Tips for Healthy Cooking

HEALTH TIP

You don't have to be Oprah Winfrey's gourmet chef or spend a fortune on expensive cookware to prepare food in healthy ways. You can make your favorite dishes without large amounts of fat or salt using basic cooking techniques.



Baking isn't just for breads and desserts. You can also bake poultry, lean meat, seafood, and vegetables. Baking usually doesn't require adding fat to the food, although you may need to baste the food to keep it from drying out. Simply place your desired food in a pan or dish and cook either covered or uncovered.



Roasting is like baking, but usually at higher temperatures. You can place your food in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet. When roasting meat, poultry or seafood, put a rack inside the roasting pan which will allow the fat in the food to drip away during cooking.



Broiling and grilling are cooking methods which allow the fat to drip away from the food. Both methods expose the food to a direct heat source. To broil, place the food on a broiler rack in the oven below a heat element. To grill, place the food on a rack above either a bed of charcoal or you may want to use a gas grill. A grill basket is very useful when cooking smaller items such as vegetables or seafood.



Braising is a two step technique. The ingredient is first placed in a pan on top of the stove and browned. A small amount of liquid, usually water or broth, is added. Then, the ingredient and the liquid is covered and slowly cooked. The cooking liquid is sometimes used afterward to form a nutrient-rich sauce.



Poaching involves gently simmering ingredients in water until they are cooked through. You may also choose a more flavorful liquid such as broth, juice or vinegar. Be sure to use a covered pan that best fits your food which will enable you to use a minimal amount of liquid.



Steaming is one of the simplest cooking methods. Place the food in a perforated basket and suspend it above simmering liquid. You can use water with seasonings added, or you may choose a more flavorful liquid. Flavor the food as it cooks.



Stir-frying is a traditional Asian cooking method which requires only a small amount of oil or nonstick cooking spray. The food is cut into small, uniform-sized pieces and then rapidly stirred in a wok or large nonstick frying pan.



You can give your meal more appeal by adding color, aroma and taste to your food. An excellent way is through the use of herbs and spices. You can add dried herbs in the early cooking stages, or fresh herbs toward the end of cooking. Be sure to use fresh herbs that aren't wilted and that have bright color. If you substitute dry herbs for fresh, only use one-third the amount.



Now that you're armed with the proper cooking techniques, you can prepare your meals like the pros, making them healthier and more appealing.

Vitamin D: Herb Ready

Working with different people providing guidelines on the best way to incorporate Time Management, Herbal Remedies, and Fitness Plan, specifically to fit whatever needs they may have.

Brings me to this month’s article… I recently assessed someone (whom later I signed on as a client) come to me with many different problems.

One in particular was of vitamins, and a consistent tightness she felt in her joints, and muscles. One works with the other… if your body is lacking a certain vitamin! You’re going to feel the difference in your muscles, and joints, always feeling fatigue, etc cause at some point your body is going to scream out to you! The choice is yours… I hope that you are able to listen to your body.

She later explained to me her need for increasing the intake of vitamin D! per her doctor’s request. To my surprise he wanted her to intake about 6, 000 IU per day… when the minimum is 2, 000 IU through supplements for adult women, if this was the cold bitter winter I could understand such a high dosage of the vitamin. During the winter time we are less likely to expose our bodies to sunlight.

My client went to the doctor twice at the very, beginning of the summer. Only to come back after both visits not satisfied with the answers she was given.

She spoke to a few friends and found her-self being referred to me through a former co-worker. I sat taking notes as I assessed her and for the life of me could not understand why? He could not give her a valid answer (excuse) as to why she should continue with the dosages he recommended. She noticed she would feel sick after taking the second round of vitamins and medications. This same doctor insisted she continue to take all the medications and vitamins with no other alternatives.

I am not a doctor! But I was able to help her find alternative ways to get vitamin D, into her system “This person of modern medicine” could not put together a different way to get her back on the right track. I later questioned his work ethics… or was this particular Dr. just plain old lazy. I am not saying that all Doctor’s are like this but man oh man where did this person get his medical degree? a Cracker Jack Box perhaps.

I asked her to expose herself to sunlight during mid-afternoon for only few minutes, gave her some basic foods that I knew would help boost her Vitamin D and asked her to incorporate a few herbs like turmeric, ginger and supplements to help moisturize her joint and muscles.

Considering your body can generate vitamin D by exposing your body in the sunlight
for at least 15-20 minutes daily… it is recommended to do so during the midday, and it is suggested to use sunscreen on your face and hands (intake the sunlight in moderation).

My Client is on her road to recovery… I have been working with her for 30 days now. She is feeling better everyday noticing the difference with her endurance, stamina, and even her sleeping patterns with the feeling of being well-rested when she wakes up in the mornings. Once completed with the program she’ll be giving her testimony on how it changed her life.

Here is a basic fact list:

Vitamin D keep our bones healthy, reduces the risk in developing “Breast Cancer”, Colon Cancer, High Blood Pressure, and Arthritis.

Eat Your Vitamin D – Some foods help to boost your intake of this vitamin

Foods and drinks like:

*8oz of a glass of milk contain 100 IU

*cold-water fish contain 250 to 650 IU per 3.5oz

*egg yolks contain 100 IU

*dried shitake mushrooms contain 1,600 IU of D2 per 3.5oz serving

I am not against modern medicine. I do believe in questioning the doctor when visiting for your annual check-up. Society has made it easy to take all the information doctors give us and accept it at face value.

It is a new age, people are more aware of their choices when it comes to health & wellness. Age of herbs, minerals and supplements, understanding that we can help ourselves utilizing the natural resources of the earth.

Remember Food For fuel Not Emotion-Herby Ready!

Helpful Tip preparing your skin for the winter:

For Dry Skin --- Use Hazelnut Oil this, this oil is like the natural oil our skin
produces. This lightweight moisturizer penetrates the upper layer
the epidermis. The best way to use the oil is to apply the oil at
night before going to sleep this will allow the oil to soak into
your skin.

Bodega Dreams

'Unique Force'
By SnapShot & WandeePop

This is a new section we decided to add because lately we have been getting questions about who we are, where we come from and our history with hip hop.

We love that people are interested so we decided to share some of our personal stories and events here in this section called 'Bodega Dreams'.

WandeePop & I were raised on Longwood Ave. & Fox Street in the heart of the South Bronx before Hip Hop had an official name. She lived in the next building on the same floor from me. So we were able to see eachother from building to building. Which was convienent when we had to sneak in the house terrified of our mothers because we were late for curfew. Those were the days when kids were actually afraid of their parents;-)

We met through mutual friends and I was good friends with her cousin, Lissette, at the time. We were instant friends. We all enjoyed the same things; playing double dutch/double orange, Tag, skulles, Hop Scotch and going to the PAL 'Lynch' Recreation Center. They had pool tables, video games and arts & crafts. We especailly loved working summer youth as counslors for the day trips at the PAL. Every year we looked forward to 'Field Day'. That's when all the PAL locations compete in various activities. We always won the double dutch competitions. One year we competed for a National Double Dutch Competition and won the grand prize of being featured in a commercial.

Not too long after we met Re-Run. He was the PAL dance instructor who taught the kids the latest hip hop freestyle moves that were popular around the neighborhood. Hip Hop did not have a name yet so we were dancing without giving it a label so naming the moves was important, which is why there were names like Fred Sanford, Dale Webo, Bill Cosby, Smurfs etc. We mimicked characters we seen on TV and created moves.

Re- Run was looking to put a crew together for battles and performances. So we naturally got involved and 'Unique Force' was created with Re-Run as the manager/choreographer; Michelle, Lissette, Wandee, Millie, Myself, Baldwin, Jermaine and Calvin.

To Be Continued...

Top 7 Transformations Secrets

SnapShot's Fitness Corner

Here are my Top 7 Transformation Secrets that you can use to burn fat from all over your body.

Tip #1) Clean out the pantry.One of the biggest pitfalls in a weight loss program is added sugar and mindless snacking (especially between getting home from work and dinner). I can's stress enough the importance of minimizing the temptations from your kitchen. If's it there for the kids or significant other you will indulge. Get rid of the junk. Toss it. Better the garbage can eats it than you do.

Tip #2) Stop doing SLOW boring cardio.Increase the intensity of your workouts and switch to interval training. And yes, even beginners can do interval training when monitored for proper form and instruction.

Tip # 3) Use professionally designed, structured workoutsYou should be in and out of your workouts in less than 45 minutes,three times per week. On the other 4 days of the week, stay active,getting at least a 30-minute walk in each day.

Tip #4) Set up home gym with stability ball, medicine ball, workout bench, adjustable dumbbells, resista-bands and a jump rope. That's all you need. If you are feeling frisky, you can add a pull-up bar to your home gym.But to change your body, you only need a little bit of equipment athome. You don't need an expensive gym membership or one of thosecolossal home gyms, or even a pricey bowflex. Your body doesn't discriminate on price. It simply responds to thechallenge you put on your body, and you can do that on the cheap.

Tip #5) Learn how to do Training Bodyweight Circuits at home instead of using cardio machines. Do your research on the Internet or i suggest hiring a trainer to teach you the basics.

Tip #6) Plan, shop, and prepare your food at homeFinding the right nutrition program is CRITICAL to success, and sois planning. You can't out-train a bad diet, but you can out-planbad habits. So invest 2 hours on the weekend to prepare as many ofyour fat burning meals as possible for the week ahead.

Tip #7) Get Social Support This is the most important Weight Loss Secret that no one pays attention to.

But the bottom line is...you can't do this on your own. You need support from others (family, friends, co-workers, forums, chat boards) to stick to your workouts, to make the right diet choices day-in and day-out and to have someone prop you up when you are feeling down and also to "call you out" when you are feeling like cutting corners.

Get social support on your side today with help from SnapShot & WandeePop. If you are starting a nutritional plan or workout regimen and need some guidance feel free to email us at Snapoplock@aol.com.

Put these 7 Secrets to use today and you can be on your way to meeting your health and wellness goals.

Herb Ready - SAGE

Sage is a native to northern Mediterranean coastal areas of Europe. We all know this herb to be known for its wonderful fragrance and taste. There’s more to this herb then meets the eye.

In the 1800’s Americans thought this herb cured warts. They also claimed Sage cured epilepsy, insomnia, measles, seasickness, and worms.

At this time we have no real evidence of such findings.

In this day and age Sage is an herb than can be used for many different things… it can be used for cooking, aromatherapy, and for medical purposes. Some of the attributed medical properties go as follows.

The oils in Sage contain antiseptic, astringent, and irritant properties.
Treating such ailments as sore throats, mouth irritations, possibly cuts and bruises to heal.

In 1939 an experiment was conducted and showed Sage had estrogenic properties
which may have some connection to the herb’s ability to dry tip milk?

The research also showed set herb to be very helpful in lowering blood sugar in diabetics.
Sage is great for easing the mind during a time when feeling mentally exhausted, soothing nerves, and strengthening concentration. Using this herb in lotion form is a good thing to do when treating sores, or skin eruptions.

Here are a few helpful tips when using Sage

*Tea – Great for all stomach troubles, diarrhea, gas, flu and colds.

*Mouth or Sore Throat – Chewing fresh Sage leaves helps to soothe sore mouth, and sore throat.

*In Combination with Sage – Peppermint, rosemary, and wood betony provide helpful remedies for headaches, regulating menstrual cycle.

*Essential Oil – in oil form Sage is great for aromatherapy to cleanse and purify the air.

*Cooking – Some people find the pungency of Sage to be overpowering, its astringent, “grease cutting” attributes make it a perfect accompaniment when preparing fatty food, and meats.
Sage goes well with foods like carbohydrates, butter beans, and vegetable soup.

So the next time you are putting to together your grocery list. Add Sage to the list not only is it good for you, it’s good in helping you heal, and has a wonderful fragrance.

Herb Ready – Food For Fuel Not Emotion.

Peace!