Helpful Hints - Food Secrets

More helpful hints from Joey Green's Kitchen Magic.  This time the topic is Food Secrets.  I found most of them very interesting and picked out some to share. But there are tons more in the book that I am not putting here. 

Aparagus - To revitalize wilted asparagus, cut an inch off the bottom of the stalk. Mix one teaspoon ReaLemon juice and two quarts of cool water. Soak the asparagus in the solution for 30 - 60 minutes.

Bacon - Before frying bacon, soak the strips in cold water for a few minutes. The bacon will curl less in the frying pan.
   Here's another bacon idea that was not in the book: cook bacon in a waffle iron and half way through cooking process, open waffle iron and reposition bacon strips to ensure uniform cooking. Close the iron and finish cooking.  Supposedly, this eliminates the problem of grease spattering all over the place.  Then cook your waffles next in the same iron, and it gives them great bacon flavoring.

Baking Powder - To make baking powder, mix 2 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and one teaspoon of Corn Starch.

Barbecue Sauce - For a fast and tasty BBQ sauce, mix Coke with Ketchup.

Berries - Chill berries in the fridge before washing them off to prevent the berries from absorbing too much water and becoming soggy.

Broccoli - Cooking a stalk of celery with broccoli prevents the broccoli from emitting strong odor.

Brown Sugar - To revived hardened Brown Sugar, empty the sugar into a plastic container and put a slice or two of white bread on top of it, put the lid on and let it sit for a couple weeks or so. The bread absorbs the moisture from the brown sugar and it will soften again.

Cabbage - To reduce the odor of cooking cabbage, add 1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda to the cooking water.

German Chocolate Cake - Originated in 1957 in Texas... the recipe, that is.  The bittersweet chocolate was developed by Samuel German, in Massachusetts, in 1852. It was named German's Sweet Chocolate in honor of Samuel German, an Englishman.  It has no connection to Germany. (There are a lot of these "Strange Facts" in the book).

Cauliflower - To keep it white when cooking, add one teaspoon of sugar to the cooking water.

Cheese - To flavor and refresh a block of cheese, saturate a cloth with Wine Vinegar, wrap it around the cheese and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cookies - To soften cookies that have lost their moistness, place the cookies and a slice of bread into a Ziploc bag. Seal it and let it sit overnight. In the morning, the cookies will be moist again.

Cranberries - Cook cranberries until they pop and then remove from the heat source. Any additional cooking makes them bitter.

Cupcakes - To frost cupcakes with ease, two minutes before removing the pan of cupcakes from the oven, place a Jet-Puffed marshmallow on top of each cupcake. The heat melts the marshmallows, creating a creamy frosting.

Eggs - To keep the yolk in the center of the egg as you are hard boiling it (like for deviled eggs), stir the eggs while they are boiling. The movement will keep the yolk centered.

Eggs - To make fluffy scrambled eggs, mix in one  teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of water for every two eggs when beating the eggs.

Egg Substitute - If you run out of eggs while baking a cake, substitute one teaspoon Baking Soda and one teaspoon White Vinegar for each egg.

French Fries - Place the cut potatoes into a bowl of ice water and refrigerate for one hour. Dry thoroughly on paper towels and fry in oil for a few minutes. Remove from the oil and carefully dry them again. Sprinkle with flour and fry again until golden brown.

Ginger - To preserve diced, fresh ginger in the fridge, peel and chop the ginger, place in a jar, top off with Vodka and seal the lid securely. It will last for a year in the fridge.

Honey - If you substitute honey for the sugar in a recipe, reduce the liquid by half. For baked goods, add 1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda for each cup of honey used and reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees to prevent overbrowning.

Lemons and Limes - The ones with the smoothest skin and the smallest points at each end contain more juice and provide the best flavor.

Mushrooms - To prevent mushrooms from shriveling and turning brown while sauteeing, add one teaspoon realLemon Juice for each quarter pound of butter. The juice will help keep the mushrooms white and firm.

Oil - To reduce the amount of cooking oil absorbed by fried food, add one tablespoon white vinegar to the frying pan before heating the oil.

Onion - If you intend to only use half an onion, after cutting the onion in half, rub the open face of the leftover half with butter to preserve it longer.

Oranges - If you cover an unpeeled orange with boiling hot water for five minutes, when you peel the orange no white fibers from the peel with adhere to the pulp.

Pancakes - To make them fluffier, substitute the liquid called for in your recipe with with club soda.  (note: I have done this and it does make a better, lighter, fluffier pancake).

Peaches - To get them to ripen faster, put them in a cardboard box and cover the fruit with a few sheets of newspaper then seal the box closed. The newsprint keeps the ethylene gas emitted by the peaches close to the fruit causing the peaches to ripen.  Do the same thing for Pears.

Pepper - To prevent the holes in your pepper shaker from getting clogged, add a few whole black peppercorns to the shaker. They absorb the excess moisture and give the crushed pepper a fresher flavor.

Pie Crust - To make a flakier crust, substitute sour cream for the liquid in the recipe.

Pineapple - Never use fresh pineapple in your gelatin desserts.  The enzyme bromelain breaks down the protein in the gelatin preventing it from setting. You can used canned pineapple, which, since it has been cooked, the enzyme has been deactivated.

Roast - When cooking a roast, do not add salt until the meat is nearly cooked. Salt extracts the juices from the meat, making it moist and tasty, but if you salt the roast too early, the heat from the oven will dry out those juices.... making it dry.

Salad - To prevent it from getting soggy in the salad serving bowl, place a saucer upside down in the bottom of the bowl before you put the salad in. Excess water or dressing drains down the sides of the saucer and your salad isn't sitting in it!

Sausage links - To prevent them from curling up in the frying pan, link a few together with toothpicks and when you're done cooking them, take the toothpicks back out before serving.

Sweet Potato - To easily peel it, boil it and then submerge it in cold water. Give the potato a slight twist of your hand and the skin falls right off.

Syrup - Mix one cup of brown sugar with 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add one teaspoon of Imitation Maple flavoring.

Tomatoes - To ripen green tomatoes, place them in a brown paper bag, close the bag and leave it in a dark place at room temperature for several days.  (Note: I do this every year at the end of garden season and it works great!). If you want them to ripen faster, stick an apple or banana in there with the tomatoes. The ethylene gas from the apple or banana with hasten the ripening.

Turkey - To prevent the white meat from drying out when roasting a turkey, place the bird breast side down in the pan and turn it breast side up for the last hour of roasting only.

Vegetables - To help veggies retain their vitamin content and make green veggies stay green, add a little ReaLemon juice to the cooking liquid to make the solution slightly acidic.

Health Help From the Kitchen

Cinnamon
Lund University in Sweden states that Cinnamon contains methylhydroxy chalcone polymer, a plant compound that activates insulin receptors on cell membranes to ensure blood sugar remains at an energizing constant. One teaspoon of cinnamon with a high carb food can decrease the pep-zapping blood sugar spikes by 56%.

Two teaspoons of cinnamon provides 40% of your daily dose of manganese. That mineral helps activate prolidase, an enzyme critical to the formation of collagen.

A dash of cinnamon per day provides a defense to Urinary Tract Infections. Cinnamon has an antimicrobial oil, cinnamaldehyde, that eradicates 99.5% of E. coli bacteria, the leading cause of UTI's. It also kills Candida albicans, the bug behind most yeast infections.

A pinch of cinnamon will improve memory, attention span, and the speed of visual-motor response. Two compounds in Cinnamon, cinnamylacetate and cinnamylalcohol, optimize blood circulation to the brain.
************************

Dried Plums
Eating 10 of these daily can improve artery helath. The Plums' pectin,blocks the formation of artery-hardening LDL (the bad cholesterol).
*************************

Coffee
Researchers in Sweden have discovered that the caffeine in coffee hampers the growth of abnormal cells. Two or three cups a day may prevent breast cancer. Additionally, coffee's antioxidants help lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease.
**************************

Wines
According to Dutch researchers, one 5 oz serving of white wine helps remove "bad" LDL Cholesterol from artery walls. Red wine helps to fight heart disease. Drinking more than one 5 oz serving per day will not increase the benefits, it will, however, decrease the health benefits.
***************************

Thyroid problem
This information that I took from an article I read, had Harvard Medical School as it's "expert".

If you have 3 or more of these symptoms, you may have a sluggish thyroid. Discuss with your doctor and ask for a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)test.
1. Feel exhausted by bedtime, but have trouble sleeping
2. Usually wake up tired, no matter how long you've slept
3. Often feel chilly, even when others don't
4. Struggle with anxiety
5. Have trouble losing weight
6. Often have sore muscles and/or achy joints
7. Struggle with allergies, infertility, or digestive problems
8. Feel unfocused or forgetful
9. Have dry hair or skin and /or problems with eczema
10.Prone to depression or blue moods
11.Have thinning hair
12.Tried to treat depression with antidepressants or menopause symptoms with estrogen, but they didn't help

The thyroid slowdown can cause many problems. Keeping your thyroid working at peak condition boosts your metabolism, which helps to strengthen bones and muscles, cut your risk of heart disease, dodge weight gain, sleep better, diminish depression, and a plethora of other benefits.

More than 25% of Americans get too little Iodine, which is a mineral your thyroid needs to produce adequate amounts of the hormones T3 and T4 which fuel fat burn by controlling the rate of your metabolism. The only good dietary sources are iodized table salt and sea food. Sea salt and the salt in processed foods don't contain T3 and T4.

Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts contain goitrogens, natural compounds that slow thyroid function. However, the goitrogens are deactivated by heat, so steaming, boiling, broiling or roasting these veggies lets you enjoy their health perks without slowing your thyroid.

Soy is a thyroid suppressing agent. Although it is known for it's ability to reduce heart disease risk and to ease hot flashes, it also contains isoflavones that slow weight loss by reducing levels of thyroid hormones. Limit daily use of soy to 9 oz of soy milk, 5 oz of tofu, OR 3 tsp of soy sauce or miso daily.

Quench your thirst with bottled water instead of fluoridated tap water. As little as 2.5 mg of fluoride daily can suppress thyroid function.
***************************

Miscellaneous
Adding 1/2c pureed cauliflower to your mac and cheese (or any other dish) lowers a non-smokers risk of lung cancer by 30% and a smokers risk by 69% of contracting it.

Feta cheese, made from goat's milk, helps prevent iron deficiency, a leading cause of fatigue. Cows milk, according to the study at the niversity of Granada in Spain, does not. Without adequate iron, you can't get enough oxygen to your muscles... causing fatigue.

Apricots, a member of the rose family, contain beta carotene which helps pevent the buildup of plaque deposits in arteries. The body converts it into Vitamin A which protects the eyes from sun damage. Dried apricots contain nearly twice as much as the fresh ones.

Dropping just 7.7 lbs lowers the risk of high blood pressure by 50%.

Laughing causes the inner lining of blood vessels to relax, which improves blood flow. Watching a comedy for just 15 min can improve blood flow by 22%.

Lower cholesterol with Hummus. The chickpeas used to make hummus are loaded with artery-clearing phytochemicals and fiber that reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Eating onions frequently can lower your risk of heart disease by 20%. They provide an antioxidant, Quercetin, that helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
***********************

To plan healthy meals, check out the Dept of Agriculture's free menu planning service at My Pyramid

**************************

More Multitudes of Diets!

As always, I am not recommending any of these diets for anyone, I am just putting them all in one place for you to compare and decide if you want to try any of them or none of them! Also, always consult your doctor before starting any diet. db
***********************
Lose 2 pounds every day!
For three weeks you are drinking all your meals and snacks.
Sample day:
Breakfast - In juicer, combine 3 large carrots, 1 cucumber, 1/2 beet, 1/2 peeled lemon, and 1" pc of gingerroot. Drink along with 8oz of warm water or herbal tea.
Snack 1 - In juicer, combine 1 cup mixed berries, 1 cored apple and 2 cucumbers
Lunch - In juicer, combine 1/2 cucumber, 1 large handful spinach, 3 carrots, 2 stalks celery, and 1/2 lemon. Drink with 8oz iced herbal tea.
Snack 2 - In juicer, combine 2 cored apples, 1 cucumber, and 1 large handful of dandelion greens or spinach.
Supper - In juicer, combine 3 medium tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 1 sm handful cilantro, 1 red bell pepper and 1/2 peeled lime. Add dash of hot sauce if desired.
Snack 3 - In juicer, combine 1 c mixed berries, 1 cucumber and 1/2 peeled grapefruit. Drink with 1 large glass iced herbal tea.

Week 4 and after, have one glass of juice, 2 pieces of fruit, and 3 cups of veggies daily. Eat fish, lean meat, skinless poultry, eggs and protein powder.

None of the veggies are peeled when you eat them. If you are concerned about what toxins may be on your produce, rinse them in 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 gallon of water or buy organic produce.

For more recipes you can visit My First for Women

******************************************

Breakthrough new Flat Belly Diet
Lose 7 lbs and 5 inches from your tummy in just one week!
A Spanish study proved that adults who get lots of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA's) have significantly less belly fat than adults who eat fewer calories but skimp on good fat.

Sample menu:
Breakfast - choose one daily:
1/2 c egg whites scrambled with 1/2 c baby spinach, 1/4 c each salsa and guacamole, 4 sm corn tortillas OR
1 slice whole grain toast, 2 T natural peanut or almond butter, 1/2 banana, and 1c fat free yogurt or milk OR
1 c oatmeal, 1c cherries, and 2 T pistachios or macadamias
Lunch - choose one daily:
3 oz grilled chicken, 1 c grape toatoes, 1/2c whole wheat penne, 1/2c grated carrot, 1 oz feta cheese and 1 T pesto sauce OR
1 black bean veggie burger, 1/4c sliced avocado, 2 T sliced onion, 1 T salsa, 1 whole grain bun, and 1 med apple OR
1/2c fat free ricotta, 1/4c diced bell pepper, 10 sliced green olives, 2 diced oil packed sun dried tomatoes, 1 t minced garlic, 4 sliced basil leaves, 1 whole grain pita. (Fill pita with other ingredients and broil until cheese bubbles). Serve w/ 1/2c low sugar pasta sauce.
Dinner - choose one daily:
3 oz grilled chicken breast, 2 c Asian-style veggies (stir fried in 1 T sesame oil), 1/2c cooked brown rice OR
3 oz lean ham, 1 oz low fat cheese, 1 T pesto sauce in 1 multigrain pita, 1 c grape tomatoes OR
3 oz broiled medium shrimp, 2c mixed greens, 3/4c corn, 1/2c snow peas, 1/4c sliced red onion, 2T balsamic vinegar and 1T extra-virgin olive oil.
Snack - choose one daily:
Blend 1c fat free or soy milk and 1c frozen blueberries until smooth, add 1 T flaxsee or canola oil. Drink w/ 3 c lite popcorn. OR
1c raspberries, 8 oz Greek style plain fat free yogurt, 1/4c chocolate chips. OR
1 whole grain English muffin with 2 oz Turkey, 2T black olive tapenade, 2 T hummus, and 1/2c water packed artichoke hearts.

Best sources of MUFA's: Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Almond Butter, Avocado, Macadamia Nuts, Pesto Sauce, Peanut Butter, Olives, Chocolate Chips, Peanuts and other nuts.

*****************************************
Metabolism Superfoods
Lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks! The Hot Latin Diet
Sample menus:
Breakfast - Choose one daily:
1 egg and 2 egg whites scrambled in 2t olive oil, 3T salsa, 1 warm tortilla, 1 1/4c papaya OR
1c low fat cottage cheese, 2c pineapple, passion fruit or banana,sprinkle of cinnamon, 1T chpd nuts OR
1 soft cooked egg, 1 slice whole wheat toast, 1 c mango or cantaloupe, 12 oz low fat latte w/ sprinkle of cinnamon
Lunch - choose one daily:
10 shrimp, 1/2c black beans, 1/2c corn, 2t each of live oil, vinegar, onion, tomato and chiles, 1c jicama or cucumber slices, 2 guavas or 1 orange OR
2 oz grilled chicken or fish, 1/4 avocado, veggies, salsa, cilantro to taste, 1 corn tortilla, 12 sweet potato chips, 3/4 c berries OR
1c brown rice, 1/3c each of tomato and canned tuna, 2T fresh cilantro, 1t each of olive oil and lemon juice, pinch of garlic powder and salt, 3/4c vegetable juice, 1 1/2c watermelon
Dinner - choose one daily:
1 chicken breast, 1c mixed veggies, 1 clove minced garlic sauteed in 1t olive oil, 1 oz goat cheese, 2c mixed salad, 1t olive oil and 1t lemon juice OR
3 1/2 oz fish, 1t olive oil, salt, lemon, cilantro to taste, 1/2c cooked black beans, 2c mixed salad greens, 1/4c avocado, 1t olive oil and 1t lemon juice. OR
3oz shrimp or chicken topped with 1/2 c mango salsa, 1c bell pepper sliced, 2c mixed salad greens w/1t olive oil and 1t lemon juice
Snack - choose two daily:
3/4c each low fat yogurt and sliced bananas OR
3/4oz cheese and 15 grapes OR
1/3oz nuts or seeds and 1 frozen fruit bar OR
1c low fat rice pudding OR
3/4c low fat milk blended with 3/4c mango

Fat burning Latin Superfoods: Cinnamon, Chiles, Avocado, Beans, and Garlic

*****************************************
Drop 47 lbs by Christmas! (this was in a magazine dated 11/24/08)
Basically, this diet wants you to sip 5 or more servings of tea a day, including one cup before each meal. Eat 3 balanced meals that contain at least 50 percent veggies, fruit and whole grains, plus a serving of lean protein and a bit of fat.
1. Drink Oolong tea which promotes health and weight loss benefits, instead of drinking coffee.
2. Take a green tea pill first thing in the morning on an empty stomach if you don't have time to brew yourself a cup of tea.
3. Pulverize loose tea in a coffee grinder for one minute. Depending on the tea you pulverize, use it as a seasoning in whatever you're cooking.
4. Add one oz of lemon, orange, lime or grapefruit juice to Iced Tea instead of drinking soda pop.

**************************************
Fat Burning Carbs
Resistant starch in pasta, potatoes, and rice can boost your body's anti-hunger hormones and stop fat storage!
Sample menus:
Breakfast - choose one daily:
2 scrambled eggs, 1/4c black beans, 2T low fat cheese, 1 whole wheat tortilla, 1 tangerine OR
2 low fat oat bran waffles, 1T peanut butter, 1/2 banana, 1/2c lite yogurt OR
Stir together 3T lemon juice, 4t Hi-Maize Natural Fiber, 3/4c lite vanilla yogurt and 1T superfine sugar until smooth. Add 1 1/3c fruit and some ice. Whip smooth in a blender.
Lunch - choose one daily:
1/2c chilled pasta, 1/2 c black beans, 1/2c corn, 2T chopped tomato, 2T bell pepper, 2T lite dressing OR
2 oz lean ham, 1 slice fat free cheese, 2t mustard, lettuce and tomato. 2 slices fiber rich bread, 2c mixed salad, 1T lite dressing, 6 baked corn chips, salsa, 1 nectarine OR
1c chilled cream of potato soup, 2oz cubed cooked chicken, 1/2c chilled brown rice, 3T low fatr cheese, 1T each of green onion and bell pepper, 2T lite dressing, 1 peach.
Dinner - choose one daily:
3oz lean turkey burger, 1 whole wheat bun, 1 slice fat free cheese, 2t mustard, lettuce and tomato, 1/2c chilled diced potato, 1T onion, 1T relish, 1 1/2 T lite mayo, 2t lemon juice, unlimited carrot sticks OR
1/4c each of navy beans, black beans and kidney beans, 1T each of diced onion, tomato, and corn, 2T lite Italian dressing, 3 1/2 oz lean grilled steak, 1 whole wheat roll, 1t margerine OR
6 oz cod or other white fish baked with 1t olive oil and seasoning to tast, 2/3c corn, 1 1/2c baby spinach, 1/4c chilled lentils, 1 hard cooked egg, 2T mozzarella, 1T lite dressing.
Snack - choose two daily:
1/3c lite yogurt, 1/2c fat free milk, 1/2 banana, blended to smooth OR
2 rye crisp crackers and 1 oz fat free cheese OR
1 frozen banana and 1T lite chocolate syrup OR
5 mini oatmeal cookies and 1/2 c fat free milk OR
2T hummus and 1/2 whole wheat pita OR
3/4 oz pretzels, gluten free are preferable

For more info and recipes go to: resistantstarch

Best sources of fat burning carbs: Bananas, navy beans, other beans, potatoes, brown rice, corn, pasta, oatmeal, whole grain bread

********************************
Drop 16 lbs by Christmas while eating what you love! (from a magazine date 12/15/08)
This diet requires that you take Phase 2, which is a white kidney bean extract that blocks starch absorption. You are to consume a daily diet of 55% carbs, 30% protein and 15% fat. You will also need to drink 8 - 16oz of water each time you take the capsules to prevent constipation and sub-par results. You take a total of 3000 mg daily of the Phase 2.
If fatty foods are your diet downfall, you can take Chitosan which is a form of fiber that binds fat and flushes it out of the body. You also take it with 8 - 16 oz of water each time.
If you are perimenopausal, you'll need to also take Natrol Carb Interceptor with your Phase 2 to help prevent blood sugar swings.

*****************************************

The Get Slim Vitamin - Discover the health boosting nutrient that can heal your thyroid, turn off your cravings, and melt off 9 lbs a week!
According to Brazilian researchers, for each extra milligram of B6 that dieters get from foods like red meat, potatoes and bananas, they lose an extra 3.3 pounds. B6 helps metabolize foods and turn their calories into energy. B6 creates a hormonal balance helping people to sleep better. Without enough B6, the body can't make neurotransmitters like tryptophan, dopamine and serotonin which are linked to improved mood, less stress and an increased sense of well-being. Serotonin specifically reduces carb cravings.
Sample menus:
Breakfast - choose one daily:
1c lite yogurt, 1 banana, 1/2c low fat granola OR
1c Total cereal, 3/4c fat free milk, 1 banana, 1c tomato juice OR
2 frozen oat bran waffles, 2t peanut butter, 1/2c diced papaya and 1/2c fat free milk
Lunch - choose one daily:
2c mixed greens, 3oz lean meat, 1/4c garbanzo beans, 1/4c tomato, 2T shredded low-fat cheese, 2T sunflower seeds, 2T balsamic vinegar and 1t olive oil, 1/4 cantaloupe OR
1 hard boiled egg, 2T lite mayo, 2T sunflower seeds, 1 whole wheat pita or 8 reduced fat triscuits, 1 slice fat free cheese, 2 sm plums OR
1 banana, 1c 1% fat cottage cheese, 1c berries, 2T sunflower seeds, 2 graham cracker squares or reduced fat triscuits.
Dinner - choose one daily:
4oz grilled lean beef or braised beef liver, 1T BBQ sauce, 1c grilled vegetables, 1/2t olive oil, 1 med baked potato, 1T low-fat cheese, 1 tomato, 1/2t olive oil and oregano OR
4 oz salmon, 3/4c diced tropical fruit, 1c spinach, 1/8 avocado, 1/4c each of garbanzo beans and red onion, 2t walnuts, 2T balsamic vinaigrette, 3 reduced fat triscuits OR
2c mixed greens, 4 oz grilled pork loin, 1/3c apricot slices, 2T green onions, 2t sunflower seeds, 2T lite vinaigrette, 2 thin hard bread sticks, 1 1/2c watermelon.
Snacks - choose two daily:
2oz Tuna, 1T lite mayo, wrap in a lettuce leaf OR
3/4c lite yogurt, 1/4c strawberries, 1/4c Total cereal OR
2t peanut butter, 1/2 banana OR
1/2c melon, 1pc string cheese OR
1c tomato soup, 4 reduced fat Triscuits OR
2T raisins, 1T sunflower seeds

******************************
That's all for now, but I have more of this stuff to post!

Fruits for Better Health

Fruits for Better Health

The pomegranate -
Studies have found that the juice of the pomegranate slows free radical damage - which is what causes your cells to age. One small glass of juice has more cell-protecting bioflavonoids than red wine, grapes or green tea. The pomegranate is loaded with ellagic acid, a natural anti-tumor compound.

Boysenberries -
New Zealand researchers have discovered that this berry contains natural compounds that improve memory and reaction time. These berries - which look a lot like a blackberry - have high levels of anthocyanins which are powerful antioxidants that protect brain cells against age-related damage (dementia and alzheimers).

Passion Fruit -
These fruits are loaded with calming B Vitamins and potassium, which relax the nervous system. South Americans eat the fruit to help them rest. The fruit’s alkaloids are proven to lower blood pressure.

Goji Berries -
A tangy red berry from the Himalaya’s that are loaded with iron, Vitamin C, and betacarotene. They are also loaded with an antioxidant called zeaxanthin, which protects the retina and filters out UV light. Studies suggest that these berries can prevent age-related vision loss.

Mangosteen -
From the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, this fruit fights depression. Its active ingredients, xanthones, are also found in St Johns Wort. This fruit also seems to have a positive effect on the “good mood” brain chmical serotonin and enhances tryptophan -an amino acid that aids sleep.

Acai Berries -
This tiny berry from Brazil is packed with antioxidants and protein. Researchers at the University of Florida found an extract of the berry caused leukemia cells to self-destruct 90% of the time.

Kumquats -
These are tiny little citrus fuits that are loaded with vitamin C and can boost your metabolism. These fruits are about the size of a grape tomato. You just pop them in your mouth and eat them, skin and all. The skins contain pectin, which expands in your stomach and makes you feel full longer.

Three tips for saving money and food in the kitchen

We are all guilty of throwing out food because it's "gone bad". What a wasteful society we are as a whole.

Here are three tips:

1. Cheese - softer cheeses seem to invite mold but you can remove the cheese from its plastic wrap and wrap it in foil instead. Cheese needs to breathe and it can't breathe in plastic - so it feeds on itself which creates the mold. Wrap it in foil, which will allow the air to circulate.

2. Wilted lettuce - If your lettuce leaves get limp on that head of lettuce, remove the core, immerse the head in a bowl of cold water with the juice of half a lemon and refrigerate for an hour. It will cause a chemical reaction that makes the little veins in the leaves re-absorb water and restore the crisp texture.

3. Hard Brown Sugar - Brown sugar that has turned hard doesn't need to be thrown out. There is nothing wrong with the sugar other than it's harder than a brick! Take a slice of an apple and seal it in an airtight container with the sugar. The apple gives off moisture and ethylene gas and makes the brown sugar soft again.