Sugar is hidden in many things. I find it important to read labels carefully to ensure that I am not consuming excess processed sugar. The best way to avoid extra sugar is to make things from scratch. It doesn't always take as much time as one may think. I have included two easy recipes that can eliminate extra sugar are Oatmeal and Pasta sauce. And a bit of information on the amount of sugar in these processed foods.

Oats

1 packet of instant Quaker oatmeal = 13 grams of sugar
(loads of additives)

Quakers Original rolled oats = 1 gram of sugar
(Only one ingredient, rolled oats of course!)

Now that's quite a difference! I love having oatmeal for breakfast. It's filling and high in fiber. I have included a quick and easy recipe below. Ready in 5 minutes! Treat yourself to some yummy fresh oatmeal!

For more nutritional information you can go to:
http://www.quakeroats.com/home.aspx

Pasta Sauce

1/2 cup of Traditional Prego = 10 grams of sugar
1/2 cup of canned Muir Glyn tomatoes = 4 grams of sugar

That's less than HALF the sugar! My recipe does not take all day. In the amount of time it takes you to boil your pasta you can have this already made. Not to mention, it is a great deal better for you and your family.

For more nutrition information you can go to: http://www.prego.com

And www.muirglyn.com

Recipies

It doesn't have to be this way ladies!

You can have your burger and eat healty too!
It is all about what I love, eating in! When you make something yourself you have total control of the ingredients. A burger can be any thing you want it to be. You are your own grill master!



For me, a burger still has to be a bit fatty to taste good and it still has to be red meat. So I choose buffalo meat, a naturally lean meat with a super yummy taste. I enjoy Maverick Ranch meats. No pesticides, no hormones and no steroids. As an added bonus is is family run and they believe in sustainable ranching! Here is their site if you would like to learn more.
http://www.maverickranch.com/


I then add some yummy veggies, a nice slice of purple onion. (I would love for someone to tell me about this red onion business it is really purple isn't it?)
A crispy piece of lettuce. I like butter lettuce.
And a nice slice of yummy tomato, salted. I am a firm believer that a wee bit of salt sprinkled on a slice of tomato truly brings out the flavor.
A piece of seriously sharp cheddar cheese melted on top of the grilled patty and all placed on a toasted whole wheat bun.
And we have my favorite burger.


By eating in and choosing your own healthy ingredients you can make any dish that would normally be not so good for you at a restaurant, a perfectly reasonable treat at home.


If you love burgers and would like more recipes even some outrageous recipes please visit
http://www.buildabetterburger.com/

Blackberry Pancakes.

As I woke up this lovely Sunday morning I had one simple pure and yummy thought in my head. Blackberry pancakes! My husband is the pancake chef in our family, so I roused him out of bed with some fresh coffee and sent him into the kitchen. "Blackberry pancakes?" My husband said to me as I went about washing the bunch I had purchased the day before. "Yes, they will be delicious," I reassured him. And of course they where.

To ensure that the yumminess of the blackberry was tasted in every bite, I cut up these large and scrumptious berries into eighths. As the bottom half of the pancake began to settle my husband sprinkled the little pieces of blackberry on the the other half just before he flipped them.

We ate our pancakes on our sun porch. With extra berries on the side!

A tip for yummy pancakes:

Keep the oven just a bit warm. As a batch of pancakes are ready, slip them onto a plate in the oven. Keep the extra plates needed for whomever you are having over in the oven as well. In this way the pancakes stay warm even as you eat them. 

Happy Memorial Day weekend friends,

Liz

My New Favorite Cook Book

My sister-in-law, Jennie, recently got me involved in an organic Produce Club. So every Monday I go and see my new friend Katy and she gives me a basket of produce.  (OK, so it is not really a basket, it is a paper bag.  I have to admit it took a bit of childish joy out of the situation when I found out.  Yet now I just bring my own basket, keep the joy, and save a paper bag!)  She loads me up with all kinds of fresh, in season goodies. You never know what is going to be in your bag until she emails you on Sunday to remind you of your pick up. I am always anxiously awaiting the arrival of the email. "What will be in my basket?  What wonderful and new creations am I going to make that week for dinner?"  The produce is always organic, in season and is as local and she can get it.

With this new and adventurous produce in my refrigerator I needed inspiration.  Well, more than inspiration, a guide book to these new and wonderful yummies.  My new kitchen bible is a cook book recommended to me by Jennie.

She told me about “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” By Deborah Madison.  Anyone interested in cooking healthy meals with all kinds of yummy vegetables should own one. I have had many a cook book in my day and this beats all. Please note that I am a carnivore. I do eat mostly fish and chicken, but also on occasion beef of any type. Be it buffalo or goat. Yet, this cook book has been the best I have invested in. Not only teaching me how to properly chop vegetables I have yet to have experience with. But also, what wines go best with which vegetables, and how to properly store and trim each vegetable or fruit I come across. It is the most used book in my house. I love it!

The Food Enthusiast

Welcome to my Kitchen!

I am starting this blog as a conversation.

I love to talk about food and I have recently been exposed to the world of blogging through friends and family. I thought this would be a fantastic outlet.

So that I may share my experiences with food and also learn from other food lovers.

~Liz