Cooking Tips for preparing Lamb

Tips for preparing and cooking
Be extremely careful when handling raw lamb that they do not come into contact with other foods, especially those who will be served uncooked, because raw meat can E. coli bacteria. It is best to use a separate plastic cutting board for meat. Be sure you wash your hands and cutting board well with hot, soapy water after handling lamb. It is a good idea to have two TBS of bleach to two cups of water in a spray bottle and add this mixture to clean your cutting board after use.

Thaw frozen lamb uncooked in the refrigerator. You need to plan well in advance if you take in the refrigerator takes advantage of these safest method of thawing since lamb thawing want about 24 hours usually. After defrosting raw lamb pieces in this way they will be safe for up to three or four days in the refrigerator. When thawing ground lamb, the safety margin is in the refrigerator for up to one to two days.

There are two alternative methods that you can use for lamb thawing, although neither of the two methods as safe as more gift and rapid temperature changes are involved. You can use the frozen lamb (still firmly welded in a freezer foil or placed in a sealed bag) set and dip it filled with cold water in a sink or a pot. After 30 minutes, drain off all the water and fill the sink or pot. Continue on with this filling and drain approach every 30 minutes until the lamb is thawed. The thawing method of lamb is far faster than the refrigerator method but has less safety margin due to the increased handling and rapid temperature changes. If you to thaw your lamb this method, you should also plan to cook it immediately after thawing.

Lamb can be thawed in a microwave oven using microwave settings as specified by the manufacturer. Once again, this method is not as secure as refrigerator thawing due to increased handling and fast temperature change. As cold water thawing, plan your lamb cook immediately after thawing in the microwave.

Regardless of thawing, make sure you wash your hands and possible lamb contact area immediately after use. We do not recommend thawing of lamb or other meat at room temperature under any circumstances due to unevenness of temperature changes and microbial contamination risk. Studies show that at room temperature for thawing increases risk of the growth of undesirable bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Campylobacter. Another recommendation on the preparation of pre-cooked lamb: it is best to trim the fat from lamb to be removed before cooking is not only unhealthy fat, but in order to avoid producing an overly strong flavor in the lamb.

The healthiest way to cook lamb The best way to cook lamb to methods that it will use to keep it moist and tender.'s Lamb easily overcooked and become dry, so make sure your cooking times to watch. Various cuts of lamb are best prepared by various methods:

Shoulder: The best stew
Shank / breast: best braised
Lamb chops: Best fried or "Quick Fried"
Rack of Lamb: Best fried or "Quick Fried"
Ground Lamb: Best "Healthy Fried"
One of our favorite ways to prepare lamb is, "Quick Broil" lamb chops by preheating the grill to high and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan under the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot. Show roasting lamb on hot skillet and for 7-10 minutes, depending on thickness. You do not need to make the lamb.

Diet with Green Peas

What is new and useful to Green Peas

We usually do not go beyond green peas as an exotic food to think in terms of nutrient composition, but we should. Because of its sweet taste and starchy texture, we know that green peas must contain some sugar and starch (and they do). But they also contain a unique collection of health phytochemicals. One of these phytochemicals-a polyphenol called coumestrol - has recently come to the forefront of research in relation to stomach cancer protection. A Mexico City-based study has shown that daily consumption of green peas along with other legumes lowers risk of gastric cancer (stomach cancer), especially when daily coumestrol intake from these legumes is approximately 2 milligrams or higher. Since a cup of green peas at least 10 milligrams of coumestrol, it is not difficult for us to obtain this remarkable health benefits.
The unique phytonutrients in green peas also provide us with important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. Included in this phytonutrients some recently discovered green pea are phytochemicals called saponins. Due to their almost exclusive appearance in peas, contain these phytochemicals, which are actually scientific word for peas (Pisum) in their names: pisumsaponins I and II, and pisomosides A and B. In conjunction with other phytonutrients in pea, including phenolic acids such as ferulic acid and caffeic acid and flavanols catechin and epicatechin as-the combined effects on our health can be far reaching. For example, some researchers have speculated that the relationship between green pea and legume intake and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, not only with the relatively low glycemic index of green peas (about 45-50) and their strong fiber and protein be linked content, but also with this unusual combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.
Green peas are as environmentally friendly food. Agricultural research has shown that pea plants can provide the soil with important advantages. First, peas belong to a group of plants as "nitrogen-fixing" crops. With the help of soil bacteria peas and other legumes are able to take nitrogen gas from the air and it can be used in more complex forms and. This process increases the nitrogen in the soil without added fertilizer. Peas also have a relatively shallow root system that can help prevent erosion of the soil, and as soon as the peas were picked up, the plant remains tend to replenish the soil break relatively easily. Finally, rotation peas with other crops has been shown to reduce the risk of pest problems. These eco-friendly aspects of the pea production, their attractiveness as an integral part of our diet.
Although green peas are an extremely low fat diet (with about one-third of the total fat grams per cup), the type of fat and fat-soluble nutrients they contain is impressive. Recent research has shown that green peas are a reliable source of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha linolenic acid (ALA). In a cup of green peas, you can expect to find about 30 milligrams of ALA. About 130 milligrams of omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, green peas can also be found in a cup. This helps very small, but high quality fat content of green peas provide us with important fat-soluble nutrients from this legume, substantial amounts of beta-carotene, and small but valuable amounts of vitamin E.

Health Benefits
Due to their exceptionally strong nutrient composition, we have specially surprised at the relatively small amount of research on green peas as a health-promoting food concentrates. Green peas have been largely overlooked in research studies on legumes, which concentrates more on one only beans. In studies in which the health benefits of green peas were studied directly, it is usually in dried form compared to been fresh. Current research trends are the ones that we really like to see the other way around! The absence of a large-scale health research on green peas, many of the compounds that we would expect to see more research needs justification. Despite the lack of studies, the direct connection of green pea inclusion on improved health, we believe that the excellent nutrient composition of green peas is eventually shown to have far-reaching health benefits beyond those presented in this section 

Health Benefits

Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory action
If you have traditionally thought about green peas as "starchy vegetables", which provide you with a lot of you may not be the type of plant constituents or systems of the body support, it is time that you change your thinking. Green peas are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and these health-supportive nutrients found nutrient available in a wide range of categories. For example, in the flavonoid category, peas give us the antioxidants catechin and epicatechin. In the carotenoid category, they offer alpha-carotene and beta-carotene. The phenolic acids ferulic acid and caffeic acid are. The polyphenols are coumestrol. Pisumsaponins I and II and pisomosides A and B are anti-inflammatory phytochemicals found almost exclusively in peas. Antioxidant vitamins provided by green peas are vitamin C and vitamin E, and a good amount of the antioxidant mineral zinc is also found in this super food. Another key anti-inflammatory nutrients must be added to this list, and the nutrient is omega-3 fat. Recent research has shown that green peas are a reliable source of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha linolenic acid (ALA). In a cup of green peas, you can expect to find about 30 milligrams of ALA.

Normally one would expect that this extraordinary list of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients to be with a lower risk of most inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis. Although extensive studies on green peas and recording of these chronic health problems remain unavailable, the researchers have already begun to suggest connections in this area, particularly in relation to type 2 diabetes. We know that increasing chronic, unwanted inflammation and chronic, unwanted oxidative stress our risk of type 2 diabetes. We also know that the consumption of green peas with lowered risk of type 2 diabetes, although this association has traditionally been understood to include the strong fiber and protein content of green peas. Researchers now believe that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients in green peas play an equally important role in lowering our risk of these chronic health problem.

Support for blood sugar regulation
As mentioned in the previous section, the blood sugar regulation has an area of ​​particular interest in terms of green peas and his fellow legumes. Few foods provide us with such significant amounts of protein or fiber (about 8-10 grams per cup for each of these macronutrients), such as green peas. These excellent fiber and protein levels directly regulate the pace at which we digest our food. By regulating the pace of digestion, protein and fiber also help regulate the breakdown of starch into sugars and the general passage of carbohydrates through out the digestive tract. With better regulation of carbohydrates, our blood sugar levels can remain constant.

Recent research has expanded our understanding of these health benefits. What we now know is that peas and other legumes can help us reduce our fasting blood sugar as well as our fasting insulin levels. (As measured by laboratory tests of glycosylated hemoblobin and fructosamine) Our long-term control of blood sugar is also enhanced by the intake of green peas. When combined with a total fiber diet, these benefits are increased. They are also increased when green peas are consumed as part of an overall diet that is low in glycemic index.

The outstanding antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient composition of green peas are very likely to play a role in these blood sugar benefits. Regular consumption of antioxidant nutrients can help us to prevent chronic, unwanted oxidative stress, while regular consumption of anti-inflammatory nutrients may help to prevent chronic, unwanted inflammation. Chronic inflammation and chronic oxidative stress are established risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Lowering our risk in these two areas is very likely that one of the mechanisms, the diabetes prevention benefits are involved from green peas.

Heart Health Promotion
One area where we expected to find well-documented health benefits of green peas, is the area of ​​cardiovascular disease. We did not find specific documentation research in this area, we are confident that future research will confirm the important health benefits of green peas in relation to cardiovascular protection. Our reasoning here is simple. First, we know that strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection are required for healthy functioning of our blood vessels. The formation of plaque along our walls of blood vessels starts with chronic, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. Few foods are better equipped to provide us with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients than green peas. Second, we know that the intake of omega-3 fatty lowers our risk of cardiovascular problems. Green peas are a reliable source of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid or ALA. A cup of green peas provides us with ALA in an amount of about 30 milligrams. Third, we know that high homocysteine ​​levels increase our risk of cardiovascular disease, and plenty of B vitamins are needed to help our homocysteine ​​levels in check. Green peas provide us with very good amounts of vitamin B1 and folic acid, and good amounts of vitamins B2, B3 and B6. The critical cardioprotective B vitamin choline is also made of green peas in amounts of about 40 per cups. In combination, these nutrients are functions of green peas have a likely important role of these foods in protecting our cardiovascular health.

Protect against stomach cancer
Excessive inflammation and oxidative stress are risk factors not only in the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, but also for the development of cancer. A recent study has begun to examine the benefits of green peas with respect to a particular type of cancer stomach cancer. Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) is a disease that occurs more frequently in people who have very low intake of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, including key nutrients called polyphenols. A recent study in Mexico City has shown that daily consumption of green peas associated with other legumes with decreased risk of gastric cancer. In particular, decreased risk of gastric cancer was associated in this study with an average daily intake of a polyphenol called coumestrol at a level of two milligrams or more. Legumes (also green peas) were determined to be the main food contribution in this Mexico-based study coumestrol. Since a cup of green peas at least 10 milligrams of coumestrol green peas are very likely to offer some unique health benefits in this area of ​​cancer prevention. Of course, coumestrol is not included in the green peas the only cancer-protective nutrients! The wide variety of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in green peas is very likely that a primary role in the cancer-preventive benefits of these foods to play.

Tips for preparing Green Peas
Before you remove the peas from the pod, rinse them under running water. To easily peel, snap out of the top and bottom of the gondola and then carefully pull off the "thread" that lines the seam of the most pea pods. For those who do not have "issues", carefully cut through the seam, be careful not to cut into the peas. Carefully open the pods, the seeds that do not need to wash, because they have been enclosed in the nacelle to remove.

The classic way of cooking peas is a pot with several sheets washed Boston or Bibb lettuce line and then the peas to the salad. You can then use fresh herbs and spices if you wish. Cover the peas with lettuce leaves, add one or two tablespoons of water and cover the pan. Cook the peas for about 15 to 20 minutes, after which they be tender and flavorful.

Snow peas and sugar snap peas can be eaten raw, even if the cooking process ensure that they become sweeter. In any case, they should be rinsed beforehand. Healthy sauteeing is one of the best ways to cook these types of peas.

The healthiest way to cook
Of all the cooking methods we tried when cooking green peas, fry is our favorite healthy. We think that it is the greatest flavor and is also a method that allows for concentrated nutrient retention.

To healthy fry peas, heat 3 TBS broth (vegetable or chicken) or water in a stainless steel pan. Once bubbles begin to form add green peas, cover, and cook Healthy for 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with our Mediterranean Dressing.

Cooking Spinach

Tips for preparing spinach

Spinach should, because the leaves are very well washed and stems tend to collect sand and soil. Before washing, trim the roots and the leaves to separate. Place the spinach in a large bowl with warm water and swish the leaves around with your hands, as this will allow dirt to be loosened. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl fill with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt in the water (usually two to three times will do it) remains. Spinach soaking do not let seep water-soluble nutrients in the water in the water.

Spinach was sold in bags prewashed and should be rinsed only. If you are going to use it in a salad, dry it shake in a sieve with a salad spinner or by them.

The healthiest way to cook spinach
Spinach is one of only three vegetables we recommend cooking free to acids and allow them to leach into the boiling water; that brings a sweeter taste from the spinach. Discard the boiling water after cooking; Do not drink or use it for storage because of the acidity.

Use a large pot (3 liters) with plenty of water and bring to bring to a rapid boil. Add spinach to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Begin timing as soon as you place the spinach in the pot when you are £ 1 or less of spinach. If you cook large quantities of spinach bring the water back to a boil before timing of 1 minute. Cover the pot not cooking spinach. Leave the pot uncovered helps free up more of the acids with the rising steam. Research has shown that the boiling of the water in large amounts will help spinach oxalic acid content to decrease.

Remove spinach from pan, press the liquid with a fork in a bowl, toss with our Mediterranean dressing, and top with your favorite optional ingredients. For details, see 1-minute spinach.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas
Add layers of spinach to your next lasagna recipe.
Pine nuts are a great addition to spinach.
Spinach salads are a classic easy and delicious meal or side dish.
Nutrition Facts

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), manganese, folic acid, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. It is a very good source of fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, choline, and protein. In addition, a spinach godo source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, pantothenic acid and selenium. While this mixture of conventional nutrients spinach gives a unique status to the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory unit it is the unusual combination of plant compounds in spinach that "seals the deal" in reference to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. In terms of flavonoids, spinach is a unique source of methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides, and in terms of carotenoids, its difficult to find a more helpful source of lutein and zeaxanthin. The carotenoids epoxyxanthophyll neoxanthin and violaxanthin are also welcomed constituents of spinach.

Healthy Eating with the Seasons

Each week we celebrate a food that is in season because that is when the most flavor and nutritional value, and when it is most affordable. Search for the largest fresh foods that are grown locally and are in season.

Seasons form the natural backdrop for the food. All of the world's healthiest foods are seasonal. Imagine a vegetable garden in the dead of winter. Now imagine the same garden on a sunny summer day. How different things during these two seasons are! For ecologists, seasons are as a source of natural diversity. Changes in growth conditions from spring to summer or autumn to winter are considered to balance the resources of the earth and its life forms as essential. But today it is so easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat! Modern food processing and worldwide distribution of food make foods throughout the year, and grocery stores shelves look much the same in December as they do in July.

Research support seasonal food
In a study in 1997 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in London carried out, England, significant differences in the nutrient content of pasteurized milk found in summer against winter. Iodine was higher in winter; Beta-carotene was in the summer. The Ministry discovered that these differences in milk composition were primarily due to differences in the diet of the cows. With more salt-preserved foods in winter and more fresh plants in the summer, cows ended up producing nutritionally different milks during the two seasons. Likewise, researchers in Japan found three fold differences in the vitamin C content of spinach harvested in summer against winter.

Seasonal food guide for
What does this mean for you? Eat seasonal! To enjoy the complete nutrition of food, you need to make your menu a season. In various parts of the world, and even in different regions of a country, seasonal menus can vary. But here are some overarching principles that you can follow to ensure optimal nutrition for all seasons:

In spring, focus on tender leaf vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of this season. The Greenery, which should take place in the spring of vegetables on the plate, even chard, spinach, romaine lettuce, fresh parsley and basil to be represented.
In summer, stick with light, cooling foods in the tradition of traditional Chinese medicine. These foods include fruits such as strawberries, apples, pears and plums; Vegetables such as squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn; and spices and seasonings like peppermint and cilantro.
In the fall, turn toward the more warming, autumn harvest foods, including carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and garlic. Also emphasize the more warming and spices such as ginger, pepper, mustard and seeds.
In the winter, turn even more exclusively on warming food. Keep in mind the principle that the food to grow longer, are usually more than warming foods that grow quickly. All animal foods fall into the category warming with fish, chicken, beef and lamb. So do most root vegetables, including carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic. Eggs also fit here, such as corn and nuts to do.
In all seasons, be creative! Let the natural backdrop of spring, summer, autumn and winter be your guide.