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Go Ahead - Play With Your Food!

LilSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:00:08 -0700

Parents may not be keen on their kids playing with food at the dinner table, but when it comes to tykes setting up a little restaurant or grocery store, things are more hands on. Food play encourages creativity and the more realistic the food looks, the better.

San Francisco-based Sweet Meats creates plush "pillows" designed to look like popular cuts of meat, including T-bones, pork chops and ham bones ($65 for the set). The adorable fleece toys are made from 100 percent recycled materials and colored with recycled AZO-free dyes. Ideal for carnivorous families wanting to encourage their kids to try new foods, the company also plans to introduce a plush bacon line this Summer.

Michael Symon's Pointers For Preparing Meat

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:30:54 -0700

At his seminar in Aspen, Iron Chef Michael Symon had a lot to share beyond flavor and spice. The pork-loving chef demonstrated how to make a double-bacon "BBLT" sandwich, with bacon, pork belly, lettuce, and pickled tomato, and kept the crowd entertained with his wisecracking (in addition to wanting to kill the inventor of the garlic press, Michael also wants to go after the guy who invented turkey bacon). As he paid homage to the pig with his 'wich, he also had plenty of pointers to offer when it comes to preparing meat. See them after the jump.

Limit Your Consumption of Red Meat, Reduce Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0700

By now, hopefully we all know that eating too much red meat is unhealthy. It can raise your cholesterol, lead to obesity, and put you at risk for heart problems. Now there's more bad news for red meat lovers: a large study found eating red and processed meat regularly leads to an increased risk of cancer.

In the 10-year study, 545,000 people were monitored based on their red meat consumption - some ate it every day, and others only ate five ounces a week. Men who ate a quarter-pound hamburger everyday (yikes) increased their risk of dying from cancer by 22 percent and their risk of dying from heart disease by 27 percent.

What about women? To find out read more.

For women, those who ate a ton of red meat increased their risk of dying from cancer by 20 percent and their risk of dying from heart disease by 50 percent - 50 percent ladies! That means it's absolutely crucial that people, especially women, limit their intake of red and processed meats such as steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, bacon, and cold cuts.

When it comes to getting protein, stick to healthier meats such as chicken and fish. Barry Popkin, director of the Interdisciplinary Obesity Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also says that limiting your meat consumption can have a positive effect on global warming. So it's good for you and good for the planet. If you're trying to eat lower on the food chain, check out these three cheap and natural meat substitutes.

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Prevent Food Poisoning

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:00:00 -0800

Holidays are coming, and getting a nasty bout of food poisoning is the last thing you want right now. Here are some ways to prevent it when it comes to buying, storing, and cooking food:

When grocery shopping, choose meat and poultry that's in the back of the refrigerated case, so you know it's cold. Those packages tend to be fresher too. Wrap it in a plastic bag so the juices can't drip out and contaminate other foods. Pick out these foods and other perishable items like dairy products last when shopping.

Place meat in the fridge if you plan on using it within two to three days. If you're going to be using it later in the week, store it in the freezer.
When defrosting meat, tightly wrap it and place it in the fridge so the juices can't drip on anything else once it begins to thaw. You can also defrost meat in the microwave. Or if you prefer, defrost meat (in a sealed package) in a bowl of cold water. Just be sure to change the water every 30 minutes.
Keep things clean. Wash your hands, your utensils, your dishes and everything else thoroughly to get rid of any bacteria before and after preparing food.

Want to hear the rest? Then read more

I'm sure you know this, but have separate cutting boards, one for preparing raw meat, and one for everything else like veggies and bread.
When cooking or grilling meat, have a separate plate for raw meat, and then use a different plate once it's cooked.
Cook meats to safe temperatures. You can tell by using a food thermometer. Most bacteria are killed once food has been cooked to temps between 140° F and 180° F.
If you're not sure if a food has been stored, prepared, or cooked properly, don't take a chance. If it's been left out for two or more hours at room temperature, or an hour or more in hotter weather, get rid of it. If you're not sure how long it's been out, trash it (even if it looks and smells fine).

Fit's Tips: Remember that washing meat like turkey doesn't help to decrease your chance of getting food poisoning. Heat is the only thing that can kill bacteria. Washing it only spreads the bacteria around since the water can easily splash to your counter tops, cutting boards and utensils, which can actually increase your chances of food poisoning.

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Food Review: LightLife Smart Stuffers

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

As a meat eater, I'm not afraid to chow down on tofu and seitan. I usually don't opt for meat alternatives though, like meatless chicken patties or fakin' bacon, because I enjoy chicken patties and bacon. Normally, I wouldn't go out of my way and buy these Lightlife Smart Stuffers, but a vegetarian friend of mine raved about them, so I thought I would give them a try. Basically they're supposed to be like breaded stuffed chicken. To see how it tasted and how many calories are in one stuffer, read more.

Well, let's just say these weren't the most disgusting veggie product I've tried, but I'm not sure I'd ever buy these again. I have no idea what my friend was thinking. The consistency of the fake chicken inside wasn't bad; tender but a little dry. I liked the crunchiness and the herb flavor of the breaded outer layer, but it was the cheese and broccoli stuffing that were the downfall of these stuffers. The entire product smelled a little weird, and although the cheese was creamy, it tasted processed. Flavor-wise, this little stuffer really isn't worth 210 calories. And although I am impressed with the 20 grams of protein per serving, the sodium content is way too high for such a little amount of food. Maybe the other flavors are better. LightLife also makes a Turk'y With Cranberry Stuffing and a Chick'n Cordon Melt. If you've tried them, let me know what you think.

Serving Size	One stuffer
Calories	210
Total Fat	8 g
Saturated Fat	1 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	710 mg
Carbs	16 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	1 g
Protein	20 g

Ordinary Foods, Extraordinary Sodium

FitSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Are your food choices giving you more salt than you bargained for? The RDI of salt is no more than 2,300 mg of sodium (6 grams, one teaspoon) a day. A diet high in sodium can lead to high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease. One simple way to reduce your sodium intake is by watching out for ordinary foods with extraordinary sodium counts.

Condiments: Margarine, butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, pasta sauces, soy sauces and dressings.
Processed foods: Crackers, chips, pickles, canned vegetables and soup and lunch meats.
Meats: Red meats and meats like bacon and ham tend to be higher in sodium.
Fast foods: A lot of items from fast food restaurants are loaded with shocking amounts of sodium.

Fit's Tip: Fresh is always best for getting lower sodium.

Food Review: Celebration Roast

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Surrounded by vegetarians and vegans, the arrival of the holidays always leaves me a little perplexed as to what's best to serve them during a festive meal. I don't want to slight them by giving them a bunch of side dishes, but I am not a fan of Tofurky and Now and Zen's Unturkey. My vegetarian and vegan guests will have the pleasure of eating a Celebration Roast this Thanksgiving. It's a meatless alternative to turkey that omnivores have been known to gobble up.

To hear how it tasted, read more.

Made by the Field Roast Grain Meat Co., the Celebration Roast looks a little like a ham or pork roast because of the appearance of darker outer skin with lighter "meat" on the inside. The "meat" of the roast is made entirely of grain that's been mixed with spices, herbs, lemon, and lentils. The center of the roast is stuffed with a delicious "sausage style stuffing" made up of apples, butternut squash, and mushrooms. As for the sausage flavor you can choose from Lentil Sage or Sundried Tomato, I opted for Lentil Sage. I love that each roast is made by hand, which shows when you are shopping for them - they all look just a tiny bit different.

The roasts come fully cooked and just need to be heated for about 15 minutes in the oven. It has a nice texture that isn't slimy or rubbery like some fake meats, and all the seasonings give it a nice savory flavor. I think the reason the Celebration Roast tastes so good is because it's not aspiring to be something it's not. Instead of trying to be a synthetic meat, the natural flavors and texture of the grains and seasonings are showcased. I'm pretty certain I'll be munching on this in addition to the turkey on Thanksgiving. An added plus is that it tastes good cold and will make a really good sandwich for the day after.

The Celebration Roast comes in two sizes, 1 or 2 pounds ($8 and $16, respectively) and is carried nationwide by Whole Foods. A 4-ounce serving contains 280 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 31 grams of protein.

If any of you decide to try the Celebration Roast this holiday season please let me know what you think!

Pancreatitis Is a Hidden Danger of Thanksgiving Dinner

PetSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:29 -0800

Now, it's hard to not want to cave in to the curiously wriggling nose as you cook up a turkey - even though treats like a small bit of white meat are OK, shy away from feeding them turkey skins, gravy or fatty parts of the bird. Not only can it be dangerous for their weight, but it can contribute to pancreatitis, a serious gland inflammation that requires a vet visit ASAP.

As it turns out the little pancreas produces the digestive enzymes that break down food to let their furry bodies digest it. However, if the pancreas or surrounding tissue is damaged, the enzymes can leak which then negatively affects the pancreas and any surrounding tissue, resulting in that issue known as pancreatitis.

Find out the symptoms when you read more.

On the milder side, symptoms include loss of appetite, crying, restlessness or irritability and, more seriously, severe and frequent vomiting, diarrhea (often containing blood), and strong reluctance to walk. If you see any hints of this painful illness, it's time to pull out that emergency vet number and get your pet looked at - even on a holiday, it's better to be safe now . . . than sorry later.

Source: Flickr User wmshc_kiwi

UN Says Cut Meat to Curb Warming, UK Consumption Doubles

CitizenSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:00:06 -0700

Ever thought about becoming a Tuesday-tarian? Going meat-free one day a week is, according to the chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a personal sacrifice that will help fix climate change. The more meat-free days, the better.

Given that the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that meat production makes almost a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions and those stinky pre-hamburger cows shoot out tons of methane - 23 times more tied to global warming than carbon dioxide - plus habitat destruction and transportation, just skipping the burger is the easiest option. But that trend seems far from ready to tip. The agency thinks that meat consumption is going to double by the middle of the century.

A group called World Farming is calling governments to lead campaigns to reduce meat consumption by 60 per cent by 2020. The meat industry isn't going to take the patty lying down. A spokesman for a pig industry group says, "Climate change is a very young science and our view is there are a lot of simplistic solutions being proposed."

How much meat does the average person eat? To find out, read more.

At 500 pounds of meat per average cow, as measured in the UK, the average person eats 8 whole cows in their lifetime. Add to that 36 sheep, 36 pigs, and 550 chickens. In the UK, meat consumption has risen 50 percent in the last 40 years. The average burger in a fast food restaurant will cost you 2.2 pounds of carbon dioxide - maybe something to weigh against the $ .99 value meal? Would you ditch meat for the environment?

Source

Food Review: Morningstar Farms Chicken Patties

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Although I'm not a full-fledged vegetarian, I do like to eat black-bean burgers, soy milk, and tempeh every once in a while because I like that they are cholesterol free. I never really go for meat alternatives that strive to look, taste, and feel like meat though, but since a good friend recommended Morningstar Farms Chik Patties, I reluctantly agreed to give them a try.

To see what I thought, just read more.

Serving Size	1 patty
Calories	170
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	480mg
Carbs	22g
Fiber	2g
Sugar	1g
Protein	10g

I've got to be honest. I wasn't expecting to like these one bit, but these vegetarian chik patties (made of a mix of soy and wheat gluten), were surprisingly good. I loved that the breaded outer layer was really crunchy and the inside was chewy and kind of shredded to make it look like real chicken (nice touch). The Italian herb seasonings were very flavorful and the overall texture was very much like a real chicken patty. As I was eating this as a sandwich, I was thinking about how good it would be in a chicken parm recipe.

Truthfully speaking, although I liked the way these tasted and the fact that each small patty contains 10g of protein, I probably wouldn't buy these again. Why? On the list of ingredients, it says "natural and artificial flavors from nonmeat sources." Um, gross. It also contains corn syrup and caramel color, which really surprised me. I guess it's a good reminder that you can't judge a food by its box - just because it's vegetarian doesn't mean it's healthy.