Let's Talk Poison

"Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats. In some people, eating or drinking anything containing gluten can cause different types of undesirable reactions. The most extreme of these is the auto-immune condition known as coeliac disease. Some other types of reactions are known as non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, gluten sensitivity, or gluten intolerance. Gluten sensitivity is different from wheat allergy."

Please. As if anyone is gonna read that garbage. I wish "Smart" people who deliver this sort of information to people would realize they need to dumb it down, and maybe make it less Snore-Worthy. 

Don't worry! I'm here to help.  Unfortunately with Gluten, there is so much jargon surrounding it, that still to this present day, people are not sure if it's harmful to people. 

What is simple to understand are there are people who have Gluten sensitivity, and some even can develop Auto-Immune diseases with the consumption of it. Consumption of too much Gluten flares up those nasty IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms, causes bloating and gas. And those spastic tummy pains? You guessed it. Gluten induced. .

When you think about the so few people with the Auto-immune diseases, it  seems like no big deal. But if you count all of the people with the other things I mentioned, you realize that it's actually a substantial problem around the globe!

Unfortunately, there's still some confusion as to whether or not it's Gluten that is the culprit to all these things, or the FODMAPS that's usually found hand in hand with Gluten.

Either way, what you mostly need to know about Gluten is that over all: An excess of it, much like anything else is unhealthy. Especially to those whose bodies need a substantial less amount than the every day average person.

But... why?

Well. I'm going to leave the internet searching as to what Gluten is and does up to you if you're actually interested. I'm actually going to be taking another route with it, one that isn't actually approached often when talking about the "Problem?" of Gluten. 

It's found in grains and carby stuff yo. 'Nuff said.

Uh...no it's not 'Nuff said.' WTF are you talking about?

Damn. So much for keeping this post short nyah? Well. Okay. I'll keep this simple: 

Grain = "Bad" Carbs = Gluten Surplus = Poison

You still...haven't actually explained.

I'm GETTING there! Patience. I just wanted to catch your attention first. Sheesh. First of all. 

When you go shopping you see so many labels that say "Rich in Whole Grains" and blah blah... you also hear it "reduces the risk of heart disease" and some types of cancers. Sounds super great? Right? Well, what they aren't telling you that they discovered in the research is that these very same "heart disease risk reducing" foods are also the reason why your Grandpa has Alheimerz, Grandma has dementia, Dad has IBS, Mom is occasionally depressed, and that oddball cousin has Schizophrenia. Sorry if that is a bit abrasive and harsh, but you'd be shocked how the typical every day family is constructed of these literal problems (with the exception of rearranging family members for diseases). 

First of all. I'm gonna take you back, WAY back. FARRRRRR back. Like... Ten THOUSAND years ago. Well. That's actually not that far back for the human race to be honest. That's just when the Agriculture Revolution came about for the world. Before that we had a few tens of thousands of years without a stupid amount of grain consumption. 

That's what research says anyway. And the important thing is...it's not grain in particular that causes these things, but everything that revolves around grains, carbs and the consumption of it. Now, I know that when you peek around the internet you find pages like : This Harvard study CRAP 

Pages like this infuriate to the point of looking for a "Feedback" button so I could give them a piece of my mind. Why? Because they either didn't do their research very well, or they are lying. Blatantly so. Do you honestly think with those big Harvard brains of yours, that our ancestors before 10,000 years ago were actually consuming whole grains as a quarter of their total food intake a day? 

Please people. Let's use our common sense. Now, a common argument for using Skeletons and fossils as an example are statements such as: "They never lived past the age of 25..."

I'm going to nip that in the bud now. IT'S NOT TRUE. Sure. Maybe cavemen didn't, when they didn't have the ability to fight off a common cold, or had to worry about mammoths stepping on their head (I'm being figurative people) or predators nomming on their yummy entrails. Still however you see it, research points that since the Agricultural Revolution ten thousand years ago, humans were a neurological peak. Our bodies have lost density and mass - and I'm not talking about the in style fatness. I'm talking about our body's physically have less muscle, and our bones are smaller, more fragile. 

And sure, maybe some of them had a hard time fighting off a common cold, and other 'every day' ailments we get. But, wanna know some things that they didn't have before cereal grains became a stable that was put in literally everything?

1. Diabetes
2. Alzheimer's
3. Schizophrenia
4. Depression was a minute problem
5. Heart Attacks
6. High Blood Pressure
7. High Cholesterol 
8. Epilepsy
9. Autism 
10. Obesity was practically non-existent
11. Infertility has sky rocketed since the A.R
12. Cancers
13. Anxiety
14. Auto-Immune Diseases of all sorts,
15. Even Allergies weren't a problem!

But this by far is not the full of extent of the list. I really don't feel like continuing it because it's sort of depressing right?

But you don't have to take my word for it. I don't have five PhD's (or one). But someone I admire a lot for his brilliant research and his ability to execute this information in an interesting way is Dr. David Perlmutter, the author of one of the most enlightening books I've ever read: Grain Brain

And if I haven't actually scared you enough to compel you to read that book (which I highly recommend, he explains all of this so much better than I do!), maybe clicking the next two links I provide will.

It's about time people are educated on what they are eating and how "Whole Healthy Grains," and other sources of Gluten, and "Bad" carbohydrates effects them. Because when I go shopping, I see people picking up and filling up their shopping trolleys with items that are composed up of all these harmful things.

Not only is your 75% to 80% "Grainy" diet hurting you - but it's also hurting the future generations of your family, the future generations of the world.  

How Grains Are Killing You Slowly

The Awful Truth About Eating Grains

Wicked Witch's Temptations (Recipe)

Wicked Witch's Temptation

Ohh I know! Green apples! So...stereotypical right? Well. I couldn't help it because not only is this recipe wicked, but is absolutely so tempting.

Best part? It's not that unhealthy for you. While it's not really the healthiest thing, what dessert is? My point being, it has no processed sugars, no unnatural additives, and it's ingredients are all individual good for your body in some way. 

And while I couldn't resist adding a bit of flare (which is why I made the photo up top) this dish turns absolutely astoundingly delicious!

What you need: 

1. Apples (Granny Smith are the best, but works with all kinds of apples)
2. Ground Cinnamon
3. Honey
4. Butter

The Process:

It's so simple! Slice the apples into stripes, about 4 mm thick. Line them up on the bottom of your casserole dish, and sprinkle some cinnamon, and drizzle some honey. You don't need a lot of honey, For the demonstrated amount in the picture above, I used maybe two tablespoons. If you have more apples add on top of them, make sure you do it layer by layer so that each layer has a nice coating of cinnamon and honey.  When you're done with that, put about 3 chunks of butter on top of them, (about two table spoons), put a lid on your dish, and pop them in the oven.

Special Notes:

This recipe works great with pears as well! It's great for a Thanksgiving Day Dish, and it's so easy and cheap to make it's ridiculous for how delicious it turns out, so this year sign up to make the Dessert and bring this! 

And if you're a custard fan, it tastes great on top of it.

"So... do you even measure?"

"How come you don't tell us how much of the ingredients to use in the recipes?"

I know with the recipes I've posted already, a lot of you are probably annoyed that I don't tell you how much of what to use. And.. very rarely will I ever do that. Unless I'm posting a recipe that requires very specific recipes and instructions, I won't be posting it.

Most of my meals I post are simple, and cheap, and made from fresh raw ingredients. They don't require specific measurements. They are so easily customized to feed yourself, or your family - or maybe you just need to make enough for two. And also taking into account your taste is different than mine. Perhaps you like your dishes less spicy, or perhaps you like yours a bit more saucy?  Recipes like mind where I use fresh raw ingredients, without the need to measure what I'm doing are so easily customized accordingly to everyone's taste, all you really need to do is know the process and what ingredients you need!

And usually, my ingredients can be swapped for others according to taste too. You don't have to use the same veggies as I do, because not everyone likes the same ones!

That's why I post my recipes the way I do. It's up to you! Cooking is a science to an extent, but it is also an art. I'm not going to tell you to use specific amounts if I do not have to.

My goal is to provide easy, simple meals. Meals that are delicious, healthy, and yet give you the ability to have freedom that you deserve to have in your own kitchen while cooking these foods.

So use your imagination, improvise according to how much you need to feed...whoever you're feeding!

Green And Yellow Stir Fry (Recipe)

Green and Yellow Stir Fry

Seems strange right? To be honest, I have no idea what to call this. Most of my dishes just sorta...happen. This stir fry came into existence when I was given a yummy pineapple, and I wanted to make a sweet and spicy kind of dish with an Asian flare. Except, I didn't have all the ingredients to recipes I'd found online. 

So after a little bit of creative thinking, this dish (which turned out SUPER yummy surprisingly enough!) came into existence! I hope you enjoy!

What you need:

1. Fresh Pineapple (not the canned kind! Yuck!)
2. Green Capsicum (Bell Pepper)
3. A fresh red chili pepper
4. Mushrooms
5. Chicken thighs or breast (diced)
6. White Onion
7. Patty Pan Squash (Scallop Squash)
8. Zucchini 
9. Kaffir Lime leaf
10. Sweet Chilli Sauce
11. Soy Sauce
12. Oyster Sauce

The Process:

Without making things complicated, all you really need to do is dice up all of your veggies and begin by frying them in the pan, adding soy sauce into it once things get sizzled up in there. Don't add in your mushrooms until later. Dice your pineapple into a bowl and dice up your chicken into strips or squares and add them in at the same time. Toss in your sauces and let them simmer while you finely chip the Kaffir lime leaf into lots of little pieces, and throw it in with your chili.

Let it cook until your sauce has thickened or cooked out to your preference (I personally like mine a little saucy), your veggies are soft and chicken is thoroughly cooked. 

Simple, easy, and healthy!

Sugar VS Sweeteners (Artificial VS. Natural)

Sugar VS Artificial Sweeteners VS Natural Sweeteners!

We are not going to start this three way brawl with preaching to you the science of the horrors behind sugar. There are plenty of articles on that, lamenting the trials that your body goes through to break down fructose and dextrose and blah... blah... blah. What I will do however is link you to a few of my favourite articles on the subject, that way you guys have a bit of science behind what I'm talking about (and you don't have to go googling it on your own.)

76 Dangers of Sugar

Sweet Poison

And if you really want to terrify yourself and read the flat out facts of sugar, this one is excellent for that cause: 141 Reasons Sugar Ruins Your Health

The problem with sugar is that there are so many forms of it, and in so many things we consume with it in them. Even in unexpected places, like Top Ramen (as if that stuff wasn't lethal enough on it's own right?)  In the years leading up to present day from the 1700's, the amount of sugar that we've consumed a day has risen by 98%. Yes. Ninety. Eight. Percent. A day!!! Where we used to only eat four pounds (Almost kilos) of sugar a year, everyday people consume half a pound (Quarter of a Kilo) of sugar a day! That is a huge difference! You want to know how much sugar you more than likely consume in a year now? 180 pounds (78 Kilos).  I hope that really puts it into perspective for you. And before you go saying: "Not me! I don't eat sugary things!" think carefully about the foods you often eat. Look at the ingredients label. If it contains corn syrup, then I'm afraid my friend that yes; yes you bloody do. 

Soda, Frozen and processed foods, take away, juice, everything you buy nowadays almost has HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) which is a sugar alternative that is used in almost everything as a sugar replacement since it's cheaper and easier to use.  And if you're trying to lose weight, unfortunately eating a ton of fruit doesn't actually help as it has many types of natural sugars.

So. Let's talk about why it's bad. But we are going to set aside all the scientific jargon about it, and just go straight for the basics. Dumb it down to laymens terms persay so that you are not bored to absolute tears trying to get through this blog post. THEN we will talk about sweeteners. And natural sugars. 

1. Sugar = Fructose = bad in large doses.

 Sugar itself not an actual enemy. It's actually fructose that is  the enemy. Well, at least for the weight loss advocate. Fructose is an "instant energy" substance. It's great for that mid-day pick me up that most of us need for that arvo-slump. However, it's highly addictive. And if we over indulge in those afternoon candy bars and cinnamon buns, we naturally become addicted to it, and we ride a tidal wave of sugar-highs and sugar-lows. If we binge too much, we can cause auto-immune diseases over time and effect our ability to function without it. Oh, and that depression, anxiety, and fatigue that some of you suffer a surplus amount of? It could be a major contributing factor - think about it! Do you eat a lot of sugar? Account for even the "healthy" or "natural" sugars that you're digesting throughout the day - look at the labels next time you pick up your daily snacks. If it says "Corn Syrup" or has a lot of sugars on the nutritional label, put it back down! 

2. I'm full! At least... I think am?

Did you know that everything we eat triggers an appetite hormone in our body? When we've had enough to eat, those hormones tell our brain the following instructions: "Okay, cool! That's enough thanks. Tummy is full, and we're nourished." That's right! Everything we eat...except fructose. Weird huh? Well, that's because in the days of caves, and grunt talk, we didn't have farms, or factories to make the sweet sticky substance known as corn syrup or sugar. The only sugar that was around was the occasional lucky find of berries. And back then we needed it since fructose stored instantly as fat (yes, fructose in sugar, even natural sugars that come from berries and other fruit stores immediately as FAT) it was a luxurious necessity that helped our ancestors keep on the weight they would need for the times they couldn't find food. Think about it, it wasn't until the 1700's that sugar was a big deal. When corn syrup was made, it was game over for the nations, and in came the weight problems that weren't naturally caused. 

No. I'm serious. Do you want to know fastest way to gain weight? Drink an entire carton of soda within 3 days. You'll gain at least a pound. Or more. While the glucose in sugar is instantly converted into energy, remember the fructose stores immediately as fat. And it's been noted that ingesting it in liquid form makes that process even faster and more effective.

3. Fructose...(AKA: Sugar) is the best tasting poison you'll ever eat.

It makes us sick. From mood disorders, infertility, weakening immune systems, mineral deterioration and vitamin mal-absorbtion, more rapid physical aging, dementia, hyper-tension, anxiety, and even some forms of cancer... there are countless things that over digesting fructose contributes too. And I didn't even mention the obvious diabetes and other insulin-resistance health issues, like fatty liver disease and what not. 

Ever watch a movie from time eras way back in the day, and the story has a really old person whose the wise elder of awesome advice, and think to yourself: "Bullcrap. Most old people can't move, or can't remember their own names. They've probably had 3 strokes by the age of 90, (if they live that long) or Alzheimer's."  Well my friends. Welcome to the world of HFCS ingredients in food. Seriously, Gandalf and Yoda weren't eating processed foods with HFCS. And neither were our ancestors. Sure they were't as tall, and maybe their life span was cut short by the plague or something, but if their medical field had been as advanced as it was today, more than likely we'd have seen people living until 150 or longer with absolutely no problems with their minds or bodies. 

So...what do we do?

Giving up pre-packaged and processed foods for some families is unrealistic. Because as nice as it is, buying raw foods and veggies is just... stupidly expensive in some places. Especially if you have 5 mouths to feed in one home. I get that. And let's be real here, because I'm admitting fault as well: Coffee, Tea, and the occasional sweet (my guilty pleasure is the after dinner coffee and chocolate square) are little necessities of the modern world. It's never good to deprive yourself of simple pleasures, and sometimes that chocolate is just the thing to pick you up out of a bad day or even just to add bliss to a good one. 

So, companies recognized this issue that some people were having, and thus have designed lots of amazing sugar substitutes. And thus, our sweeteners come into play. Sweet-n-Low, Equal, Splenda, etc... they're fructose free! Yay! Its certainly an option.

What are artificial sweeteners anyway? 

Well... they are a sugar substitute that are derived from herbs, chemicals, or even sometimes from sugar itself. They are often found in 'diet' foods and drinks (by the way, just between us... Just because it says 'diet', doesn't mean that soda is any more healthy for you! Just letting you know!)or low calorie count foods. They don't contribute to tooth decay or cavities. And it's an option that isn't going to put the gluten-sensitive over the edge, and that diabetic with the sweet tooth can make things as sweet as they want without having to worry about their insulin-resistant disease! And great! They don't make you gain weight (artificial sweetener companies make a killing off of diet fanatics, and diet food companies).  I mean, it sounds really great right? 

Yes. Those are all pros to artificial sweeteners. But these little tablets of sweet heaven have a very dark side. Kind of like the moon. Or... hell. You choose after you're done reading this. 

If you look at most food labels, you'll see they are required by law to put the ingredients list on the packages. Sweeteners, for the most part, are not a part of that requirement. While they are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), they don't have to be approved for sale individually if companies use GRAS items to make them. What does GRAS mean? Well.. it means "Generally Regarded as Safe."  Generally. 

Excuse me FDA. You have a very strange concept as to what is generally safe to be consumed.  I bet you're all wondering why I'm shaking my fist at this. I mean, if the Government says it's safe, it's probably safe right? I know, most of you are raising your eyebrows at that statement, because who actually believes the Government on anything nowadays?  Still. I'm going to tell you some of the things that those little yellow, pink and sky blue packages don't tell you.

Things like when you pick up that Splenda packet and spoon it onto your healthy snack of berries and yogurt, you're actually eating Sucralose.  Ohh, sounds fancy right? What is it? 

Sweetened pool chlorine my friends. That is what Sucralose is. That is what your Splenda is. Sweetened. Pool. Chlorine. Awesome right? 

But don't turn to Equal or Nutra-Sweet, because those two are made of Aspartame. Another fancy, cool sounding and yet terrifying word. If anything, this one is even worse because well... it's a biochemical warfare agent.  And Sweet-n-low is concentrated Saacharin, which has inconclusive tests that say it's a cancer causing substance (But everything causes cancer nowadays right? Well duh. It's because it's all made of crap we're not supposed to be eating!) 

Do you know whats in your artificial sweetener? I bet, after reading all of that you really don't want to know right? I don't blame you. I used to be a huge Splenda fan. Then I looked it up after a brief debate, then moved happily right along with my life, turning my back on my old sweet friend.

What do the experts suggest?

To  be honest, most experts who aren't trying to make a profit off of a certain diet program will suggest that you just don't eat anything sweet! And...well that would make life very crappy. And sometimes we actually do need those little tidbits of sugar.

So what does a health food obsessed person suggest? 

Oh. NOW you want my advice? Just kidding!  Since I've come this far in bashing all things that bring joy to life, I'll tell you what you can do to avoid all of these scary things that I've mentioned. 

1. Avoid sodas and processed foods as much as possible! Buy raw if you can!
2. Make your own stuff! Nothing is better than freshly squeezed orange juice straight from the little round bright ball of fleshy orange goodness anyway. 
3. Moderation. Keep those slices of cake and those pick me up chocolates to a minimum! Don't give into every urge you have to munch on something sweet and heavenly. 
4. Use natural sweeteners. Coconut Sugar is a huge improvement, and it will not absolutely crush a diabetics soul as thoroughly as regular sugar because it has a lower Glycemic index. I personally use Stevia (NatVia), which is a naturally derived processed sweetener with a fair less amount of all that dangerous stuff, like amazing tasting pool chlorine or biochemical warfare agents. 
5. Keep your fruits to "a few a day." And eat them in the morning, or early afternoon.
6. Read the ingredients to everything you buy, and try to track down where your biggest source of HFCS /Sugar is coming from and try to replace it with other, more healthy alternatives - or just something with less sugar.

Its pretty simple right?  It really is! I hope this helped you guys, and didn't bore you to absolute tears. At the end of the day, I hope this has been educational without the boredom of learning, and beneficial! Thanks again guys! 

Healthy Shopping and Shopping Healthy

Shopping. More specifically – Healthy shopping. What a pain, right? But, the Grocery store is the where the first step to changing your eating habits begins. Because let’s face it, where else is it going to start? And while it’s easy to think to one’s own self that it’s easy to stick to a list you write out, you might find yourself veering away from the path of Junk Food Piety much easier than you would think.

The everyday average joe can always say: “Okay! I’m going to go out and buy these things on my list, meat and veggies! That’s it!” But it takes a true trooper of self-interest and determination to actually do that. And if you have a family it’s much harder to do such a thing, and things can get pricey, and sometimes you need to buy things for the kids and family – and once it’s in your cupboard it’s really hard to resist!

With the cost of food – and more specifically healthy foods going u, it’s definitely not easy! And writing a list won’t help unless you actually have the willpower and ability to stick to it! So, for those who are able to follow them, Hope is going to offer some offer some tips about shopping for healthy food. But it literally is also not just about healthy foods, but also healthy shopping – for you mentally and financially.

Tip #1: Don’t shop hungry!

Going shopping for food while your are tummy is empty is never a good idea! Since hunger is actually sensed by a complex system of chemicals in your body signal your brain that it wants food, this system is easily excitable. The sight, scent and even thought of foods, particularly addictive junk foods can excite these chemicals to a severe degree, making your willpower to not grab those naughty biscuits off of the shelf. Even something as simple as a familiar package of something  you like can cause natural instinctive urges to pick out unhealthier foods, generally things that make you feel fuller, faster but with less satisfaction. Don’t worry. This is normal. There has actually been studies done to prove that this is actually a survival urge, but it is not an impulse that cannot be avoided! So make you grab a light snack or eat your meals before you go to the shops!

 Tip #2:  Minimize Bags, Boxes and Cans!  

Unfortunately anything with explicit and colourful packaging is usually processed evil. The less you travel through the shelves where boxes, cans and bags are, the less tempted you will be to buy these things. Eating healthy should always involve a lot more fresh foods anyway, so these pre-packaged foods such as pasta, boxes of crackers, bags of potato chips, cans of soda, pre-canned veggies (ie: Canned corn, peas, green beans) etc should not be on your priority list. The less you focus on all those things that come in bright colourful packing, the more you can get down to the beautiful bright veggies and fruits waiting in the produce section!

Tip #3:  Make a list!

Lists! You know, those things you always make, but never fail to forget in the car or on the kitchen bench when you leave? Those things! They are important! Try to stop forgetting them would ya?! Lists help you prioritize, and organize. You can keep track of what you need, what you want, and what you should and should not get. Make sure to leave chips, dip, and soda off of them, and try to stick with what you make. This tip REALLY coincides with #4!

Tip #4:  Research and Plan Out your Meals!

This tip gets largely ignored – because it actually takes preemptive effort. I know that it’s a pain, but hear me out! If you have a larger family to feed and you’re trying to keep everyone on track in terms of eating right, planning out your meals, and doing research for new and yet low costly recipes are important. Even if it’s just you, or you and your partner – plan it out. Research! It’s super fun to look up new recipes, and find things you want to try to make for yourself, or to test out your on your budget flexibility. Planning things out will also help you save money in the long wrong because you can write down what you need – and things you might want but may wait for next time. It correlates with Bargain shopping, and deciding which shops are on the priority list to visit. Maybe you can even keep things tight enough to have a “Fun” night planned – something that is also important so that you don’t Deprive Yourself.

Tip #5: Don’t Deprive Yourself! And Make what you can from scratch!

This tip is very important. For all diets of all types! Eating healthy doesn't mean cutting yourself from everything that you enjoy. In fact, that’s one of the worst things you can do! Depriving yourself of all of your favourite treats at once will break your willpower fast. Life is miserable when you can’t at least indulge every once in a while right? So, go ahead and buy that tub of ice cream, have a scoop a day! Maybe you have a favourite chocolate? Buy some, have a little piece every day after dinner with perhaps with your after-dinner tea, or even your afternoon coffee. And lest we forget, some of the things we so desire we can make ourselves. From Smoothies, to fruit juices, to flavored water, to healthier alternatives to your favourite cookies, things can be made from scratch – and you’ll be much better for it. That way you know what’s going into your food, and your tummy!

Tip #6:  Cut back on Starches, Grains, and Corn!

These are literally your worst enemy. Starches usually reside in pastas, which is made of grains, and bad carbohydrates, Grains, even the ‘healthy’ ones, and even corn are literally evil. Not only are they bad for your body to digest, hard on your system to get rid of, but they could even increase your chances for dementia, Alzheimer, and other mind afflicting ailments. Not to mention the gluten involved in this, which our bodies are not meant to absorb high amounts of. These can cause negative mood swings as well. These things are simply bad, and while they are considered a common staple, they are definitely something your quality of life can improve without.

Tip #7:  Bargain Shop

Bargain is something we naturally do, so it’s not hard and a no brainer for me to tell you to do so when it comes to healthy food. Remember, healthy food does not mean pre-packaged brand name “health” foods. I’m talking about fresh fruits and veggies and meats!

Tip #8:  Fruiterers and Butcheries  

Sometimes our local big grocery store is a little out of whack with the prices of our meats and veggies and fruits. In fact, sometimes they are little more expensive! Isn’t that nuts? It is always worth looking into finding your local butcher and veggie and fruit markets. Not only do they sell fresh fruit, usually grown locally in support of your local farmers, but they sell them at more reasonable prices. Meats and Veggies are a primary part of eating right, so its worth seeing where you can get what the cheapest!

Tip #9:  Don’t Over-stock your fridge!

A lot of people when shopping regularly buy a lot at a time, because they are buying non-perishable or long last foods. When you’re using a lot of fresh fruit and veg and meats it’s best not to over do it, or you could be throwing money down the drain. Try to plan it out so where you only buy the amount you need in a week or so. Sure, you have to go shopping more often, but if you think about it, do you ever actually go more than a week without going into the shops for something anyway? Chances are, probably not.

Tip #10:  Natural Sweeteners, not Sugars or Artificial Sugars!  

I will go into more detail about this in a later post…but did you know that your body is not really made to digest sugar? And for you diabetics out there…did you know that Splenda is made out of pool chlorine? Yeah… you read that right.  So be careful about what you pick up. Natural sweeteners, such as coconut sugar, or things like “Stevia” or “NatVia”are a much better pick,  and they sweeten without so many bad side effects! Make sure your sweetener says “Natural” sweetener on the packaging, and not artificial. And remember, they aren't really required to put the ingredients on those things – so you really have no clue what kind of things that your artificial sweeteners are made of!

Willowmeana's Kitchen

Food. A pleasure that is not only a requirement for survival but a universal joy that brings people together. Food is a common interest for people for a plethora of reasons. Some enjoy sweet foods, others ethnic foods, some love a cultural experience that food provides. And some people are obsessed with “Health” foods.  Either way, food is generally a universal passion. It tastes good, makes you feel good, and is generally associated to ‘good’ things.

However, with the never ending diet craze, new health awareness advocating the evils of many of what has become modern day staples, and knowing just exactly how bad that fast food pick-me-up really is, its becoming harder and harder to enjoy food. What we consider delicious, gets our taste buds tingling generally is never on the positive side of healthy. Modern day food has become a complex thing, when once upon a time, no body ever worried about the no-so-niceties of what we put in our stomachs.

So, if grain, gluten, carbs, sugar, and seemingly everything else are the arch-enemies of our brains, hearts, blood, and everything else, the million dollar question is: What is considered healthy? And after we've determined that, can it be tasty without all the naughty goodness we have become accustomed to?

Well. That’s where this blog comes in. I’m going to be talking about food in this blog. Obviously. Recipes, new information on the newest health fads, breaking myths, occasionally bashing specific diets, and helping those who are willing, make a change to improve their quality of life – without having to ‘diet’ or sacrifice tastiness. And the best part? And the best part? I’m not going to be selling you out for anything, and all of my recipes are simple. Their not generally expensive, and it’s healthy!

Before we begin though, I’m going to be very frank with those of you who are reading this. I know this is not a typical thing you see on a Gamer Radio website. But I do know that it an interest that might catch the attention of quite a few of you. So, here is how it is my lovelies.

First off, healthy eating is not a ‘fad.’ It’s not something that work with the whole ‘once a week’ do or don’t kind of mentality. Healthy eating, in order to be effective for whatever you are trying to achieve must have consistency, and it must be a life style. If you want to successfully lose weight, or become healthy internally, or stable your moods, healthy eating takes commitment. There are a lot of pros to making healthy eating a part of your life, and not just for ‘dieting’ (I really hate ‘dieting’), reasons.

Because food actually has the ability to mess with our moods, our brains, and our ability to function throughout the day, healthy eating may have a shocking impact on you not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too! But only with consistency and dedication.

Another thing too I’m going to tell you is healthy eating is not always the cheapest. I won’t lie, and say that it’s absolutely viable for everyone, because lets face it – it’s not. And that’s beyond anyone's control really. But that is part of the commitment you will need for it that I was talking about. But, here’s the good news: It’s not as expensive as diet advocates and salesman would have you believe!

Another thing: Veggies. If you’re determined to think that vegetables are the work of some malevolent being then you don’t belong here. And I don’t mean canned veggies (because those are the work of something foul!) that you just rip open and plop in a pan to heat up. I’m talking about fresh, colorful, Chop-It-Yourself Veggies. If you’re not willing to try them, then maybe healthy eating is not your niche.

So! If I haven’t scared you away yet, welcome to my kitchen, where I and any of my friends who have yummy recipes to throw our way will reveal our secrets to a cheap and delicious healthy meals!

Enjoy~