microwave avocado

BLW first food/prep question?

In about a month Elyse and I will be embarking on BLW! Initially my first thought for a first food was avocado – good fats, yummy, etc. Now I am thinking that it will be very difficult for Elyse to pick it up and get it to her mouth, it would be better spoon-fed which defeats the BLW concept.

Steamed broccoli and asparagus were great here; also toast with a yoghourt dip, and cheese curds, which are just the right shape for baby hands. Whole-wheat rotini (dip it in pesto if you like).

Avocado is too slippery, and it was never enjoyed here anyway (unless offered as guacamole smeared on something else).

I have a very basic electric steamer on my counter; it’s been in near-constant use for the past half-year and would be well worth the $20 or whatever they’re charging for them nowadays.

Waiting til 6mo means you don’t have to be neurotic about which food comes first, etc. She can have what you’re eating (but practically speaking, you will probably want to steam asparagus etc for a few months until she can use a spoon herself).

edit: yeah, don’t steam anything into mush. A baby can gnaw the leaves off even lightly steamed broccoli.

Fruit-wise, little works well at first — it’s too slippery. Thinly sliced apple is good.

Tomato wedges — I peeled and seeded them for a bit, but it probably wasn’t necessary to do so.

US $22.36 for an electric steamer, totally worth it: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-297046-Food-Steamer/dp/B00005OTZ6
You can throw veg in the basket part and wash it off under the tap using the basket as a colander, which takes a tiny step out of food prep. It’s got a timer; you can throw stuff in and wander off. Much easier, I think, than using the stove or microwave.

I steamed up a new batch of whatever about once every just-under-48h; it will keep for about that long in a tub in the fridge. There were no objections to eating cold asparagus here…

Eat variety of foods to minimize repeated exposure to food toxins, sprays, etc. All foods are handled differently in different parts of the country. (See Natural Foods List Below)

If you eat conventional fruits and vegetables, be extra cautious on what you put into your body, repeatedly. Conventional foods contain pesticides and other chemicals. It is always best to eat organic foods which are grown naturally without any chemicals.

Eat organic foods if you can. Certain foods are laced with dangerous pesticides. Wash all fresh foods thoroughly especially melons, as there have been several cases of salmonella poisoning found from cutting into the melons before washing them. Grow your own if possible.

When selecting organic foods at your local grocery store look for the “organic” label on each produce or the organic section. Conventional produce can be larger and look better than organic produce. Organic foods are somewhat costly, however, it is better to pay now than later.

Eat more fiber to speed dangerous toxins through the intestinal tract and to bind and neutralize them before they can do any harm. Fiber should be part of every meal. It is found in whole grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Processed foods lack fiber, be sure and add fresh food to every meal. Fiber also cuts down on food reactions and blood sugar fluctuations, in addition to preventing constipation.

Oatmeal is an excellent source of fiber. Eat oatmeal in the morning with a piece of fruit, such as, banana, mango, peach, pineapple. Here is a list of fiber foods:

Lentils

Lima beans

Navy beans

Pinto beans

Red Kidney

Soy beans

Fava Beans

Adzuki beans

Great Northern beans

Chick Peas

Apples

Apricots

Grapefruit

Peaches

Prunes

Avocado

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Kale

Reduce fat consumption since toxins are concentrated in the fat of an animal and saturated fats used in commercial cooking. These products are potentially dangerous toxins.

Avoid old nuts, grains and seeds that are not nitrogen sealed or kept under refrigeration. Aflatoxin, a mold that grows on these foods has been linked to cancer.

Refrigerate all fresh foods or cooked foods quickly so bacteria cannot form.

Avoid highly processed foods like ketchup, beef jerky, hot dogs and tomato based sauces, these have concentrated toxins.

Processed foods is the major cause of obesity and many other health issues due to the chemicals that they may contain. Replace these foods with natural food substitutes. (See List Below)

Avoid burned foods because they contain carcinogens that are cancer causing substances.

Buy only frozen fish, “fresh fish” in a grocer’s case may have been around many days. Do not eat raw fish.

Do not consume liver. Toxins from the body of the animal are left in the tissues of the liver after it has cleaned them out of the blood supply. Avoid all organ meats.

Avoid foreign-made dinnerware, glassware, etc. It could contain leaded glasses and glazes that may leach into our food. Also, avoid antique crystal dishes and other dinnerware made before the law was passed in the States against the use of lead in dinnerware.

Do not use plastic wrap in microwave ovens, plastic containers, etc. Use only glass for food storage. Plastic leaches petro chemicals into food.

Microwaves have heat susceptors that are a source of hazardous chemicals, and materials around them also break down in the intense heat creating more toxins that can get into the food. Use a paper towel or paper plate over the food or the specially designed lids that come with microwave cooking dishes. Put a little water on the dish and arrange the food to be of uniform density, then cover and cook. The cover will hold in the steam killing any bacteria.

When heating leftovers, heat them up on medium-high or high heat. This will be hot enough to kill bacteria. Warming them only to eating temperatures is not hot enough.

To be on the safe side, do not use a microwave at all and go back to traditional cooking.

Fat and spicy foods put stress on the gall bladder and the liver, resulting in heartburn and indigestion, so avoid fried food, gravies, and dairy products.

Overeating overloads the stomach, pressure forces acid back up into the esophagus, leading to heartburn, gas, and bloating. The end result is obesity.

When eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks they are to be considered as a sacred moment. Always sit down in a comfortable place where you are able to focus on your food only. For every mouthful of food, chew slowly until food has broken down into small pieces. As you chew saliva is mixed throughout the food which allows the enzymes to digest food properly. When food is chewed thoroughly, the stomach becomes full faster. Once the stomach is full, stop eating. This is where people start to overeat because they crave the flavor more than satisfying the hunger.

Eat All Natural Foods. Additives aren’t good for you, avoid them.

For more information, got to

www.canavacafe.blogspot.com

About the Author:

Monique Marion Sharp has been serving vegetarian food to the movers and shakers of Atlanta metropolitan for the past seven years. While serving the community, she has worked at Atlanta’s most popular restaurants and hotels observing and learning everything from the kitchen to the front of the restaurant.

Monique is currently working on opening a vegetarian cafe in Atlanta, Georgia. The proceeds of this book will contribute to the opening of Canava Cafe. She is available for cooking classes and personal chef services.

http://www.canavacafe.blogspot.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How to Maintain your Perfect Weight & Health

avocado quinoa

Are these foods really healthy and where can I find them?

I was on the Internet and they were talking about fat- burning foods, such as
Quinoa:What is it, where can I find it, and what does it cost?
Green tea:Would that include green tea with citrus that’s in bottles?
Kefir:Is it good or one of those disgusting shake things?
Avocado:Are they sweet or bitter?
Grapefruit:I think they’re kinda bitter. How can I change that?
Do these foods really help you lose weight and are they good- tasting?

I hated grapefruit til I learned how to eat them. Peel one & section it without cutting like an orange, peel off the white skin of the section & eat the red part only. Avocado is not sweet or bitter it’s super high in good fats & is more buttery tasting (it’s what’s in guacamole). Kefir is like yogurt. Green tea, yes. Quinoa, I hear a lot about but it’s high in carbs, so haven’t tried. (You can get it from Amazon) You can usually acquire a taste for things if you eat them 20x.

You will lose more body fat eating protein and fat (don’t eat protein alone) than not eating AT ALL. To lose weight fast eat all you want but nothing but meat, eggs, healthy oils, mayo, butter and half an avocado a day (you’ll need added potassium). Keep the calories high and the fat percentage high, at least 65% of calories. Adding in green vegetables & some cheese will continue weight loss but at a slower pace.

If you starve yourself by lowering calories lower than are needed for the body to function, your body will freak out and will want to store every ounce in case it doesn’t get nourished again. You need to give it adequate nourishment so it doesn’t slow your metabolism down to adjust for lower calories.

Simple carbohydrates (sugar, flour, bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, rice) triggers insulin which can store the calories you eat into fat. The more protein you eat the more the fat burning hormone glucagon is released. The more carbohydrate you eat the more the fat storage hormone insulin is released.

Carbs are addictive and can be disastrous to our health. The best way to break the addiction is NO carbs for 3 days. Make a huge batch of deviled eggs and eat one every time you want “something” have huge omelets for breakfast, with bacon, a lil onion, peppers, mushrooms & cheese. Pork chops for lunch. Get pork rinds and eat them with tuna salad. Steak for dinner. Make a huge sugar free cheese cake for dessert. Eat so much you won’t feel deprived of anything. By the fourth day, your addiction will be gone and you can start making healthy choices.

High insulin levels unbalance other hormones. Controlling your insulin level will balance out other hormones & allow human growth hormone (HGH) to be produced naturally so you will gain lean muscle even without exercise. Any exercise will greatly increase your muscle mass with high HGH levels.

Dr.Atkins was a cardiologist, low carb was a health plan easier sold as a “diet” Read any of his books for easily understandable science. Lutz “Life without Bread” & Taubes “Good calorie, bad calorie” are excellent books that dispel all the nutrition myths.

Reducing body fat and increasing muscle mass will have you in awesome shape in no time. Good luck!

No one enjoys excess body fat. Aside from the fact that it does not exactly look appealing, excess fat can lead to a variety of problems that rob your energy levels, lead to numerous diseases (type 2 diabetes, heart diseases etc..) and steal your longevity potential.

If you are sick and tired of looking, feeling, and performing at sub par levels here are a few keys to FAT loss through effective strategies, nutritional supplements and exercise.

First, use your body measurements to track your progress rather than a scale. Our body is comprised of lean tissues (skeletal, blood, organ and muscles) and fat. Even though muscle takes up less space, it weighs four times as much fat as fat does. Muscle tissues imperative to fat loss, the more lean muscle tissue you carry on your frame, the more calories you burn throughout a 24-hour period. When it comes to bathroom scale, unfortunately, it is unable to differentiate between fat and muscle and is therefore cannot properly track your success. Take a good look in the mirror (they do not lie) and feel the way your clothes fit – and you will have a much better indication of your success.

Second, Maintain a healthy diet consisting of high fiber, low glycemic foods, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, poultry, lean cuts meat, nuts, and seeds. Here are some recommended food list:

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Berries Blackberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, strawberries

Vegetables: Artichokes, Garlic, asparagus, Green beans, Broccoli, Mushroom (Portobello), Cabbage (red, green), Onions, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Rhubarb, Endive, Spinach, Tomatoes

Nuts and Seeds: All nuts and seeds must be fresh, unsalted, un-roasted and blanched. The following is recommended number of nuts per serving: (10) Almonds, (9) Cashews, (8) Pecans, (20) Pumpkin seeds, (22) Pistachios, (7) Walnuts, (25) Sunflower seeds

Protein sources: FISH- salmon, cod, tuna, bass, halibut, snapper, swordfish, trout, haddock, sole

Seafood- shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, clams, oysters, mussels

Poultry- free range: chicken breast, turkey breast, duck, goose, quail

Healthy Fats/Dairy Products: Ghee – clarified butter- cow ghee only

Butter **- plain unsalted, almond, cashew

Cheese* _ goat, mozzarella, feta

Cottage Cheese* – (2%)

Omega- 3 Eggs – chicken, dick, goose

Yogurt, plain* – goat, whole milk

*only if you are not dairy sensitive

**To be used for cooking only

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Oils: Coconut Oil, Olive Oil (extra virgin- cold pressed), Flaxseed oil , Walnut oil, avocado Oil, If you are cooking with these oils, it is recommended to cook over low to medium temperature only.

Carbohydrates Legumes: Adzuki beans, Navy beans, black beans, split peas, Black-eyed peas, Haricot beans, butter beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans

Fruits: Apples, Nectarines, Apricots, Oranges, Avocado, Peaches, Cherries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Cranberries, Grapefruit

Grains: Barley, whole sprouted grains, Bran cereals (no sugar added), whole-grain pasta, el dente, buckwheat, Muesli cereals (without dry fruit), Bulgar, Kamut and quinoa pasta, Porridge oats, Red basmati whole-kernel rice, cooked oatmeal and bran

It is highly advisable to avoid all refined processed hydrogenated oils ( found in most “junk food”), white flour, and sugar products such as pasta, cakes, pies, candies, breads, white rice, pizza, etc. Avoid all sodas, sugar laden drinks and juices.

In order for you to create a wise metabolism, have your body use fat as a primary fuel source, optimize your energy levels and increase lean muscle tissue (thereby further enhancing metabolism twenty hour each day). It is important to consume high quality foods at regular intervals throughout the day.

Third, Exercise- Exercise is no longer an option! This does not mean you have to run out and join a gym; it means you have to move your body on a regular basis. Incorporate both weight resistant training and cardiovascular exercise is a sure fire way to not only help you reach and maintain your fat loss goals, but it will help you feel fantastic!

Many conventional “weight loss” tactics accelerate water, muscle and bone loss, which can create an “illusion” of success. these unhealthy tactics promote more rapid reduction in total weight, calorie burning reduction, energy production and bone demineralization rather than fat loss. Basically you become a smaller fat person with these diets.

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About the Author:

More Fat Loss Diet Tips:

Strip That Fat Diet – This is a very fun and easy online diet. It consists of an online diet generator which lets you create your own meal plans, 2 diet books, a recipe book and a calories guide.

Eat Stop Eat program claims that it can help the reader lose weight and “burn stubborn body fat” all by making one simple change in the reader’s every day diet. The Eat Stop Eat plan offered by Craig Ballantyne has its foundation in a dual system of fasting and weight training.

Cheat Your Way Thin is a revolutionary new weight loss book by bestselling author and nutritionist Joel Marion. This unique weight loss program is claims to trick your body into burning more calories and therefore losing weight.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Keys To Success Fat Loss