Best Food Point

FOUR COFFEE FLAVORS TO TRY...

2013-05-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

FOUR COFFEE FLAVORS TO TRY...

I am always on the lookout for new coffee flavors to try because I love coffee so much! Coffee is one of the “addictions” that it is OK to have & I do say that lightly! Coffee has some healthy benefits, but too much of anything is not always a good idea. Below are some of my tried & true coffee favorites that I think everyone should try at least once. Read on if you want to know 9 coffee flavors to try!

1^st: WHITE CHOCOLATE

I am not only a coffee fan, but I love my cappuccino as well! Besides French vanilla, white chocolate is one of my favorite cappuccino flavors to try. It gives such a creamy taste to my coffee! If you find a white chocolate flavored syrup or creamer, try it out in your coffee or cappuccino & I know you’ll love it as much as I do!

2^nd: JAVA CHIP

Here is another coffee flavor I prefer to drink cold, but I have had it served hot too. It is all according to your personal preferences! Java chip is a very sweet & rich flavor, so if you do not like your coffee very sweet, you may not like java chip. If you have a sweet tooth though, this one is for you. Nothing tastes better than an iced, java chip coffee on a hot day!

3^rd: IRISH CRÈME

I recently discovered Irish crème flavoring for my coffee & I was immediately hooked! There is no way to really quite describe how good it tastes. I’ll just say this: make sure you try it for yourself!

4^th: COCONUT

This one might be a little out there for some of you, but it can not hurt to give it a try, right? I love the tropical fruits, & coconut mixed with coffee just feels like a summer vacation! Again, I prefer this one to be cold because it tastes better to me that way. You can go for a coconut flavoring, or you can add some real coconut if you are feeling adventurous!

Remember that you do not necessarily have to go to a coffee house to try out these flavors! You can buy flavored syrups or creams to keep at home & make your own coffee! This will help save you money as well, so that is a bonus. What are some of your favorite coffee flavors?

FIVE COFFEE FLAVORS TO TRY…

2013-05-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

FIVE COFFEE FLAVORS TO TRY…

I am always on the lookout for new coffee flavors to try because I love coffee so much! Coffee is one of the “addictions” that it is OK to have & I do say that lightly! Coffee has some healthy benefits, but too much of anything is not always a good idea. Below are some amazing coffee favorites that I think everyone should try at least once. Read on if you want to know five coffee flavors to try!

1^st: MOCHA

My all time favorite of these wonderful coffee flavors to try is mocha! Who does not love chocolate & coffee mixed together? I am a fan of cold mochas, so I love to make mine with ice. You can try it either way, but it tastes delish with an extra shot of whipped cream & a few chocolate shavings on top!

2^nd: CARAMEL

I actually love caramel in my coffee! It really sweetens it up, & of course gives it a very rich flavor. Depending on how much you love caramel, you can add as much or as little as you want. Sometimes, it even tastes good to mix both caramel & chocolate flavors into your coffee!

3^rd: PEPPERMINT

I love peppermint tea & peppermint chocolate, so it is only natural that I would like peppermint coffee. For your first time trying it, go light so it is more of a fresh taste & not too overwhelming.

4^th: CINNAMON

Cinnamon coffee is just one of those things that give you warm, fuzzy feelings! If you have never tried a little cinnamon in your coffee, it should definitely make it onto your list of coffee flavors to try out. You can find cinnamon flavored creamers, but I love to add a few teaspoons of the real stuff to my coffee for a nice kick start to my morning.

5^th: PUMPKIN

I usually only drink pumpkin flavored coffee during the fall season, but that does not mean that you have to! It just feels right to me, but I know some girls who use pumpkin flavored creamers year round. Pumpkin flavored coffee has a smooth texture & I love the after taste it leaves in my mouth.

SEVEN SWEET REPLACEMENTS FOR SUGAR..

2013-05-01T00:57:00.000-07:00

SEVEN SWEET REPLACEMENTS FOR SUGAR..

There are lots of delicious replacements for sugar you can use in cooking. With people becoming more & more health conscious, everyone's looking for healthy alternatives. Sugar is one of the biggest culprits, & while a little is arguably okay, you definitely do not want to make it a huge part of your diet. Fortunately there are a variety of tasty, healthy, & super sweet replacements for sugar that work well in all sorts of dishes. Take a look & see which ones you'd like to try!

1^st: HONEY

Honey is one of the most well-known replacements for sugar, & with good reason. Organic honey is quite easy to come by & not too terribly expensive. Cooking with honey lends a richness to the dishes add it to, plus the flavor changes depending on what kind of honey you use. Bear in mind that honey is up to 50 percent sweeter than the sugar you use now. Typically, you'll only have to use three-quarters of a cup plus one tablespoon full of honey for every cup of sugar you'd use.

2^nd: STEVIA

Stevia is becoming a huge contender as the most popular substitute for sugar. It is a plant native to South America, & you should know that it is not yet FDA approved as a safe food. Still, many people use it now, & it is generally available in supplement form. As a substitute, it packs a wallop: it has 300 times the sweetness of sugar.

3^rd: MOLASSES

Although molasses is actually still a byproduct of sugar, some people still consider it a viable substitute. It has a much stronger flavor but it lacks some sweetness, partly due to the fact that it is got more acid than sugar. You won't want to use molasses in all your recipes, but in some it is a very valuable replacement.

4^th: BROWN RICE SYRUP

Brown rice syrup is the next best thing to such sweet treats as caramel & butterscotch. It is not as sweet as sugar but still makes a great substitute, partly thanks to the fact that each teaspoon is only about 13 calories. It is slow to break down in recipes, plus it has zinc & magnesium, among other vitamins & nutrients. It still contains some glucose, however, so it won't be the right replacement for everyone.

5^th: MAPLE SYRUP

Maple syrup is a delicious replacement for sugar, especially in baked goods & pastries. You only need three-quarters of a cup for every cup of sugar you'd normally use, even though maple sugar is not quit as sweet. The sap is much richer, however, and the flavor is incredibly strong.

6^th: AGAVE NECTAR

Many of the aforementioned substitutes work better in cooking than in sweetening teas or coffees. Agave nectar is just the opposite; it is perfect for adding some sweetness to your hot drinks. It is definitely not just for tequila any longer. Since each tablespoon is 60 calories, you won't want to use too much, but it is also sweeter than the sugar you're used to using, so you do not need as much.

7^th: WHEY LOW

Whey Low actually comes from the three sugars that occur in nature; it is a blend of fructose, lactose, & sucrose. As such, it is not for everyone, but when all these sugars are mixed, the body doesn't totally absorb them. The Whey Low is very low in calories & won't cause such a supreme sugar crash. While I was aware of many of these, a few caught me by surprise! Trust that using these ingredients as replacements for sugar won't negatively impact the flavor of your dishes. In fact, if anything, you'll end up with richer, more complex flavor profiles that will leave guests begging for your recipes! What's your favorite ingredient to use in place of sugar?

FOUR MOUTH WATERING WAYS TO EAT AVOCADO...

2013-04-21T02:05:00.000-07:00

FOUR MOUTH WATERING WAYS TO EAT AVOCADO…

Well in previous post I told you three of seven mouth watering ways to eat avocado, the other four of them are here now. If you think you know all the ways to eat avocado, then think again. & if you are not much of an avocado kind of person then prepare to be converted.

1^st: NOT SO TRADITIONAL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

If you fancy a fry up with a twist why not swap your bacon for avocado? It makes a greasy fry up suddenly seem somewhat more sophisticated whilst providing you with a creamy goodness once your avocado has mixed with your gooey eggs.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 pieces of whole meal toast

½ - 1 mighty avocado

Salt & pepper to toast

Poach the eggs & toast the bread. Spread the mighty avocado on both pieces of the toast with a fork, mashing it into the bread. Place the eggs on top of the avocado & sprinkle with salt & pepper.

2^nd: CRISP BACON & AVOCADO TOASTS

Now, totally going against recipe number 4 which sneezed up the typical morning fry up by replacing bacon with avocado, this time we are taking both bacon & avocado & marrying them up in the perfect edible union.

Ingredients:

4 rashers smoked bacon, streaky

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small ripe avocado, peeled & stoned

Squeeze lime juice

Pinch dried chili flakes

2 chunky slices granary bread

Heat grill to high. Put the bacon & cherry tomatoes, cut side up, on a grill rack & grill for 10 mines, turning the bacon halfway through, until crisp. Meanwhile, roughly mash the avocado with a fork & stir in the lime juice, chili flakes, some salt, if you like, & pepper. Toast the bread until golden & spoon on the mashed avocado. Top with the tomatoes & bacon, then serve.

3^rd: AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

This recipe was passed on to me from a friend.

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small avocado

1 x 150ml pot apricot yogurt

500ml real pineapple juice

1 ice cubes

Place in a blender & blend until smooth.

4^th: NEW YORK GOODWHICH

Oh goodness. I do not know if you are ready for this. The magnitude of the sheer mouth watering marvelous-ness of the recipe that I am about to impart on you is of epic proportions. It may not sound amazing, but you just have to have faith. You Go.

Ingredients:

1 cup broccoli

2 tablespoons carrot, grated

2 tablespoons red cabbage, grated

2 tablespoons courgette grated

A cup of barbecued onions (see below)

1 whole-wheat pita

1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

3 thin slivers of dill pickle

½ cup finely shredded lettuce

½ an avocado

Sea salt & pepper to taste

Break the broccoli up into little pieces & steam until tender. Combine the carrot, cabbage & courgette altogether & mix thoroughly.

BBQ onions

2 tablespoons oil

1 white onion

2-3 good squirts of your favorite BBQ sauce

In a small skillet heat the oil. Add the onion to the pan & sauté until it begins to soften. Add the BBQ sauce, & continue sautéing, stirring frequently, until onion is thoroughly wilted. This makes enough for 3-4 Good which.

Assembling the Good which

Heat your pita breads in the oven of toaster until they are soft but not crisp & then cut a sliver in the top so that the pocket opens easily. Combine all the ingredients & stuff into the pocket. Be prepared to be blown away.

For all the ways to eat avocado, the recipes listed here are some of my all time favorites. It is such a versatile fruit which can be used to not only add nutrition but an incredible taste to any meal. Does anyone else have any killer ways to eat avocado? If so, sharing is caring, people…

THREE MOUTH WATERING WAYS TO EAT AVOCADO.

2013-04-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

THREE MOUTH WATERING WAYS TO EAT

AVOCADO…

Well I know at least seven mouth watering ways to eat avocado, three of them are here others will be in next post. If you think you know all the ways to eat avocado, then think again. & if you are not much of an avocado kind of person then prepare to be converted.

1^st: POTENTIALLY THE BEST SANDWICH IN THE WORLD

I want to share this recipe with you all as one of the many ways to eat avocado, but you need to know that this is not just any old way to eat avocado. Your life will not be the same after it. You are welcome.

Here goes...

Ingredients:

2 slices wholegrain bread, lightly toasted

3 or 4 lengthwise slices cucumber

½- 1 avocado

2-3 leaves of crunchy hearts of romaine lettuce

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Rock salt/pepper to taste

Toast the bread & then spread a generous amount of mayonnaise on each piece. With a fork scoop out some of the avocado from its shell & spread over one piece of toast, then sprinkle with rock salt. Lay 1-2 pieces of lettuce on top of the mayo & then place 3-4 strips of cucumber on top of the lettuce. Place the remaining lettuce on the cucumber, spread the other piece of toast with avocado, sprinkle with salt & put the sandwich together.

Whoever thought to combine avocado & cucumber in a sandwich deserves a medal, or at least a really powerful high five (the kind that stings). The creamy texture of the avocado mixed with the moistness (yes I used THAT word) of the cucumber is insanely good.

2^nd: RIDICULOUSLY TASTY JUICE

I am a big fan of juicing & try to drink at least one fresh juice a day. This recipe containing avocado is my all time favorite juice recipe. Every time I have made one of these for anyone, they have not only loved the taste but couldn't believe all the goodness that was packed into it. Why hold your nose & down your liquid 5 a day when you can sip each precious slurp of this wonderful concoction… enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 apples

¼ of a pineapple (or more if you want)

2 handfuls of spinach

½ cucumbers.

½ avocado.

First off cut up & rinse all of the ingredients except for the avocado. Place piece of apple in the juice chute first followed by the spinach & all other fruit & vege, excluding the avocado. Take the juice just made & blend together with the avocado either in a blender or with an electric hand wiz. Never put the avocado through the juicer, ever. Pour juice over ice in a tall glass & prepare to be in juice heaven.

3. SIMPLE YET SATISFYING

If you are in a hurry but need to eat, then let the mighty avocado come to your rescue. Simply slice one of those puppies open & sprinkle lightly with some rock salt & Bob’s your uncle. Not only tasty, the avocado is said to be literally one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It contains over 25 essential nutrients which keep you looking & feeling healthy as well as protect you against a number of nasty diseases.

For all the ways to eat avocado, the recipes listed here are some of my all time favorites. It is such a versatile fruit which can be used to not only add nutrition but an incredible taste to any meal. Does anyone else have any killer ways to eat avocado? If so, sharing is caring, people…

Worst foods to eat on a diet…

2013-03-30T03:59:00.000-07:00

The worst foods to eat on a diet…

The worst foods to eat on a diet are sometimes self explanatory & sometimes incredibly surprising. Typically you think solely of fattening foods & thing when you are thinking about the worst diet foods. However, there are some foods & beverages that many people think are good for them when they are trying to lose weight, but in fact they are not. Here is a list of some really bad diet choices – feel free to add to it after reading through!

1^st: WHITE BREAD

Although I know white bread is one of the worst foods to eat on a diet, it is always tempting. I just prefer white bread. However, it does not really have any value in terms of nutrition & it is filled with bad carbs & your body treats it like sugar, so it ends up giving you even more fat to store.

2^nd: SUGARY CEREAL

This one really goes without saying, but here is the thing. It is tempting to think cereal is not really that bad, especially if you only eat it as a snack or something. I am not going to say that it is horrible to get a craving for Lucky Charms marshmallows or something on occasion because seriously, sometimes you just want sweet cereal, but it is bad. You need something with nutritional value, something that does not need a lot of sweetener added to taste good.

3^rd: VEGETABLE OIL

Vegetable oil is a bad diet choice simply because so much of it contains way too much fat. They are also heavily processed, so they are not particularly good for you. There are alternatives, however, like extra virgin olive oil or even canola.

4^th: WHOLE MILK

You need calcium, so if you can incorporate dairy products into your diet, it is a good idea. However, whole milk has a lot of fat, naturally, so it is best to stay away from that. Skim milk is a much better alternative, or you may want to try soy or almond milk instead.

5^th: POTATOES

There are some diets that benefit from potatoes but, for the most part, potatoes are one of the worst foods to eat on a diet. It is worse when they are fried, as with French fries & chips, especially. If you eat potatoes occasionally, that is not so bad, but it still needs to be in moderation. Baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and boiled potatoes are healthier than the fried options, but it is still best to moderate & make sure you do not eat too much starch in the rest of your meals.

6^th: 100% FRUIT JUICE

Natural fruit juice is not one of the worst diet food or drink, rather in comparison, but it is a slippery slope. First you have to make sure that your juice really does not have any additives, concentrates, or extra sugars, but even then, water is a better beverage. It is just much better to eat real fruit when you are trying to lose weight.

7^th: SODA

Soda is another bad choice when you are on a diet. All that sugar is one of the most prevalent, serious causes of obesity in the world. Diet soda is better in helping you lose weight, but even it is not that healthy. Again, it is much better to drink water, as often as you can.

8^th: JUNK FOOD

Needless to say, you need to avoid all kinds of junk foods when you are trying to lose weight. If you have a tendency to snack, look for healthier alternatives to your favorites. The world is trying to become a healthier place, so you can typically find a low fat or fat free choice for any traditional junk food & mind you, that includes chips, dips, fast food, candy, cookies, and cakes, an entire spectrum of unhealthy snacks. Avoid them as much as you can, and look for a better version.

9^th: PROCESSED MEAT

When you are trying to lose weight, shopping gets more difficult. You might stumble over the worst foods to eat on a diet without even knowing it. For instance, you might see low fat or fat free deli meats & think some turkey or chicken would be a much healthier alternative to make for your lunch each day. Not so much. Those meats are so processed; they ultimately lead to weight gain. If you can, spring for the fresher, healthier variety; go for freshly cut varieties instead.

10^th: PEANUT BUTTER

Peanut butter is good for you in some ways. In others, it really won’t help you lose weight, especially if you eat a lot of it. The protein is good, but you need to moderate your intake if you are a peanut butter buff, and mix it with healthy things.

Like say, some of the worst foods to eat on a diet are really surprising. You do not expect them, because they seem like they would be healthy. Sometimes you can not avoid eating them anyway, and again, as long as you monitor how much you eat, you should be fine. Do you have any other bad diet choices to add to the list?

Seven Low Calorie Coffee Drinks

2012-02-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

Seven Low Calorie Coffee Drinks…

Coffee drinks are one of the few things I love about fall! Sure, in the summer, you can enjoy frozen or iced coffee drinks, but it is just not the same as a steamy flavored latte… which, by the way, you can enjoy even if you are dieting! According to the talented barista at my local Biggby coffee, there are loads of coffee drinks you can have with less than 250 calories. Curious, & perhaps thirst? Here are seven low-calorie coffee drinks.

1st: ICED SPOTTED OWL

Calorie count: 128

Wait, I thought we were supposed to be protecting the spotted owl, not drinking them! But they are so very tasty! This latte is made with skim milk & sugar-free marshmallow, vanilla & hazelnut syrup. For an extra kick, try it with two shots of espresso… yow!

2st: PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

Calorie count: 148

This is my fall coffee drink favorite, either this way (low-cal) or with whipped cream on top (just a smidge!). It is skim milk with one shot each of espresso & sugar-free pumpkin, gingerbread & cinnamon… so delicious!

3st: GINGERSNAP LATTE

Calorie count: 198

This low-cal coffee drink is similar to the Pumpkin Spice latte, only instead of pumpkin & cinnamon, it is just gingerbread with a shot of sugar-free marshmallow. It really does taste like a gingersnap cookie!

4st: S’MORES LATTE

Calorie count: 200

While most of us consider s’mores to be a mid-summer camping thing, why not enjoy one as a coffee drink this fall? It is a skim milk latte with sugar free shots of chocolate, marshmallow, & gingerbread. Hmm. Are you noticing a fall trend with all these gingerbread flavor shots?

5st: CARAMEL COCOA LATTE

Calorie count: 205

If you like the ooey-gooey flavor of caramel but want the coffee drink without the sticky after-effects, then try this! It is (again) a skim milk latte with one shot each of sugar-free chocolate & caramel syrup. It has a completely different flavor than your typical mocha latte, or hot cocoa.

6st: CHUMPKIN

Calorie count: 227

I freely admit I wanted to include this low-cal coffee drink because of its name alone. But it actually does taste really, really good! It is chai with pumpkin, which isn’t nearly as fun to say as “chumpkin.” Ask for it with skim milk, & without whipped cream, & maintain your diet without sacrificing sweets!

7st: BLACK COFFEE!

Calorie count: 5

Maybe you think all these fru-fru drinks are still a little on the higher-calorie end. Then why not have a plain old cup of rich black coffee? Too macho? Then keep in mind that skim milk adds 80 calories, & sugar adds 35, so feel free to doctor it up a bit.

I hate to say this out loud & all, but I am so excited for fall now that I have put together this list… all my favorite coffee drinks are on here! I can not wait for my Chumpkin’s of this season!

Cooking Tips: Best Solutions for the Hopeless Cook

2012-02-05T00:11:00.000-08:00

Cooking Tips: Best Solutions for the Hopeless Cook

Cooking Tips usually focus on how to improve your performance in the kitchen. But what do you do if you are simply a disaster in the kitchen & have been banned by your family from ever again attempting to cook? Do you give it up as a hopeless cause, or is there a glimmer of hope for even the most hapless would-be cook? If you are a culinary disaster waiting to happen, try these cooking tips to help you turn into a competent chef …

EXPERIMENT

First of all, you should be prepared to experiment. And we all know that experiments can fail. That is the whole point. If you want to lose your reputation as a hopeless cook, you need to be prepared to make a mess of things sometimes. That is how you learn what works & what does not.

CLASS

Take a really basic class where you can start from scratch & pick up lots of simple but effective cooking tips. There is no need to worry that you will make mistakes & look like an idiot if you pick a class aimed at complete beginners. Everyone will be in the same position as you, so sign up, roll up your sleeves & get cooking!

OBSERVE

Do you have a roommate or partner who is at least a competent cook? Ask if you can watch how they do things when they cook. You can pick up a lot of cooking tips just by watching how they go about putting a meal together, for example how long certain ingredients need to be cooked & in which order.

PRACTISE

Yes, sadly you can not become a decent cook by magic overnight; it takes a lot of practice. That means going in the kitchen, with all its terrifying paraphernalia, & playing with ingredients. Look at it as like performing in a play – it takes lots of rehearsals before you start to get it right. Cooking is no different; nobody is born knowing how to cook. It is something that you have to learn, & that takes practice.

WATCH AND LEARN

Not only can you learn about practical cooking by watching someone else ´live´, you can also watch them on screen. There are so many TV cookery programs, & now you can also view YouTube clips or video recipes on cookery websites. The beauty of the latter two is that you can watch them repeatedly & replay anything you did not catch first time.

CHEAT

If you find yourself having agreed against all common sense to host a dinner party, do not panic. Buy ready-made dishes from the supermarket! You can always hide the packets, although most people understand that many of us lead a busy life these days, & using prepared dishes is considered to be an acceptable way of saving time these days. So you can always use that excuse to hide your lack of competence in the kitchen!

MARRY A CHEF!

Yes, if you can not afford to hire a chef, marry one. Surprisingly, some of them do actually enjoy cooking at home as well. Even an enthusiastic amateur would do just fine – if it means that you do not need to cook then it does not matter whether they are professional or not.

These cooking tips may not transform you into a gourmet chef, but that is not a problem. Most hopeless cooks would be happy just to produce an edible meal that does not resemble charcoal, & there are few people who really are beyond improvement. So follow these hints and keep trying.