the vegetables' own sweetness. Opting for maple syrup, brown sugar or honey emphasizes the sweetness instead, forming a glaze as the vegetables cook. Warm spices such as ginger and nutmeg emphasize the natural sweetness of the vegetables, while the aromatic, woodsy camphor notes of rosemary or fresh sage make them more savory.

How to Make Food Delicious Without Salt

Many people don't realize that the food they eat already has most of the average 4.3 grams of salt they need for the day, or that on average we are taking in more than double that amount. To cut your salt intake, use options on your food that boost the taste without the potential harm of salt.

Use oils such as natural olive oil to add flavor to your cooked dishes and salads. Olive oil and other healthful oils such as sesame oil naturally add a robust flavor when used to cook meats or vegetables or in salad dressings. Butter also has a distinctive taste. If you are limiting sodium, look for unsalted or sweet butter.

Use fresh lemon juice or vinegar to wake up the taste buds and add flavor to low-salt dishes. Lemon juice or vinegar can be used in marinades, sauces and salad dressings, or can be added to vegetables after cooking. Be sure to read flavored vinegar labels to be sure the product is low-sodium.

Use black pepper as a primary seasoning in low-salt cooking. In recipes calling for both salt and pepper, try eliminating the salt and doubling the pepper. You might want to increase pepper incrementally to be sure it won't cause sneezing, but usually doubling the pepper gives a good result. Try freshly ground black pepper if you have a pepper grinder.

Use dried chili and cayenne peppers to add taste but keep sodium low. Experiment to find the amount that is suitable to your family's preference. Chili and red pepper, whether ground or flaked, will give added taste to meats and sauces.

Use onion and garlic generously. You can choose between fresh and dried or ground varieties. Again, tailor the amount used to your family's tastes, but onion and garlic will make food much more delicious without salt. In addition to meats, vegetables and salads, use these delicious bulbs in potato, rice and pasta dishes.

Purchase a variety of salt-free seasonings to make your meals delicious. There are different types for different uses and tastes. These are great for general cooking and especially useful to make eggs and egg dishes taste good without salt. They can be expensive, but sometimes you can find sales, coupon offers and store brands to save.

Read the labels on any prepared sauces and condiments you buy to determine their sodium content. Many are high in salt. In some cases, low-sodium alternatives are available, but you have to look for them.

Season your meats, sauces, salads, and vegetables with fresh or dried herbs specially chosen for each dish. Take your clue from published recipes and traditional cuisines. Use basil and oregano for Italian dishes or thyme and bay leaf in French dishes. When you are using a recipe and want to make it low-salt, try increasing the amount of herbs or other seasonings called for while you leave out the salt. If you increase other taste-enhancing ingredients, you can cook low-sodium. In fact, you can make delicious food without adding any salt at all.

How to Cook Turkey Legs on the Grill

Cook turkey legs to a juicy golden brown by adding flavor at every step. Turkey legs, or drumsticks, have large pieces of dark rich meat centered on a large bone and covered in skin. Introduce your favorite flavors with a salty-sweet brine, spiced dry rub, seasoned baste and your choice of hardwood smoke. Grilling the drumsticks slowly with indirect heat will cook the meat through without burning the surface.

Bring filtered water to a rapid boil in a large stockpot on your stove before removing it from the heat.

Stir the salt and brown sugar into the hot water with a wooden spoon and let the mixture cool for 1 hour.

Pour the ice into a large food-safe plastic container and add the cooled brine and turkey legs.

Seal the lid of the container tightly and keep it in the refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight.

Remove the drumsticks from the brine and pat them completely dry with paper towel.

Soak your favorite hardwood chunks in water in a shallow aluminum pan for at least 1 hour. Soaked wood chunks will smolder longer and produce thicker smoke.

Heat the grill so there is a cool section and a hot section. Separate the hot coals of charcoal grills so there is an empty space or leave one set of burners off on a gas grill.

Pour off the excess water and place the aluminum pan holding the hardwood chunks directly over the heat source in the hottest part of the grill.

Apply the dry seasoning rub to the entire surface of both turkey legs.

Set the drumsticks on the cool side of the grill and close the lid. Closed-lid grilling traps heat and steam for faster cooking and a moister product.

Turn the turkey legs with grill tongs every 10 minutes as you baste them with your favorite barbecue sauce or seasoned basting liquid.

Check the internal temperature of the turkey by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone.

Remove the turkey legs to a cutting board for a 5-minute rest when they have reached an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.

How to Estimate a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

Throwing a fundraising event is a great way to help those in need and bring your community together. Spaghetti dinners are very popular fundraisers because the supplies are relatively cheap and the menu is easy to plan. However, you still want to maximize your profits so you can meet your fundraising goal. To ensure that your spaghetti dinner is a success, take some time to estimate the costs involved.

Set a fundraising goal. Whether the event is for charity or to raise money for new team uniforms, you need to have an idea of your fundraising objective. Set a realistic, achievable goal. Make sure that the goal is flexible because you might have to amend the number once you figure out how much supplies cost.

Select a venue. To maximize profits, try to pick a place that is free of charge. Check with your local church or school to see if you can use a spare room or cafeteria. If it's a small fundraiser, you can possibly use someone's house. For venues that charge, ask when payment is due. If you have to put down a nonrefundable deposit to secure the space, you must be comfortable taking a financial risk in the event you do not sell enough tickets.

Estimate attendance. Once your venue is chosen, you will have a clearer picture of how many tickets you can sell. Figure out how many people can comfortably sit and eat in the space. Do not plan on overbooking to make extra money.

Price supplies. For the menu, plan on serving a simple salad, garlic bread and spaghetti with or without meat. For the pasta, plan on the typical serving of 4 oz. per person, or 1 lb. per four people. One jar of sauce is generally needed for every pound of pasta. Plan on 1 cup of salad and two slices of bread per person. For drinks, you can serve water, iced tea or soda. To be safe, plan on everyone drinking at least two servings, or 16 oz.

Calculate cost. Once you have priced how much it will cost to feed your estimated number of guests, add any applicable venue fees. Add this total cost to your fundraising goal and then divide by the number of guests. This will be your ticket price. If the ticket price seems unreasonably high, then you can buy cheaper brands of food, select another venue or amend your goal.

How to Do the Atkins Low Carb Diet

The Atkins diet is one of the world's most popular diets. It is designed to minimize a person's carbohydrate intake in favor of protein and fats to better equip the body with the energy it needs to function in a healthy manner.

Robert C. Atkins, MD, who developed the plan, believed that an increase of processed foods in modern diets is directly attributed to heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Self-discipline in adhering to the four phases of Atkins diet is essential in reaching the desired results.

Phase 1: Induction. This is designed to last two weeks. The purpose is to send the body into a state of ketosis, whereby if the body is unable to draw energy from carbohydrates, it will draw from existing body fat. Carbohydrate consumption is restricted to 20 grams per day. Drink eight glasses of water a day. Eliminate alcohol and drink caffeine in moderation. Significant weight loss occurs in this preliminary stage.

Phase 2: On-going Weight Loss. An increased carbohydrate intake of 5 grams per week is designed to facilitate continued weight loss. This phase continues until weight aligns within 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of a person's weight goal. Dr. Atkins created a carbohydrate ladder to explain which carbohydrates should be added to the diet and in what order.

Phase 3: Pre-Maintenance. Refer to Atkins' food group ladder and increase weekly carbohydrate intake by 10 net carbs. The purpose of this phase is to pinpoint the maximum daily intake of carbohydrates, which does not incur weight loss.

Phase 4: Lifetime-Maintenance. The purpose of this phase is to maintain the dietary discipline established in phases 1 to 3. With the culmination of any diet, when the target weight has been achieved, many make the mistake of reverting to their old eating habits. The time, effort and mental energy invested from the start of the diet therefore counts for nothing. With the Atkins diet, earlier phases should be revisited and implemented in the event of new weight gain.

How to Make a Blackened Burger

The prevailing idea behind blackened burgers is "go big" -- high heat, hearty meat and heavy seasonings. Blackening is more than a thick coating of pungent spices and butter -- it's also a technique. The requisite crust forms on a blackened burger when you lay it in a screaming-hot pan and slide it under the broiler. The butter blackens to near burning, or pyrolizes, and essentially bakes the spices into the meat. You need a cast-iron skillet or grill pan to blacken. This technique creates a lot of smoke of the turn-on-the-fan-and-open-the-window variety. If your kitchen doesn't have adequate ventilation, go with pan-frying or grilling instead.

Prudhomme's Blackened Spice

Make your own blackened spice using the proportions Chef Paul Prudhomme made famous -- store brands almost always include sodium, which limits your control over the overall saltiness of the preparation.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of paprika; 1 teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper; 3/4 teaspoon each white and black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon each oregano and thyme; and 2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt.

Whisk the blackened spices until they appear uniformly dispersed, about 2 minutes of total mixing time. Pour the blackened spice into a shallow dish and set it aside.

Forming the Burgers

Keeping ground beef cold is paramount to keeping the burgers safe to eat. If you have to delay cooking the burgers after you form them, keep them in the refrigerator. Hold the ground beef in a stainless-steel bowl placed over another bowl half full of ice to keep it below 40 degrees Fahrenheit while you make the patties.

Break up 1 pound of ground beef by hand. Separate the ground beef into two portions of the approximate size for 8-ounce burgers. Gently roll each portion into a cohesive ball -- don't use much pressure, as the beef will coalesce after about 30 seconds of rolling.

Next, place the ball of ground beef on a plate and gently press it with the underside of a saucer until it's about 3/4 inches tall. You need a flat surface on both sides of the burger for an even crust. Place the burgers on a plate and set them aside in the refrigerator.

Complementary Sauces

Before you fire the hamburgers, have a complementary sauce ready to go. Although optional, mayonnaise-based sauces work best with blackened burgers; they temper the spiciness of the seasoning and offset its pungency. The Cajun classic remoulade pairs seamlessly with blackened burgers, but you can make your own mayonnaise-based sauce by following the fundamental sauce-making method.

Add mayonnaise to a mixing bowl and a primary flavoring ingredient, such as minced garlic or shallots. Next, add a secondary flavoring -- fresh herbs, such as thyme and parsley, fit best here. Stir in a touch of acid, such as lemon juice or flavored vinegar, to "cut" the fattiness of the mayo, and adjust the seasoning as needed with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Setting Up for Cooking

Set the oven rack 4 to 5 inches below the broiler and let it heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and pour it on a rimmed plate. Dip both sides of each hamburger patty in the butter and lay it in the shallow dish of seasoning. Gently press the patty into the spices, then turn it over and repeat. Set the hamburgers on a plate as you season them.

Showtime

Turn on your range hood to the highest ventilation setting. Wipe the cast-iron pan with a paper towel to rid it of as much residual oil as possible; this prevents excessive smoking. Set the pan on the stove over high heat; this all but guarantees a thick, crisp blackened crust. After the pan heats for 8 to 10 minutes, pull the oven rack out halfway and place the pan on it.

Lay the burgers in the pan, slide the rack into the oven and close the door. Turn the burgers over after 4 minutes of cooking and broil them for an additional 4 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to check each burger for an internal temperature of 165 F.

Japanese Breakfast Foods

In Japan, breakfast foods are savory rather than sweet. Many breakfast items overlap with lunch or dinner, but as with everywhere else, certain foods are especially favored for the morning meal.

Rice and Toppings

Rice forms the backbone of innumerable meals in Japan, and breakfast is no exception. Steamed white rice accompanied by shredded seaweed, bonito flakes, sliced shiitake mushrooms or pickled vegetables such as sour umeboshi plums makes for a complete, if simple, Japanese breakfast. For a heartier version, diced ham, a small portion of grilled fish or a poached egg can be added on top.

Natto

Natto is another common topping for rice at the Japanese breakfast table. Natto consists of fermented soybeans in a sticky, slippery, stringy base. The taste and flavor are pungent and sometimes bitter. It is considered by many to be an acquired taste. However, for those who enjoy it, Natto offers a substantial protein boost in the morning as well as healthy bacterial cultures similar to those found in yogurt.

Tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki is the Japanese name for a rolled omelette dish made in a special square pan and served for both breakfast and lunch. It is usually flavored with soy sauce and sugar and can be served warm or at room temperature. This is the same omelette that is sometimes served as a topping for sushi.

Salad

People in Japan are particularly fond of salad or other vegetable side dishes for breakfast. A simple green lettuce salad with a light dressing is completely acceptable morning fare in Japan. Cooked spinach with sesame sauce -- also known as goma-ae -- is another favorite, as is kale dressed with sesame oil. Green beans with miso dressing, a cabbage slaw with vinegar or a seaweed salad also fits in well on the Japanese breakfast plate.

Miso Soup

A typical Japanese breakfast almost always includes a cup of miso soup served hot in a covered laquer bowl. The lid helps keep the soup steaming hot. The simplest miso soup is made with dashi and miso only, but you can also add ribbons of seaweed, cubed tofu, sliced shiitake mushrooms or scallions.

How to Cook Clams Korean Style

Food is central to Korean culture. It’s part of the daily culture, offering rich flavors and healthy combinations that appeal to many palates. You do not have to travel to experience the flavors of Korea at home since many of the traditional ingredients are ones readily available at most supermarkets. Spices like red pepper flake, green onion, ginger, garlic, sesame, soy, bean paste and mustard combine with meat, seafood or vegetables usually served on a bed of grain, like rice. By using some of these basic flavors you can make Korean style clams quickly and easily.

Choose your clams. Get clams as fresh as possible for the tastiest results. Different parts of the world put the title "littleneck" on a variety of clams including quahog clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) and pacific clams (Prothothaca staminea). All of them have commonalities, however, including being roughly circular and hard-shelled. Look for small to midsize clams, as they're less chewy. Tap the shells. If they snap shut you know the clams are alive and good to eat. Keep these refrigerated until you're ready to start cooking. You want 4 to 6 clams as an appetizer or 8 to 12 clams as a main dish.

Wash the clams. Prepare a large bowl of cold water with salt. Soak the clams in the water for a half hour in the refrigerator, then scrub them off with a vegetable scrubber. Rinse the clams with more cold water. This process removes residual sand from the shells so it doesn't end up in your finished dish.

Mix the sauce. You want enough liquid in the sauce to fill each cooked clam on the half shell, or about 1 teaspoon each. Korean food has a definite spicy profile. If you enjoy spicy food use more hot pepper flakes than your recipe suggests or substitute sesame chili oil for regular sesame oil. Warm this over a low flame while you steam the clams.

Steam the clams as follows. Fill the wok halfway up with water. Place the steaming racks onto the wok, followed by the clams. Leave a little space between each clam so they cook evenly. Bring the water to a full boil, then cover the wok. The clams should open in about 3 minutes, meaning they're ready to serve.

Serve your Korean-flavored dish. Arrange the clams on a small plate with a spoonful of sauce in each one if you're serving them as finger food. Or, for an entree, nestle them in a bed of brown rice.

How to Make Juice From Blueberries at Home

The blueberry may be small, but the fruit is packed with nutrients, including antioxidant vitamins A and C, beta carotene, fiber and potassium. The juice of the blueberry can be an easy way to reap the benefits of these nutrients. Making fresh blueberry juice at home does not require special equipment, and even the most inexperienced of cooks can do this.

Put the blueberries into a saucepan and pour in enough water to cover the fruit. The blueberries should bob back up to the top of the water. Heat to boiling.

Mash the blueberries with a wooden spoon. Keep the fruit in the water while mashing, but turn off the heat.

Bring the blueberry mash just to the boiling point again and remove it from the heat.

Pour the mashed berries and water into a colander that is placed over a bowl, large jar or other receptacle. Use the wooden spoon to press the juice out of any berries that might have stayed whole during the first mashing process.

Taste the blueberry juice concentrate you have created and add sweetener to taste. Granulated sugar, honey or artificial sweeteners take the bite out of the tartness of the fruit.

Add water to the blueberry juice concentrate. Generally, a mixture of 3 to 4 parts water to 1 part concentrated juice renders a beverage that is of a clear, thin consistency. Add less water for a thicker, smoothie-like drink and more potent blueberry flavor or more liquid for a flavored-water type beverage.

Store your homemade blueberry juice in a covered jar or container in the refrigerator.