Grandma Hystad’s Recipes, Drinks, Bar Mixes, Food and Cooking Tips

GRANDMA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP

VANILLA PUDDING

SUPER EASY VEGAN SALAD

PEACH MUFFINS

GRANDMA’S FRENCH DRESSING

GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

LIGHTSIDE

BACK TO COOKING SCHOOL

FOOD INFORMATION

BAR MIXES

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

ARCHIVES

GRANDMA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP
3 tablespoons………………….(45 ml)…………………………butter
2 cups………………………………………(500 ml)………………………thin sliced onion
4 ½ cups…………………………………(1125 ml)……………………bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
2 teaspoons……………………….(10 ml)…………………………sugar
French bread
Parmesan cheese or other finely grated cheese
heat butter, add onions, simmer about 10 minutes or until soft
and lightly brown. Add bouillon, bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add sugar.
Pour soup into individual soup dishes.  On top of each, float a slice
Of sautéed French bread and sprinkle with grated cheese.  Put in oven
350 F, (175 C), until cheese is melted.

YIELD: 6 servings.
TIME: 60 minutes.

VANILLA PUDDING
1 cup, 2 tbsp. …………………………….(280 ml)……………………pudding mix
2 cups………………………………………………………(500 ml)……………………water
2 tablespoons……………………………………(30 ml)………………………butter or margarine
1-teaspoon……………………………………………(5 ml)…………………………vanilla
Combine pudding mix and water in saucepan.  Bring to boil, turn
Stove down and boil gently for 2-3 minutes.  Stir constantly.  Remove from heat, add
margarine and vanilla. Stir.  Let stand for 15 minutes, stir again and chill.

YIELD: 4 servings.

Super Easy Vegan Pasta Salad

2 cups whole wheat pasta, cooked & cooled

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

 

Directions:

Mix together the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies, and stir well

Peach Muffins

1 ¾ cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

4 teaspoons oil

2 eggs, beaten lightly

¾ cup peeled peaches

Bake at 400 F., 15-20 minutes.

GRANDMA’S FRENCH DRESSING
1 teaspoon …………(5 ml)…………sugar
2 teaspoons………..(10 ml)………..salt
½ teaspoon………..(2.5 ml)…………pepper
½ teaspoon ……….(2.5 ml)…………paprika
1 ½  cup……………(375 ml)……….salad oil
½ cup………………(125 ml)……….vinegar
1 clove of garlic (if desired)
Put sugar, salt, pepper and paprika in jar.  Add oil, vinegar and
garlic.  Shake well.  When dressing is thoroughly blended, pour
over salad.
YIELD:  approximately 2 cups (500 ml)
CALORIES: 92 per tablespoon (15 ml)
TIME: 10 minutes.

GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon …………(2.5 ml) …………salt
½ teaspoon…………(2.5 ml)………….dry mustard
¼ teaspoon …………(1.25 ml)…………paprika
dash cayenne
2 tablespoons ……..(30 ml)……………vinegar
1 cup ……………….(250 ml)…………..salad oil
Put egg yolk and seasoning in bowl and mix well.  Add 1 tablespoon(15.ml) vinegar and beat well.  Gradually beat in oil until ¼ cup of mixture is used.  Then add 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) at a time.  As mixture thickens add remaining vinegar.  If oil is added to quickly, mayonnaise will curdle.  To fix this add 1 more egg yolk and continue.
Store mayonnaise in covered jar and refrigerate.
YIELD: approximately 1 ¼ cup (310 ml).
CALORIES: 104 per tablespoon (15 ml).
Time: 15 minutes

LIGHTSIDE

A Sure Cure

An older lady came out screaming after being told by the young Doctor she was pregnant.  The head doctor of the clinic stopped her and asked her what the problem was. She tells him and he gets her to settle down in a chair, and then rushes over to the young doctor that she came from.

“What’s the matter with you, telling a 80 year old lady she is pregnant” he asks the young Doctor.

The Doctor kept writing the prescription he was filling out, and without looking up at his superior, asked, “Does she still have the hiccups?”

BACK TO COOKING SCHOOL.

TENDER CUTS of meat can be cooked by dry heat, as in broiling, pan-broiling, or roasting.
TOUGH CUTS can only be made tender by moist heat, as in pot-roasting and Stewing.

Our main object is to prevent shrinkage in so far as possible, and produce a tender, juicy, tasty product. In roasting, searing does little to help keep in juices, less shrinkage results at a lower temperature for a longer time (300 F). Searing however makes the meat look attractive and the outside layers taste better.

An uncovered pan with a rack in the bottom gives the best results in roasting.  Cooking time varies with preference.
For rare meat, 16 minutes per pound.
For medium meat, 22 minutes per pound.
For well done meat, 30 minutes per pound.

Add salt during or after cooking, not before.  The salt flavour does not penetrate more then 1 inch. If the meat does not reach the desired colour during roasting, increase the heat to (500 F) for a few minutes before removing from the pan.

Methods of searing is subjecting the meat to a high temperature until it is nicely browned.

By Browning in an uncovered pan in a hot oven (450 F-500F).
By Browning in hot fat in a frying pan on the surface burner.
By Adding boiling water and cooking at boiling temperature until the outside of the meat has lost its red colour.

Reasons For Cooking Meat
To develop flavour.
To soften the connective tissue when present in large quantity.
To kill any living organisms that may be present

FOOD INFORMATION.

How safe is our food supply?

Increasingly, the corporations that supply us with processed foods are unable to guarantee the safety of their ingredients. As a result, not just red meat and poultry, is now a potential carrier of pathogens, government and industry officials concede. As the drive to keep food costs down intensifies, most corporations do not even know who is supplying their ingredients, let alone if those suppliers are screening the items for microbes and other potential dangers.

Some concede that they cannot ensure the safety of items — from frozen vegetables to pizzas — and that they are shifting the burden of safety to the consumer. It seems the only time we know the products are unsafe, is when there is a problem, people get sick, and the product is recalled.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association has called for new safety initiatives.   They include new training and more food safety audits.   The grocers also want a new internet-based recall system to speed up the process of finding and removing recalled food products.

For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit: www.inspection.gc.ca

Don’t just guess to tell when meat, poultry and seafood are done.  Instead, use a food thermometer to make sure foods have reached at least the following internal temperatures:

Steaks: 145 degrees F (medium rare)

Ground beef: 160 degrees F

Chicken breasts: 165 degrees F

Whole poultry: 165 degrees F

Pork: 160 degrees F

Fish: 145 degrees F

Officials of Ottawa Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency remind home canners and consumers that home canning and bottling of seafood is popular in Canada, but food safety awareness should be the priority when home canning or when buying home canned products from vendors.

Improper preparation, canning or storage, especially of low-acid foods such as clams, lobster and whelks, can cause serious illness, even botulism. Bacteria that produce colourless, odourless, tasteless, invisible toxins not necessarily destroyed by cooking cause botulism.

To keep home canned food safe, the Canadian health agencies advise canners remember to:

Use a pressure canner and strictly follow the manufacturer’s instructions for low-acid food canning or bottling. Recipe ingredients, amounts, or jar sizes should not be changed because these can affect times/pressures needed and could result in bacteria remains in the food.

Clean and keep sanitizing hands, all work surfaces, food, utensils, and equipment during all stages of the canning process.

Use home canned product within one year. Once the container has been opened, refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Never eat canned foods if the closure or seal has been broken, or if the container is swollen or leaking. If in doubt, throw it out.

The Memorial Day weekend is coming up. It marks the unofficial start of summer. Many will celebrate with a cook out or picnic, two things that can lead to food borne illnesses.

Food safety experts say hand washing and cooking food thoroughly can help prevent those illnesses.

Never use the same plate to carry both raw and cooked food.

And that burger-flipping spatula? Same principal applies: Don’t use the same one to drop the burgers on the grill and then retrieve them once cooked.

Most people believe that when meat turns brown, it’s done.  In fact, one out of four burgers turn brown before it reaches 160 degrees.  Use a cooking thermometer.

IF IT’S STEAK, MAKE SURE IT’S WELL SEARED

Cooking steak is not the same as cooking ground beef. Bacteria like to congregate on the surface and edges of steak. So be sure to sear it to kill toxins.

BAR MIXES

If you have teenagers, or in fact any adult, impress on them the risks of driving while intoxicated. Statistics demonstrate drunk drivers cause many fatal road accidents.

 

It should be known that like any other drug, addiction is a potential hazard.  Excess of alcohol will affect organs such as the brain, heart, and liver.

 

BLACK VELVET

In tall glass add half chilled Guinness stout, and half chilled champagne. Stir quickly.

 

Rum Punch

½ Pint Puerto Rican Rum

½ Pint peach Brandy

½ Pint Lemon or Lime Juice

5 tablespoons Bitters

6 Pints Soda Water

Stir rum, brandy, juice and bitters in a bowl.  When ready to serve, add block of ice and soda.

Serve 10 persons

 House Standard
1 jigger Tequila
2 jiggers Tomato Juice
2 dashes Tabasco
Shake with cracked ice and strain.
Serve with slice of lemon.

 NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK

 LEMONADE FRUIT

2 teaspoons bar sugar

Juice of one lemon

1 ounce raspberry syrup

Stir together in a 12 –ounce chimney glass.  Fill glass with shaved ice.  Fill glass with water.  Stir.  Decorate with an orange slice, lemon slice, and a cherry.  Serve with straws.

 Tea Punch
3 cups brewed strong black tea
1 quart orange juice
1 cup lime or lemon juice
2 cups raspberry syrup
1 cup crushed pineapple
Bar sugar to taste
2 quarts club soda

Pour all ingredients except soda over a large block of ice in a punch bowl. Stir well. Let it chill. At serving time, add chilled soda.

 

Grandma Hystad’s Recipes, Drinks, Food Information, Cooking Information

CONTENTS

GRANDMA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP

VANILLA PUDDING

SUPER EASY VEGAN SALAD

PEACH MUFFINS

GRANDMA’S FRENCH DRESSING

GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

LIGHTSIDE

BACK TO COOKING SCHOOL

FOOD INFORMATION

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

GRANDMA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP
3 tablespoons………………….(45 ml)…………………………butter
2 cups………………………………………(500 ml)………………………thin sliced onion
4 ½ cups…………………………………(1125 ml)……………………bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
2 teaspoons……………………….(10 ml)…………………………sugar
French bread
Parmesan cheese or other finely grated cheese
heat butter, add onions, simmer about 10 minutes or until soft
and lightly brown. Add bouillon, bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add sugar.
Pour soup into individual soup dishes.  On top of each, float a slice
Of sautéed French bread and sprinkle with grated cheese.  Put in oven
350 F, (175 C), until cheese is melted.

YIELD: 6 servings.
TIME: 60 minutes.

VANILLA PUDDING
1 cup, 2 tbsp. …………………………….(280 ml)……………………pudding mix
2 cups………………………………………………………(500 ml)……………………water
2 tablespoons……………………………………(30 ml)………………………butter or margarine
1-teaspoon……………………………………………(5 ml)…………………………vanilla
Combine pudding mix and water in saucepan.  Bring to boil, turn
Stove down and boil gently for 2-3 minutes.  Stir constantly.  Remove from heat, add
margarine and vanilla. Stir.  Let stand for 15 minutes, stir again and chill.

YIELD: 4 servings.

Super Easy Vegan Pasta Salad

2 cups whole wheat pasta, cooked & cooled

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Mix together the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies, and stir well.

Peach Muffins

1 ¾ cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

4 teaspoons oil

2 eggs, beaten lightly

¾ cup peeled peaches

Bake at 400 F., 15-20 minutes.

GRANDMA’S FRENCH DRESSING
1 teaspoon …………(5 ml)…………sugar
2 teaspoons………..(10 ml)………..salt
½ teaspoon………..(2.5 ml)…………pepper
½ teaspoon ……….(2.5 ml)…………paprika
1 ½  cup……………(375 ml)……….salad oil
½ cup………………(125 ml)……….vinegar
1 clove of garlic (if desired)
Put sugar, salt, pepper and paprika in jar.  Add oil, vinegar and
garlic.  Shake well.  When dressing is thoroughly blended, pour
over salad.
YIELD:  approximately 2 cups (500 ml)
CALORIES: 92 per tablespoon (15 ml)
TIME: 10 minutes.

GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon …………(2.5 ml) …………salt
½ teaspoon…………(2.5 ml)………….dry mustard
¼ teaspoon …………(1.25 ml)…………paprika
dash cayenne
2 tablespoons ……..(30 ml)……………vinegar
1 cup ……………….(250 ml)…………..salad oil
Put egg yolk and seasoning in bowl and mix well.  Add 1 tablespoon(15.ml) vinegar and beat well.  Gradually beat in oil until ¼ cup of mixture is used.  Then add 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) at a time.  As mixture thickens add remaining vinegar.  If oil is added to quickly, mayonnaise will curdle.  To fix this add 1 more egg yolk and continue.
Store mayonnaise in covered jar and refrigerate.
YIELD: approximately 1 ¼ cup (310 ml).
CALORIES: 104 per tablespoon (15 ml).
Time: 15 minutes

LIGHTSIDE

A Sure Cure

An older lady came out screaming after being told by the young Doctor she was pregnant.  The head doctor of the clinic stopped her and asked her what the problem was. She tells him and he gets her to settle down in a chair, and then rushes over to the young doctor that she came from.

“What’s the matter with you, telling a 80 year old lady she is pregnant” he asks the young Doctor.

The Doctor kept writing the prescription he was filling out, and without looking up at his superior, asked, “Does she still have the hiccups?”

BACK TO COOKING SCHOOL.

TENDER CUTS of meat can be cooked by dry heat, as in broiling, pan-broiling, or roasting.
TOUGH CUTS can only be made tender by moist heat, as in pot-roasting and Stewing.

Our main object is to prevent shrinkage in so far as possible, and produce a tender, juicy, tasty product. In roasting, searing does little to help keep in juices, less shrinkage results at a lower temperature for a longer time (300 F). Searing however makes the meat look attractive and the outside layers taste better.

An uncovered pan with a rack in the bottom gives the best results in roasting.  Cooking time varies with preference.
For rare meat, 16 minutes per pound.
For medium meat, 22 minutes per pound.
For well done meat, 30 minutes per pound.

Add salt during or after cooking, not before.  The salt flavour does not penetrate more then 1 inch. If the meat does not reach the desired colour during roasting, increase the heat to (500 F) for a few minutes before removing from the pan.

Methods of searing is subjecting the meat to a high temperature until it is nicely browned.

By Browning in an uncovered pan in a hot oven (450 F-500F).
By Browning in hot fat in a frying pan on the surface burner.
By Adding boiling water and cooking at boiling temperature until the outside of the meat has lost its red colour.

Reasons For Cooking Meat
To develop flavour.
To soften the connective tissue when present in large quantity.
To kill any living organisms that may be present

FOOD INFORMATION.

How safe is our food supply?

Increasingly, the corporations that supply us with processed foods are unable to guarantee the safety of their ingredients. As a result, not just red meat and poultry, is now a potential carrier of pathogens, government and industry officials concede. As the drive to keep food costs down intensifies, most corporations do not even know who is supplying their ingredients, let alone if those suppliers are screening the items for microbes and other potential dangers.

For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit: www.  inspection.gc.ca

Don’t just guess to tell when meat, poultry and seafood are done.  Instead, use a food thermometer to make sure foods have reached at least the following internal temperatures:

Steaks: 145 degrees F (medium rare)

Ground beef: 160 degrees F

Chicken breasts: 165 degrees F

Whole poultry: 165 degrees F

Pork: 160 degrees F

Fish: 145 degrees F

Officials of Ottawa Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency remind home canners and consumers that home canning and bottling of seafood is popular in Canada, but food safety awareness should be the priority when home canning or when buying home canned products from vendors.

To keep home canned food safe, the Canadian health agencies advise canners remember to:

Use a pressure canner and strictly follow the manufacturer’s instructions for low-acid food canning or bottling. Recipe ingredients, amounts, or jar sizes should not be changed because these can affect times/pressures needed and could result in bacteria remains in the food.

Clean and keep sanitizing hands, all work surfaces, food, utensils, and equipment during all stages of the canning process.

Use home canned product within one year. Once the container has been opened, refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Never eat canned foods if the closure or seal has been broken, or if the container is swollen or leaking. If in doubt, throw it out.

The Memorial Day weekend is coming up. It marks the unofficial start of summer. Many will celebrate with a cook out or picnic, two things that can lead to food borne illnesses.

Food safety experts say hand washing and cooking food thoroughly can help prevent those illnesses.

Never use the same plate to carry both raw and cooked food.

And that burger-flipping spatula? Same principal applies: Don’t use the same one to drop the burgers on the grill and then retrieve them once cooked.

Most people believe that when meat turns brown, it’s done.  In fact, one out of four burgers turn brown before it reaches 160 degrees.  Use a cooking thermometer.

IF IT’S STEAK, MAKE SURE IT’S WELL SEARED

Cooking steak is not the same as cooking ground beef. Bacteria like to congregate on the surface and edges of steak. So be sure to sear it to kill toxins.

BAR MIXES

If you have teenagers, or in fact any adult, impress on them the risks of driving while intoxicated. Statistics demonstrate drunk drivers cause many fatal road accidents.

It should be known that like any other drug, addiction is a potential hazard.  Excess of alcohol will affect organs such as the brain, heart, and liver.

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK

LEMONADE FRUIT

2 teaspoons bar sugar

Juice of one lemon

1 ounce raspberry syrup

Stir together in a 12 –ounce chimney glass.  Fill glass with shaved ice.  Fill glass with water.  Stir.  Decorate with an orange slice, lemon slice, and a cherry.  Serve with straws.

Tea Punch
3 cups brewed strong black tea
1 quart orange juice
1 cup lime or lemon juice
2 cups raspberry syrup
1 cup crushed pineapple
Bar sugar to taste
2 quarts club soda

Pour all ingredients except soda over a large block of ice in a punch bowl. Stir well. Let it chill. At serving time, add chilled soda.

 

 

News Today Is Super Bowl- Exciting

Today is the IG Day for all football fans! In less than 12 hours, the Super Bowl 2010Title game between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts will be viewed by millions of homes in America, Canada through CBS and the people around the worl via Satellite Direct or of some sort.

So who is your team? I would be betting for my Saints to win the title. My best buds are rooting for the heavily favored Colts but I won’t be swayed. Go go Saints!

How about the fact that two teams will be having a shootout in the Super Bowl 2010? Knowing the numbers that the New Orleans Saints ranked No 1 in offense, most of us can accept the fact that Indianapolis Colts can match it toe-to-toe. Saints firepower was witnessed in all their regular season games as well as their games against the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers. They can score anytime they want with their quarterback Drew Brees who has a great season.

How is your Super Bowl Party Plans going? Are you gonna be with love ones at home or best buds at your headquarters? How about the food? Steaks, Hotdogs or even Chinese foods? Or how about those beer kegs? The Budweiser?

Here are some tips I would like to share to you…for your Super Bowl Party, here are some Super Bowl recipes, click here and indulge!

You might want to change your cable subscription to get 3500 HighDefinition channels including the Super Bowl tonight, click here for more information

Foods That Burn Fat, Foods That Turn to Fat

1. Oatmeal

If I could only choose one source of complex, starchy carbohydrates for a fat loss program, this would be it! Oatmeal is the one carbohydrate food that virtually 100% of all bodybuilders and fitness models eat on a daily basis. What makes it so great? Well, although it’s a starchy carbohydrate, oatmeal has a nice balance between carbs, protein and good fat. A half a cup contains 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs and 5 grams of protein. The low glycemic index, combined with the presence of protein and fat makes oatmeal a very slowly released carb – exactly what you’re looking for when you want to get lean.

Make sure you choose the all-natural oats; either old-fashioned oats (such as Quaker) or the quick oats. Stay away from the sweetened and or flavored oatmeal packets. Oatmeal is delicious with natural (sugar free) applesauce and cinnamon. Or, try some crushed walnuts or flaxseeds in your morning oats, which will give your “porridge” a nice crunchy texture while adding those desirable “good fats” we all need. For a complete meal, try a couple scoops of Vanilla Praline flavored protein powder in your oatmeal. If you get tired of oatmeal, there are plenty of other cooked whole grain cereals in the “oatmeal family.” Look in your local health food store (or a gourmet supermarket) for barley, wheat, titricale, rye, oat bran and flax cereals (or a multi grain combination of the above).

2. Yams (and sweet potatoes)

Right behind oatmeal, yams (and sweet potatoes) are probably my second favorite starchy carbohydrate. Flavorful, all-natural, low in calories, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants like beta-carotene, it’s no wonder yams are a favorite carbohydrate among bodybuilders, fitness competitors and health-seekers alike. According to Brian Rowley, science editor for FLEX magazine, “Bodybuilders use yams when cutting bodyfat because they are low on the glycemic index. Waxy white potatoes (boilers) are high on the glycemic index, so they make an excellent postworkout meal, but nothing compares with a yam the rest of the time.”

Although the glycemic index is a secondary factor when making carb choices on the BFFM program, if you’re carb sensitive or if you’re on a very strict diet (like a contest diet), then the glycemic index should be given more weight in your choices. Yams are one of the best. Sweet potatoes are not exactly the same thing as yams (they’re slightly higher on the glycemic index), but they’re otherwise similar, which also makes them good choices for fat burning diets. You can identify a yam by its darker orange color, pointier ends and unusual sizes/shapes. Combine a yam with a green veggie, a chicken breast, lean red meat or fish, and you’ve got yourself a perfect fat-burning, muscle building, metabolism boosting meal.

3. Potatoes (white or red)

Potatoes have earned an undeserved reputation as a food to avoid on a fat loss program. But think about it; Potatoes meet every criteria of a great carbohydrate: potatoes are a complex carb. They are all-natural. They contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are filling. They are low in calories. So why do people avoid them? One reason is because they confuse a dry potato with a loaded potato. Smother a potato with butter, sour cream and bacon bits and then you’ve got yourself a fattening, calorie-dense ensemble. Eat it dry or top it with Butter sprinkles, salsa or your favorite low fat, low calorie topping and you can’t go wrong.

Another reason people might avoid the potato is because they are using the glycemic index as their primary gauge for choosing carbohydrates. Potatoes are high on the glycemic index, which means they are absorbed as blood sugar very rapidly. What most people don’t realize however, is that when you eat your potato as a whole meal with your favorite lean protein, the glycemic index of the entire meal is much lower. Most people also don’t realize that some white potatoes are higher in the GI than others. Baking potatoes are higher in amylose, a slow releasing starch, so the glycemic index is lower. Russet potatoes are also moderate on the GI. Waxy potatoes or boilers are high GI foods. If you’re extremely carb sensitive or hypoglycemic, then you might want to eat more yams than white potatoes, but generally speaking, white potatoes make a superb addition to almost any fat burning diet. I personally eat white potatoes right up until the day of a bodybuilding contest and I have no difficulty reaching 3-4% body fat.

4. Brown Rice

Brown rice is another staple food of bodybuilders and you often see the “muscled ones” chowing down platefuls of rice, both in season and out of season (in smaller quantities during the “cutting-up” season). Prior to contests, bodybuilders sometimes reduce the amount of rice (starchy carbs) and add in more green veggies (fibrous carbs), but rice is a solid year round staple, as long as you keep your calories in check. Obviously, this means avoiding fried rice or other rice dishes that have added fat and calories. Steamed or boiled rice is the way to go.

Of the many types of rice, slow-cooked brown rice or basmati rice are your number one choices. Instant (pre-cooked) rice is fine when you’re in a crunch for time, but the instant rice digests much more quickly and is processed in the body more like a simple carbohydrate. The same goes for white rice, especially the sweet variety that’s usually served in Chinese and Asian restaurants (including sushi rolls). White rice is the processed version of brown rice. Although it’s still technically a starchy complex carbohydrate, the white rice burns faster and has been stripped of much of its nutritional value. When you’re on a very strict fat loss diet, stick with the slow-cooking brown rice for best results.

5. 100% whole wheat and whole grain products

The “baseline diet” can and should contain a wide variety of bread products with one condition: They must be made from 100% whole grains (and the label must say, “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain” as the first ingredient). White bread and anything made out of white flour is not allowed in any quantity on this program (except the occasional planned “cheat meal”). If you’re particularly carb-sensitive, then bread – even the whole wheat variety – is one of the first things to go.

A small handful of people – usually one in 200, depending on what source you listen to – have sensitivity to the gluten in the wheat. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products and, much like lactose intolerance from dairy products, gluten intolerance can cause digestive difficulties and bloating in certain individuals. Most competitive bodybuilders drop out all the pasta and bread products for the 12-16 week dieting period before a contest, then usually put them back in for off-season maintenance. On very strict fat loss diets, wheat and bread products are usually eliminated completely. Generally speaking, however, 100% whole wheat and other whole grains are perfectly acceptable additions to a healthy diet for long term body composition control, it just depends on how “strict” you want or need to be with your nutrition.

6. Green fibrous vegetables (broccoli, green beans, asparagus, lettuce, etc)

Fibrous carbs are your number one choice for fat burning carbohydrates. Green vegetables, also known as fibrous carbs, hardly contain any calories (they have a low calorie density). It’s virtually impossible to overeat green vegetables. Eat them liberally and eat more of them late in the day. A diet of green vegetables combined with lean proteins is one of the best methods of getting lean as quickly as possible.

7. Fresh Fruit

Whole fruits are a fantastic, healthy food suitable for nearly any fat loss program. Although there are some “guru’s” in the bodybuilding industry who claim, “fruit is fattening,” this statement is somewhat misleading. It’s true that a diet of mostly complex carbohydrate will give you better results than a diet of mostly simple carbohydrates, but that’s not the same thing as saying “fruit is fattening.” Although fruits are simple carbohydrates, they are natural simple carbohydrates. Most fruits are low in calories, low in carbohydrate grams (compared to starches) and high in fiber.

Some fruits such as raisins are extremely calorie dense and best avoided when you’re on a strict fat loss program and your calorie allotment is small. Fruits like apples, peaches, grapefruits, and oranges, at only 60-80 calories apiece (or less), are a great addition to almost any nutritional plan. Just make sure the majority of your carbohydrates are of the complex type. An all-fruit or mostly fruit diet won’t be as effective for fat loss as one that is mostly green fibrous carbohydrates with lean protein.

8. Skim milk & nonfat dairy products

“Dairy products” cover an entire category of foods including milk, cheese, yogurt, sugar free frozen yogurt, and cottage cheese. To make it on the BFFM “approved” list, a dairy product must be labeled “fat-free,” “skim,” or 1% lowfat. Whole milk dairy products are not allowed, as they are high in fat. Even 2% low fat milk is still 37.5% fat by calories.

Dairy products are a “combination food” – they contain carbohydrates and proteins. Because the protein found in dairy products is high quality, complete protein, a high protein dairy product can count as an exchange for a protein food. For example, you could have non-fat cottage cheese as a protein instead of a serving of lean meat. Non-fat cheese can also boost the protein content of a meal. Yogurt tends to have less protein than cottage cheese, so a single container of yogurt wouldn’t count as a full protein serving. In fact, yogurt would count more as a simple carbohydrate exchange than a protein (although, you could mix in a scoop of protein powder into your yogurt to make it “high-protein yogurt).

9. Chicken Breast (and Turkey Breast)

Chicken and turkey are probably the number one most popular protein sources among bodybuilders and fat loss seekers. Remove the skin and get the light meat found in the breasts. The thighs are higher in fat and calories. Naturally, your poultry should be broiled, grilled, or roasted and not fried.

Also, we’re talking about the real bird here, not the sliced lunch meat you find at deli’s or pre-packed in supermarkets. Lunch meats are processed proteins. Some nutritionists call them “fabricated foods” because they are made from a mix and poured into a mold before being cooked and wrapped. While these are acceptable occasionally, don’t make them a staple in your regular daily diet. Lunch meats are loaded with sodium, preservatives, binders, fillers and other nasty chemicals that you don’t want floating around in your body!

10. Egg whites

The name of the game in fat-burning, muscle-building nutrition is to eat a lean protein with every meal. With zero fat, egg whites are as lean as lean proteins get. Egg whites are right up there with chicken breasts as one of the top three lean proteins of choice for losing fat and gaining muscle. Eggs are a super-high quality protein. The problem with whole eggs is the high fat and calorie content. Fortunately, 100% of the fat is in the yolk, while the protein is split evenly between the yolk and the white. This doesn’t mean you have to throw out all your yolks, but it does mean you should limit your yolks. I’d recommend one yolk for every six whites you eat. Just crack them open, and separate the yolk from the white using the edge of the shell. Or, even easier, simply use “Egg Beaters” or another packaged egg white product. There must be hundreds of ways to make eggs, so use your imagination: Omelets, frittatas, scrambled, fried (in nonstick spray), over easy, sunnyside up, hard-boiled or any other way you like them, use egg whites liberally!

11. Fish and shellfish

Many people complain about the lack of variety in a bodybuilding-style fat-burning diet, which typically has you eating egg whites, tuna and chicken day in, day out.What most people don’t eat enough of is fish and seafood. By using different types of fish and shellfish as protein sources, you can add an incredible amount of variety a well as getting those valuable good fats. Here is just a partial list of fish to consider: salmon, tuna, haddock, flounder, mackerel, trout, snapper, sea bass, swordfish, mahi mahi, perch, orange roughy, sole, Halibut, herring cod and catfish.

As with other meats, eat your fish baked, grilled or broiled and avoid fatty, high calorie sauces and butter. Most fish are very low in fat and high in protein. Some fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and trout, are high in fat. However, because fish is so high in Omega 3 fatty acids, these fish can and should be used liberally. Shellfish have many of the benefits that fish have and it can add some variety to your diet if you’re getting bored of egg whites and chicken. This category includes shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, etc. By the way, when you’re eating in restaurants, fish is a great choice, as long as you make sure there are no hidden bad fats or extra calories.

12. Lean red meat

Bodybuilders are quite famous for loving their red meat. Many bodybuilders believe that red meat helps muscle growth, and there may be much truth in that statement. Red meat is high in protein, B-12, iron and creatine. The problem with most cuts of red meat is the high fat content. However, not all cuts of red meat are the same. It’s a mistake to label the entire red meat category as a no-no because of high fat content. If you carefully choose the leanest cuts possible and keep your portion sizes small, red meat can be a great addition to a fat burning program. For example, a 6 oz serving of lean, trimmed top round steak has only 9 grams of fat, while a 6 oz of untrimmed porterhouse has 37 grams of fat (and the 18 oz porterhouse you’re often served in a steak house has over 100 grams of fat!)

Bodybuilding Nutrition – How Does A Super Combo Diet Sound?

Let us ferry first to the Tropics for basic build up and bodybuilding nutrition. You are sitting in the middle of 45,000 acres of jungle woodland, littered with teeming plant life, perhaps a multitude of shimmering pot-herbs, vile ivy-like creeping albizzas, exotic magic mushrooms waiting to be evacuated and robust pomegranates, Umeboshi plums twinkling with decadent aroma. How to discover and arrange permutations of this bounty for healthy muscle gain, a life-time of freaky big muscles plus most importantly, a top of the feeling balance of the mind? How is this the business of the conscious grocery picker in Manitoba?

In the following sections, we will be having a 3 step-by-step discussion of how to catch the wind in your diet, put on fine and calming nerves during your workouts, produce terrific anti-bodies and maintain a healthy balance of body P.H.

The first step would be to set apart the functional qualities in say your vegan diet from its mere nutritional value. This is to isolate in your diet functions which server more than a mere supply of the basic ingredients of what you need to efficiently drive your metabolism. To include functional foods in your diet would mean to include foods that target specific functions in the body.

A functional food may also be one from which components have been removed, such as harmful saturated fatty acids. For instance, beneficial organic compounds produced almost exclusively by members of the Leguminosae (bean) family can now be extracted from Soya and added to products designed to help reduce osteoporosis (a bone disease) and as well promote cardiovascular health.

Same for some commercially produced extracts of garlic bulb which specifically promotes the build up of healthy fats and promotes circulation of blood to the muscles and the brain. Also, some specialty teas such as roobios (Aspalathus Linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia Intermedia), two tea species widely grown in South Africa are rich in antioxidant flavonoids-substances which boost immunity to allergies, viruses and cancer.

Put in a more straightforward manner, in a single meal of periwinkles ( a miniature kind of clam) gathered from the littoral waters of the Atlantic coasts of West Africa, one could crave its meaty juice for their rich protein content while adoring the chitin enriching flakes made from the shell. Chitin specifically enhances muscular agility and superb nervous co-ordination so that you can fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee and prance with the awesome lithe agility of a Manx cat. Well, the meaty juice of the periwinkle, all good for the packs but the chitin richness of the shell, good for those exclusive Harta Yoga stunts.

The second step would be to access the psycho-pharmacological value of your diet, which also serves different purposes other than the functional value of your diet. Staying in a strong capable body also involves cultivating stable and balanced mental and emotional environments.

The Ayurverdic nutritionist tradition of the Indian civilization holds that food beyond supplying you with the calories, vitamins and proteins, should enhance your bouyant humors states of well being. Your buoyant humors would reflect in your sense of timing during a workout, how effortlessly you are able to satisfy the mental demands of physical exercises, a state of relaxation as you relate with your partner(s) and the exuberance of the emotional colors or vibrations you exude during these moments.

In the Ayurverdic nutritionist tradition of Indian Civilization, vegetarian diets like that of the Soma plant supply you with the “Tapas”: motivating immeasurable bouts of energy that allow you to accomplish your tasks while at the same time giving you etheogenous radiance.

The third and final step we will be discussing as so to do with incorporating some degree of body PH measurement into your diet. The basic head on this has to do with shifting your body’s PH towards the Alkaline. The PH scale is from 0 to 14, with numbers ranging from 0 to 7 acidic (low in oxygen) and numbers above 7 and through to 14 alkaline. Acidic bodies are sickness magnets.

While there are no strict rules as to combining acidic foods and alkaline foods, it is advisable that a great percentage of the food one consumes should come from the alkalines. I will run a cute list of some acidic and alkaline foods though it is by no means exhaustive.

Alkalizing Vegetables: Alfalfa, barley grass, beets, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard greens, chlorella, collard greens, egg plant.

Acidic Vegetables: Corn, lentils, olives, winter squash.

Alkalizing Fruits: Apple, apricot, avocado, banana, blackberries, cantaloupe, dried dates.

Acidic Fruits: Cranberries, currant, blueberries, canned or glazed fruit

Alkalizing Proteins: Almonds, chestnuts, millet, tempeh (fermented), Tofu (fermented).

Acidic Proteins:Bacon, beef, carp, clams, cod, fish, haddock, lamb, lobster.

Bodybuilding nutrition such as getting a correct proportion of alkaline foods that suits your body’s needs is important to maintaining a healthy bodybuilding lifestyle. So remember, arrange your diet for a super combo mix of functionality, psycho-pharmacological values and a healthy PH balance.

Copyright 2008, Masszymes Inc. All rights reserved.

Next Page »