Cheesecake Farms

Radical Cooking - Quick and Easy Fish Meals for Lent

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:13:00 +0000

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Here's some quick, meatless meal ideas especially for Lent but don't stop there.

These fish-y ideas make great (and easy) dinner party fare, too, and we should all be eating more fish anyway.

Vegetarians will like these ideas, too.

But here's the best part.... none of these "recipes" requires specific measurements.

Now, isn't that just too radical??
Easy, great, meatless meals without recipes.....

Am I just fishing for complements or what???

Poached Orange Salmon
Cook some rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

Put about 1/2 an inch of orange juice into a frying pan. Add salmon fillets.

Thinly slice your favorite vegetable (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash or whole snow peas are all nice) and spread out over the top of the fish in the pan.

Cover the pan (use foil if your pan doesn't have a lid).

Cook over low until the salmon flakes easily and is cooked through - about 10 minutes according to thickness and the veggies are cooked the way you like them.

Serve over rice spooning some of the pan juices over the top.

Salsa Fish
Cook some rice or pasta according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

Some fresh fruit (particularly mango, pineapple, peaches or papaya) would be nice to serve with this, too, so if you happen to have some around, peel, cut and dice into serving size pieces. Canned fruit is OK, too. Set this aside as well.

To cook the fish, put about 1/4 inch of water, vegetable broth or white wine into a frying pan. Add your favorite skinless, mild white fish (like flounder, haddock, cod or tilapia).

Pour (to taste) your favorite salsa over the top.

Cover (use foil if your pot doesn't have a lid).

Cook on low till fish flakes and is cooked through - about 10 minutes according to thickness of the fish.

Serve over rice or pasta, spooning some of the pan juices over the top.

Garnish with the fruit you've prepared. If you have a lot of fruit you can serve it in a bowl along side the fish. No fruit? That OK, too!

Italian Fish Parmesean
Cook some rice or pasta according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

To round things out, make a salad or saute some broccoli sauteed with garlic and olive oil. (Frozen plain, frozen broccoli cooked according to package directions is good, too!) Keep the salad cold and/or the broccoli warm while making the fish.

To cook the fish, put about 1/4 inch of water, vegetable broth or white wine into a frying pan. Add you favorite skinless, mild white fish (like flounder, haddock, cod or tilapia).

Pour (to taste) your favorite thick pasta sauce over top.

Cover (use foil if you don't have a lid).

Cook on low till fish flakes and is cooked through - about 10 minutes according to thickness of the fish.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese or queso blanco (Mexican white cheese) over top of the cooked fish and replace cover. Cook until cheese melts - a minute or so.

Serve over cooked pasta (spooning some of sauce over the top) with the salad or broccoli

Fish Florentine
Cook some rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

If you've got them and feel like it, steam some fresh carrots and/or mushrooms. Keep them warm, too.

To cook the fish, put about 1/4 inch of water, vegetable broth or white wine into a frying pan. Add you favorite skinless, mild white fish (like flounder, haddock, cod or tilapia).

Cover (foil is OK if you don't have a lid).

Cook on low till fish flakes and is cook through - about 10 minutes according to thickness of the fish.

Remove fish and keep warm.

Put a few handfuls of fresh spinach into the pan juices. Cover and steam briefly - about a minute.

Portion the steamed spinach on plates and top with cooked fish.

Dust the fish with a little something to make it look nice (paprika, Old Bay seasoning, a pinch of bread crumbs, chopped parsley or toasted wheat germ etc.)

Serve with the prepared rice, carrots and/or mushrooms.

The Magic Honey Cure For Allergies

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:34:00 +0000

Tis the season to stop your sneez'n
By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist

www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Every spring I'm asked for this age old cure for pollen and mold related allergies.

It's easy, delicious, pain-less and cheap because it works with Mother Nature - not against her.

Local honey comes from a 50 mile
radius of where you live

Understanding why you sneeze, wheeze and leak

When you body is overloaded with unfamiliar pollen, it tries to get rid of it by sneezing it out and diluting it with water then leaking it out of your eyes.

This is good for your body but annoying.

Pollen is vital to plant reproduction so it's everywhere.
The key is getting familiar with your local pollen so your body recognizes it.

Once the body recognizes the pollen, it's no longer foreign and the body doesn't react. Sneezing and watery eyes are gone!

This is just like getting allergy shots...only easier, tastier and much cheaper!!

Eat a tiny bit of raw, local honey each day gradually increasing the amounts over an extended period of time. That's it!!

Raw, local honey contains the pollen that's in your area.
But watch out!

Eat too much honey too soon and you'll have a full blown allergic reaction.

The key to this cure is to gradually increase the amount of pollen in your blood so your body gets used to it.

The Cure

Get a small jar of raw, local honey. Any kind.
Local honey comes from within a 50 mile radius of where you live. Check the label.

If it comes from farther away, it won't help you.
You need honey that contains pollen from your area.

Look for local honey at farmers markets, farm stands and in the local foods section of food stores.

You will not be able to see the pollen in the honey but it's there.
It makes no difference whether or not there's honey comb in the jar.
Just be sure the honey is raw.

Processed honey is cooked and won't work.

This cure helps the body build up its natural immunity and that takes time... about 6 months...... but once it's done, it's done.

You may start noticing results after a few days......... but keep going.   For best results, you have to complete the whole cure.

Step 1

For a couple of weeks, eat a speck of raw, local honey once a day.

A speck is just the amount that's on the head of a pin.

It's an amount that's so small it doesn't seem worth while - but it is.

Do this once a day for a couple of weeks.
Two weeks. Three weeks. The exact amount of time doesn't matter.
Just do it once each day for a couple of weeks.
One speck each day. No more!

If you over do it, you'll have an allergy attack.
Raw, local honey contains pollen - the same stuff that's been making your eyes itch and your nose run. Too much too soon and your body will scream at you!

Step 2
For the next couple of weeks, eat a slightly larger speck once each day. We're still in the speck stage. Don't rush it.

Step 3
For the next couple of weeks, eat a drop of honey once each day.
A drop is about 6 specks but less than an 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Step 4
For the next couple of weeks, increase your daily amount of honey to 1/8 teaspoon once a day.  No more!!!

You can eat the honey plain but since the amounts are now increasing, you might want to combine the honey with any cold or room temperature food. Just don't heat it.

Ideas: Stir into a smoothie. Drizzle over a salad. Spread on your toast. Mix into your jam or jelly. Eat over ice cream. Spread onto a graham cracker or a Little Debbie. Mix honey and mustard together and use as a pretzel dip.

Be careful not to eat more honey than you should at each step during this cure. If you do, you will trigger an allergic reaction.

Step 5
For the next couple of weeks, increase your daily amount of honey to 1/4 teaspoon once each day.

Step 6

After taking the honey cure
you'll be able to open the window and
let the fresh air (and pollen) in !

For the next couple of weeks, increase your daily amount of honey to 1/2 teaspoon once each day. By now you're in great shape allergy wise.

Step 7
Increase your honey to 1 teaspoon once a day for a couple of weeks.

Step 8
Final step - 1 tablespoon of honey once a day for a week or two.

There after, have some raw, local honey every once in a while when you think about it but there's no schedule to follow and you can eat any amount you're like - even more!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Disclaimer
Always check with your doctor before self medicating.
The honey cure may not be appropriate for diabetics or in combination with prescribed or over the counter medications.
Do not give honey to children ages 5 and under.

Moving?
If you move 50 miles or more away (or travel that much to a new job), your allergies may come back because the pollen in your new place is different. Just repeat the honey cure using raw honey from your new area.

Already live 50 or more miles from your job?
Do the honey cure for the place where you have the most annoying symptoms.

After that, if you still have symptoms when you're in the other location, do the honey cure again, this time using raw, local honey from the other location.

Unlike medicines, you aren't going to get a drug interaction....just a lot of good taste!!

Lent 2012 - Don't Give Up Something - Do Something

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:03:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita

www.CheesecakeFarms.com

I've never been good at giving up things for Lent.

Oh, I was better at it when I was young. But now that I'm old, my good intentions evaporate after only a few hours of resolve.

A year or so ago, I had an epiphany.

I came to the realization that my whole life was routinely about giving up stuff.

To control my weight, I had already given up cake, ice cream and candy.

To keep our household finances in check, I had given up impulse buying and using my credit card.

To stay healthy, I avoid fun stuff like eating saturated fat, staying up late, high heeled shoes and jumbo lattes with whipped cream.

So, I asked myself, what was there left to give up for lent?

Then came the epiphany.

Instead of giving up something for Lent, I would DO something for Lent. It was a truly freeing moment!

So, each day during Lent, I did a little something - not much - just a little something more than I typically did.

I walked the dog five minutes longer.

What's the point of giving up things
for Lent when you already
live a frugal, spartan life????

When the cat wrapped herself around my legs, I picked her up and gave her a nuzzle.

I vacuumed my husband's car, weeded a flower bed I had been avoiding, sorted my old books and took a bag to the library re-sale shop.

I even called an elderly aunt who was difficult to talk to.

By the time Easter Sunday came around, I felt re-born.

I think that's the real reason for Lent..... the being re-born part.

Giving up stuff for Lent?
Well, that only made me cranky.

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 8 - Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:11:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Here's a little something to chew on.... eating breakfast may be sabotaging your health!

No, I haven't lost my mind. I know this goes against every bit of popular wisdom but it's true.

Think about it....

Most of the world eats very little for breakfast.... and I'm not talking about starving nations.

Most cultures have a tradition of a bit of carb, a small cup of caffeine (like coffee, tea or cocoa) and maybe a little dairy (milk in the coffee or tea, a piece of cheese and maybe some butter).

Take a close look at my words.... a BIT of carb (a small roll, a small croissant, a slice of bread)..... a small cup of caffeine (4 to 6 oz.) and a little dairy (enough milk to make cafe au lait, whiten tea or a cube of cheese).

We eat piles of carbs and mountains of dairy for breakfast.....like pancakes covered in syrup, bowls of cereal swimming in gallons of milk and pounds of cheese stuffed into omelets.

And let's not forget caffeine..... 24 oz take out cups of coffee, refillable mega mugs of caffeine laced sodas and (yikes) energy boost shooters (super caffeinated coffee substitutes).

It's no wonder we're getting fat-fat-fat and no matter how much caffeine we down we don't have an ounce of energy to spare.

Our way of eating breakfast is more punishment to the body than health giving nutrition.... and teaching children this pattern of eating is just plain wrong. So how did we get this way? Let's take a closer look.

This big breakfast habit of ours was based on need and, at the time, was a good thing.

Hundreds of years ago, when we were strictly a farming culture, people got up early to go to the fields and didn't come back till dark. The farms were big and the fields were often far from the house.

A big, hot breakfast (with a light lunch eaten in the field) sustained them until they got back home for supper. They were tired and hungry so supper was, again a big, hot meal.

Fast forward to the factory era.... same basic idea.... the jobs were often far from home so they had a big breakfast, a small take along lunch, then a big supper when they got home.

Our work habits have changed, we're more desk and car bound, but our eating habits haven't. Add to that the availability of prepared food 24/7.

We still eat a big breakfast and big supper but we add a big lunch at mid day, too. On top of this, portions are all supper sized.

It's easy to see that our habits of the past need some up-dating.

Should you be eating a small breakfast - a big breakfast or no breakfast at all?

Well, that depends..... how do you feel? How's your energy level?

Your age makes a difference. Children, for example, need something in their tummies before heading out to school but how much they need depends on the child.

Your health makes a difference, too. Frail people and those undergoing medical treatments, for example, may do better with breakfast. It just depends.

Keep a journal for the next few weeks jotting down when and what you eat for breakfast. Note how you feel. Then tweak your eating. Eat the way that makes you feel best more often.

It doesn't matter whether your breakfast is big, small or none at all.
What matters is how you feel.

If you find that a small breakfast gives you more sustained energy, then choose it more often and save those big (yummy) American breakfasts for a holiday brunch.

If a large breakfast works better for you, then by all means, enjoy it.

If you feel best waiting until lunch to eat that's OK, too.

There is no one right way to have (or not have) breakfast.

Eating fuels the body and should make you feel great.

If you're not feeling great, you're eating the wrong kinds of food.... or just too much!

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 7 - Ignoring Your Heritage

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:50:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Want to feel better and be healthier?
Look to your past.

Not just yesterday but to your long past.... your heritage.

Each of us has a lineage that goes back to the beginning of time. That's a lot of years and a lot of food choices.

Those who made good choices (like not eating poison mushrooms) lived to pass their genetic information on to their next generation.

Those who made poor choices (eating foods that didn't support their well being) died.

The smartest of the subsequent generations paid attention and chose foods that promoted good health. They avoided foods that had made others sick. Now add location to the mix.

Populations that lived near the sea ate a lot of fish.
People who farmed ate a lot of grains and dairy.
Nomadic people ate a lot of meat, cultured dairy and cheese.

Our individual nutritional needs are based, in large part, by the genetic code that was crafted especially for us from the choices made by our ancestors over millions of years.

Fast forward to today.

Today, we eat whatever we want, whenever we want and in any amount we want. We totally ignore our heritage and, especially here in America where our heritage is so richly mixed, we aren't from any one direct line.

Oh, many get by without eating like their ancestors (the body by nature is very adaptable) but to truly be healthy, we need to look to our past.

This is not to say that you can't incorporate other foods into your diet, you can and you should! There's a whole, great big world of yummy things to eat out there!!

What this means is that based on your own personal heritage, you may need more meat, for example, than you typically eat or more dairy or more grain.... or the reverse - less.

Understanding the kinds of foods your ancestors ate is one of the keys to good health. Holiday foods are a good place to start looking.

Many families have special ethnic dishes that are passed down from one generation to the next. These recipes reflect the types of foods your ancestors were likely to eat. Do they contain a lot of meat? Are the dishes predominantly seafood? Which vegetables are typically served? How about desserts? Are they rich with dairy or do they tend to be more fruit based? These are all keys to help you determine your nutritional needs.

Looking to your past is a sure way to jump start a future of good health!

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 6 - Food is Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:07:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Food changes your body chemistry every bit as much as the pills you swallow.

Food tastes good .... pills don't.... but they both effect how you live, work and function.

Brain fog, fatigue, inability to get anything done, susceptibility to colds, flu, headache and other diseases, menstrual cramps, depression, weight gain or loss, bad skin....anything and everything.

Some food makes you feel good. Some food makes you feel bad.

The key to being healthy is to pay attention to how you feel and what reactions you have after eating or drinking something.

Unlike pills, food is most often holistic and subtle in it's interaction with the body although you can get a full blown allergic reaction. (That's your body screaming at you for what you have just put into it.)

Foods that make you feel good should be eaten more often.

Foods that make you feel bad should be minimized or totally eliminated from the diet....even if they are considered to be "healthy" foods.

The only way to really get a handle on how the food you're eating effects you is to keep a journal of what you eat and how you feel.

It doesn't have to be a long or complicated. Just a few words or phrases will be enough. What you're looking for is a pattern. Which foods make you feel good. Which foods make you feel bad.

"Had scrambled eggs, hash browns and buttered toast for breakfast. Felt sleepy about 10AM."

"Had toast with peanut butter for breakfast.... wasn't hungry till lunch."

"Ate way too much breakfast... clothes felt tight all morning and I couldn't seem to concentrate on my work or get anything done."

The body doesn't necessarily clear out everything in 24 hours so don't discount possible relationships. That migraine you had on Thursday may have actually been the result of all the alcohol you consumed the Saturday before.

Once you see patterns, you can tweak your diet choosing foods that make you feel good more often. The better you begin to feel, the more often you'll want to choose the better-for-you foods.

There are no universally good or bad foods. Each of us reacts to foods differently...even healthy foods.

Food is medicine that adjusts and regulates the body's delicate chemistry. Use it to make yourself feel great....not to make yourself sick.

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 5 - Listening to Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:25:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist

www.CheesecakeFarms.com

I've often heard people say that things would be so much simpler if we came with an owner's manual. But we did!

It's called intuitive eating.
That means trusting your intuition - listening to your inner voice.

Each of us has a software program deep within our being that's based on millions of years of evolution - our own, unique evolution. It points us in the direction we should be going - if we care to listen.

That's the key...... if we care to listen.
Follow the advice and you'll do well.

Go your own way and you'll struggle.

Like everything else in life, it's a matter of free will and choice.

Food is eaten for pleasure and nourishment but it's also consumed as medicine to regulate the body functions. You are guided, intuitively, to make choices that will keep your body running smoothly. Here's how intuitive eating works:

1. Eat What You Like
Assuming you already choose a basically healthful diet, eat the foods you like.

You intuitively want to eat the foods (and this includes condiments, spices and beverages) that are best for you. Your choices will be constantly changing to adjust your internal chemistry for optimal health moment by moment, meal by meal.

Don't eat well?
Start slowly and make a healthier choice every now and then. No rush. You know what's healthy and what isn't. Your body will reward you with moments of feeling better and being more alert.

Eventually, as you become accustomed to listening to your inner voice, you'll choose foods that make you feel better more often. You'll choose them because you'll be hungry for more of those healthier feeling moments when you're alive and kicking!

2. Don't Eat What You Don't Like
We all have different tastes and food preferences because we each have different needs.

Foods that are of little or no value to you don't taste good to you (assuming they are well prepared) no matter how nutritionally beneficial they are purported to be. If you don’t like something, don't eat it.

If a food is particularly distasteful (the yuck factor), it's often a sign that the food may be doing you harm even though it's nutritious and others find it delicious.

Children may not like certain foods when first introduced to them. That's OK. Their bodies may not be ready to eat them or, just like you, their bodies may find the food unnecessary or harmful even if it's a healthy food. Just keep on introducing foods to children without much fan fare. When they're ready, they'll add it to their repertoire.

3. Cravings
If you're wondering what to do when your inner voice instructs you to reach for the soda and chips or Little Debbies, don't worry. Take a moment to listen to your inner voice and find out what your body really needs.

Is it salt? Is it a sugar boost? Is it comfort? Is it sleep? Or is the craving a response to boredom?

Whatever it is, your body needs something and it is asking for it in a language that you've understood before. (Did you know that Little Debbie is a language?)

The body starts with a gentle nudge or suggestion - a brief, fleeting thought of something you'd like to eat or drink - and, if you don't pay attention, the thought escalates into a full blown craving that consumes your every waking minute. You might even dream about it. Give the body what it wants (and it's not necessarily food) and the craving will go away.

Use your intuition. Listen to your body and give it what it needs.

Eat intuitively for optimal health and well being.

It's one owner's manual that you'll never loose.

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 4 - Milk

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

There is nothing more controversial than milk.

Some believe it is vital to good health.

Others believe that milk is good for children but not adults.

Then there are those who believe that only raw milk should be drunk.... that pasteurizing and homogenizing milk changes a healthful food into a killer.

While the debate over milk continues, here's what we do know.....

Cows are routinely injected with hormones to keep their milk flowing and those hormones wind up in the milk you are drinking.

But it doesn't stop there. The hormones also wind up in foods that are made with and from milk... cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream, pudding and baked goods.

Like all mammals, a cow produces milk to feed her calf. The milk naturally stops flowing after her calf has been weaned. Milk production can be extended by continuing to milk her and/or by injecting her with hormones. Hormone injected cows will continue to be produce almost indefinitely. This is what's known as a "factory" cow.

The hormones the cows are given wind up in their milk. The dairy industry maintains that levels of hormones in milk products for human consumption are so low that they are insignificant. That may be... but add to that all the other hormones in our foods (like beef) and medicines (like birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy) and you wind up with a very powerful hormone cocktail.

Here's what to do.... switch to organic milk and dairy products. It's that simple.

USDA certified organic dairy products do not contain milk from cows that have been given hormones. Always look for the green icon on the package.

The term "natural" on dairy products doesn't mean anything.

Got a dairy near you?
Ask them if they give hormones to their cows. If not, that would be a great place to get milk, too, even if it isn't certified "organic". Ideally the cows should be 100% grass, hay and/or pasture fed.

Eliminating hormones from the milk and dairy products you eat is a huge step toward better health.

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 3 - Salt

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Salt is an important nutrient. It regulates our body functions.

So how come everyone in this country is on a salt free or salt restricted diet when the rest of the world seems to be worrying about not getting ENOUGH salt?

Many people, doctors included, believe that salt is not a problem.
What did I just say? Salt is not a problem.... not bad for you?
Everyone knows that when you have high blood pressure you have to cut back on (and even cut out) salt.

Now, I'm not telling you to go against your doctor's instructions but here's something to think about.....
The salt we eat in this country is highly refined. This means it has none of the usual trace nutrients that are normally found in salt (it's like how we strip away the nutrients from whole wheat when we turn it into white flour.....). It's these trace nutrients that are believed make all the difference.

Too much refined salt plays havoc with our metabolic path ways.
Unrefined salt has a slew of trace nutrients that keeps every thing in balance.

And because our salt is so refined, it makes a great, cheap preservative. It's widely used in prepared foods because it doesn't change the taste or color of the foods and consumers prefer to see "salt" on a label than a chemical sounding, multi-syllabic preservative.

Medications, by the way, can also contain lots of NaCl (refined salt).

So what should you do?

1. If you are under a doctor's care and have been told to cut back or cut out salt, talk things over with him or her. You have to be responsible for your health.

2. If you're not under a doctor's care, it's easy to make some healthy changes to your diet. Switch from regular salt to unrefined sea salt. It's available everywhere and is probably right on the same shelf with your regular salt. I like the "Celtic" brand but there are lots out there to choose from. What you want is dehydrated sea water.

3. Eat less prepared and/or packaged food. It's loaded with refined salt - even if it doesn't taste salty. Cook from scratch and you can say how much and what kind of salt you put into recipes.

Unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, moderate amounts of unrefined sea salt is part of a healthy diet.

Who knew salt was a healthy thing to eat!!

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 2 - Soy

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:46:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

We've come to believe that soy products are healthy. But are they?

Soy is certainly healthy for the economy...that little bean is big business.

Soybeans are an oil rich legume that grows in green pods. They have been grown as a cover crop in Asia for thousands of years.

A cover crop is a stand of vegetation that is grown for the purpose of enriching the soil. After a cover crop has grown, it is plowed under so it can decompose. The decomposed cover crop feeds the soil with nutrients that will later be used to grow edible crops.

Traditionally, Asians didn't use soy beans as food because they are hard to digest. It wasn't until they began fermenting soy beans ( like to make miso, tempeh and soy sauce) that soy became widely eaten.

But even so, soy was eaten in very small amounts as a condiment - 2 to 4 teaspoons per person per day. It's this small amount of fermented soy that's said to protect against cancer.

Americans, on the other hand, eat several cup-fulls of un-fermented soy each day and are told to avoid all soy if they have or ever have had cancer. That's because because un-fermented soy contains phyto-estrogens (plant derived estrogens). Makes you think....doesn't it??

Soybean oil is the most common way we eat soy in this country. It's used extensively in processed and snack foods because it's cheap.

But there's lots of other places we get soy too and, unless you're a label reader, you probably don't know you're eating it...

Vegetarian meat alternatives (sausage, hamburger, chicken, soy burgers)
Meal extenders (like Hamburger Helper)
Prepared foods
Energy bars/Breakfast bars
Soy milk
Canned chicken and tuna
Salad dressings
Protein and meal replacement drinks
Cheese spreads, processed cheeses and cheese replacements
and as a food additives soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate and textured vegetable protein which are in everything from bouillon cubes to macaroni and cheese dinners.

Should you be eating un-fermented soy? In my opinion, no.

Cutting soy out of your diet completely is hard - especially if you eat out.

So what should you do?

Become a label reader.
Some of your very favorite foods may, in fact, contain soy but for every manufactured food that does, there are others.... right on the same shelf....that don't. They don't cost any more than the soy laced brands and may even cost less. You don't have to go to a health food shop either. All you have to do is read the labels of the foods you buy.

Un-processed foods (like raw meat, fresh produce and uncooked sea foods) will not contain soy unless it's added. If it's added, it will be listed on the package.

Just do the best you can, one small step at a time. Every step will pay off with better health.

But if you've had cancer or cancer in the family, cut out soy right now. With all the wonderful, healthy foods out there, why take a chance!

Food for Thought - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with What You Eat? Part 1 - Hydrogenated Fats

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:15:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

So, you you're eating pretty healthy.
That's great! How are you feeling?

Tired and sluggish?
Angry for no reason?
Old?
Not on top of your game?
Does your mind wander and you never seem to get anything done?
Are you sad and depressed all the time?
Do pounds creep up not matter how little you eat?
Time to tweak your "healthy" habits.

You've heard the term " you are what you eat" but you also feel like what you eat.

Some foods, even though we've thought them to be healthy, are really keeping us from feeling good and looking our best.

Hydrogenated (and partially hydrogenated) fats and oils are the number 1 sabotage to an other wise healthy diet. You can't feel great, look good or loose weight when you eat hydrogenated fats. It just can't be done!

Hydrogenated fats and oils are manufactured to be solid at room temperature.... like white vegetable shortening (Crisco). They were invented during World War ll as a substitute for butter at a time when butter was rationed.

Today, hydrogenated fats are widely used in commercial baked goods because they're cheap and help keep the products from getting stale.

Home cooks often use hydrogenated fats to make pie crusts, grease pans and fry chicken.... habits passed down from their grandmothers who had become accustomed to using the white vegetable shortening during the 1940's.

Partially hydrogenated fats and oils are only partially solid at room temperature. They are used just about everywhere...... snack foods, microwave pop corn, salad dressings and in combination with hydrogenated fats but, in my opinion, are just as bad for the health.

Here's how to minimize (and hopefully eliminate) hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats from your diet:

1. Become a label reader

Choose products that contain butter, oil and other fats that are not hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. When you can't find any, learn to make your own.

2. Eat less fast food

Fast food is notoriously loaded with hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats... only there are no labels to read.

3. Choose restaurant food with care

You'll begin to get a sense of what does and does not contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats from your familiarity with grocery store labels. Use your knowledge as a guide when eating out.

Get rid of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats and you'll be amazed how quickly you'll feel so much better.... and look so much better!

A healthier diet doesn't have to be difficult and you don't have to make major changes all at once. Small, easy to manage steps add up to huge results.

Good changes to your diet can be fun, painless and delicious plus you'll be rewarded with good health!

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl - Bacon Horseradish Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:44:00 +0000

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms.
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Just when I thought I was finished with snacks for the Super Bowl I decided I needed one more quick, yummy recipe that was just too dog-gone-good to pass up.

Here's an e-z, cheezzy thing to whip up fast and you probably have the ingredients in the refrigerator somewhere.

Scoop it into a bowl, pack it into a crock or mold it into a football shape. It's that easy!

Serve with your favorite hearty crackers, crusty bread or bagels.

This is yummy stuff and goes GREAT with beer!

Bacon and Horseradish Cheese

Makes 2-1/2 cups cheese spread

1 (12-16 oz.) package bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (regular preferred but low fat or neuchatel will work, too)

2 teaspoons white horseradish (or to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Cook the bacon over low heat till crisp. Be very careful not to burn it.

Remove the cooked bacon to a rack or paper towel lined plate to drain and cool.

Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. (If your bacon gave off less than 3 tablespoons of fat, add enough butter to the pan to make up the difference. Margarine or oil are not recommended.)

Serve Bacon Horseradish Cheese
with crusty bread, crackers, bagels or chips

Add onions and cook, over low heat, till soft and transparent - about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool mixture to room temperature.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese till fluffy - about 3 minutes.

By hand, fold in cooled onions plus any fat and cracklings remaining in the pan (scrape out the pan well).

Using your fingers, crumble in the bacon and stir in the horseradish.

Taste. Stir in salt and pepper if desired.

Refrigerate to blend flavors.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl - Virginia Peanut Butter Hummus

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:12:00 +0000

From the Kitchen of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

The "Un-Football" Party
Cooking (and eating)
our way thru the Super Bowl.
We'll never miss the TV!

Virginia Peanut Butter Hummus

Hummus is a classic middle-eastern dip/spread that's made with sesame seed butter.

Now, here in Virginia the peanut capital of the world, we're more likely to have a jar (or 2) of peanut butter in the kitchen than sesame seed butter. We do so love our peanut butter!

Sesame seed butter and peanut butter are just about the same when it comes to taste, texture and color so why not put our peanut butter to work in this ab/fab dip/spread recipe????

No one will ever know the difference and you're helping our local economy - plus you don't have to figure out what to do with that left over jar of sesame seed butter.

This is a super snack for the Super Bowl..... or any time!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Makes about 2 cups
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1 (15-16 oz.) can chick peas (drained but not rinsed - also called garbanzo beans)
4 cloves roasted garlic (or to taste - Click here for - How to Roast Garlic )
3 tablespoons peanut butter (natural, no sugar added)
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Pulse everything in the food processor till smooth. Refrigerate to blend flavors.

Serve with chips, pita bread or raw veggies for dipping.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl - Easy, Home Made Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:26:00 +0000

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Pizza used to be GREAT and it didn't really matter where you got it. Neighborhood restaurants, at the beach.....even (surprise!) at the bakery.

Whether you got a whole pie or just a slice, it was always hot, gooey and oh, so yummy! And, let's not forget all that warm olive oil running down your chin........divine!!!

But not any more.
Franchises, chain restaurants and grocery stores have plasticized pizza into something not worth eating..... and convenience store pizza.... well, forget card board stuff all together!

In less time than you think.... and for a lot less money (and with so much good taste) you can whip up real, yummy, olive oil drippy pizza at home.... can there be anything better?

Treat your Super Bowl crowd to home made pizza.
YUM!

Easy, Home Made New York Style Pizza

New York style means the crust is thin.... but not too thin. The crust should be just a little bread like to perfectly balance the equal amount of sauce and cheese.

If the crust is too thin, it gets crispy - like a cracker. That's called Californian style and usually has non traditional toppings like avocado, blue cheese or goat cheese. California style pizza often has no tomato sauce but may have fresh, raw tomatoes.

Chicago style pizza is traditional pizza only with a very thick (almost an inch) bread crust. It's more crust than sauce or toppings.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Makes 1 (14-16 inch) pizza

Pan size - a 14 to 16 inch pizza pan is ideal but any similar round or square pan will work.
Large pizza pans (disposable or reusable) are available in most grocery stores.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

3 tablespoons old fashioned (coarse) grits (not quick cooking or instant)
1 batch dough (recipe follows)
2 cups thick pasta sauce (your favorite - about 20 oz.)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shredded, whole milk mozzarella cheese (or to taste - skim milk or part skim milk cheese not recommended - see Karla's Tip #1 below)
Optional pizza toppings (as desired - see Karla's Tip #2 below )

Grease pan or coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle grits evenly over bottom.

Using your fingers, press dough over grits to fill pan bottom. (Dampen hands with cool water to prevent sticking. Do not use flour. It's OK if dough shrinks back from edges of the pan.)

Using your finger tips, lightly rub dough with 1 tablespoon of oil. Be sure to oil the edges of he dough next to the rim of the pan.

Spread sauce to within 1/2 inch of edges. This is important. Leaving the 1/2 inch edge will give you the traditional looking crust once the dough has risen.

Sprinkle with oregano. Top with cheese.

Toss toppings in remaining oil and distribute over cheese. Use a plastic scraper to get all the oil out of the bowl and onto the pizza. (If you're not adding any toppings, just drizzle the remaining oil over the cheese.)

Let rise in a warm place until edges have doubled in size - about 1 hour. (Don't worry about the whole pizza doubling in size.... it's only the edges that need to rise.)

After dough has risen, position the oven rack so the pizza will bake in the center of the oven.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 40 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cheese has melted.

>>>>>>>>>>

Karla's Tip #1 - Mozzarella Cheese
Get whole milk mozzarella cheese - not skim milk or part skim cheese. Whole milk melts better and gives you that traditional stringy texture with every bite. Skim milk or part skin cheese is more common - especially in the pre-shredded packages - but whole milk is readily available - just read the labels.

Also - avoid pre-shredded cheeses. They are usually coated with an invisible film of cellulose or starch to keep the shreds from sticking together. You don't need that extra starch and the quality (and taste) of coated cheese is not as good.

Karla's Tip #2 - Optional Toppings
Anything/everything....the sky's the limit!
(But you can also just leave the pizza plain.....)

Raw veggies (broccoli, onions, mushrooms, green/red/yellow peppers, egg plant, ....etc.)
Pepperoni
Cooked meat or seafood (sausage, ground beef, meatballs, chicken, shrimp)
Fresh basil leaves
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dough
Using a bread machine makes this a snap!
You will never buy one of those expensive pre-baked (and often taste-less) crusts again!

1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon Kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons regular salt)
4 1/4 cups bread flour (not all purpose flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (1 envelope)

Using the Bread Machine
Put ingredients in order into a bread machine. Set on "pizza dough." (No pizza dough setting? Use the regular "dough" setting.)

Continue with recipe after dough cycle is complete.

By Hand
Mix all dry ingredients together. Stir in water. Knead 10 minutes or until elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double - about 45 minutes then continue with recipe.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl - Garlic Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:04:00 +0000

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Garlic
The official flavor of
The Super Bowl

My husband says that Super Bowl Sunday is the day guys wait for all year long.... non stop T.V. and everything you eat is on a chip.

Here's a quick to make (but hearty to eat) snacks to help feed hungry guys.

Garlic Dip
This is so easy it's embarrassing!

Makes 2 1/2 cups dip

1 (15-16 oz.) can kidney beans (drained but not rinsed)
3/4 cup salsa (any heat)
3 cloves roasted garlic (or more to taste - see recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste

Pulse everything in the food processor till smooth. Refrigerate to blend flavors.
Serve with chips, pita bread or raw veggies for dipping.

How to Roast Garlic

Roasting makes garlic smooth and creamy, taking the sharp edge off the taste.

You can use tons more roasted garlic in a recipe than you can raw so, if you're a garlic lover but can't stand the bite of too much raw garlic, you're going to love this tasty trick.

You can use roasted garlic in any recipe that calls for garlic.

Roasted Garlic

Rinse a whole head of garlic (or several if you want extra to keep them in the freezer for other uses), drain
and wrap in foil.

Bake in the oven till soft when squeezed - 1/2 hour to 1 hour depending on the temperature of the oven.

The temperature of the oven doesn't matter - any where from 250 degrees to 400 degrees - so you can roast your garlic when you're already using the oven for another recipe. (A head of garlic is so small that you're wasting a lot of fuel heating up the oven just to roast it by it's-self.)

The most efficient way to roast garlic is to roast it when you have meat, something Italian or something Mexican cooking in the oven at the same time. Your whole kitchen will smell like garlic and these cuisines usually have garlic in their recipes anyway so it's a nice match. You wouldn't want to roast garlic in the oven when you're, say, baking banana bread.

You can also roast garlic outside in a closed grill which keeps the garlic smell out of the house.

Store roasted garlic in a
canning jar in the freezer

Leave the soft, roasted garlic in the foil to cool.

Use immediately or keep frozen in a wide mouth canning jar. Do not use a plastic bag or container. The garlic smell will work it's way through the plastic and make EVERYTHING in you freezer (including the ice cream) taste of garlic.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl - Loaded Nachos

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:03:00 +0000

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Super Bowl Sunday is the day we pay homage to the snack food industry.

Snacks are the meal of the day and nachos are the main dish.

Everyone has a favorite nacho recipe but here's one more to add to your collection.

It's extra easy and you can mix or match the ingredients however you like.

Start by putting a layer of restaurant style tortilla chips in the bottom of your pan then the sky's the limit!

Think nachos are fattening?

Well, they are but you can minimize the damage by using baked tortilla chips instead of the traditional fried kind. With all the toppings, your taste buds will never know the difference.

Other tricks to curb the blimp monster:

Skip the refried beans (they're loaded with fat) and use plain, mashed beans instead.

Switch prepared guacamole for mashed fresh, ripe avocados mixed with lemon juice until you reach the consistency you like.

Use real sour cream - not fat free or reduced fat. OK, real sour cream has a lot of fat but a little goes a long way in adding good taste and creamy-ness that the fat free or reduced fat can't match. Also, fat free or reduced fat sour cream are higher in carbs so you're much better off with a little less of the real thing.

Pump up the volume of your nachos by adding a low cal vegetable to the mix - like lightly steamed broccoli, zucchini, carrots, corn or yellow squash. Shredded lettuce works well, too, to lighten the caloric load.

Love cheese?
Use an easy melting cheese like Velveeta. It melts better so it goes farther and tastes cheesy-ier than cheddar which means you'll actually need less for the same taste effect.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Loaded Nachos

All ingredients are approximate. Add more or less according to your taste.

Don't like a particular ingredient? Leave it out.

Make sure you have plates and forks for these nachos.

Makes 1 (9 X 13 inch) pan

Base

1/2 (13.5 oz) bag restaurant style tortilla chips

1/2 pound ground beef (or vegetarian ground beef - cooked, drained and crumbled) or sausage

1 (16 oz) jar marinated artichokes (drained, reserving juice)

2 (15 to 16 oz) can light red kidney beans (drained, rinsed and drained again)

1 cup corn (fresh and cut from the cob, frozen and thawed or canned and drained)

1 (28 oz) can petite diced tomatoes (drained)

1/4 cup pickled jalapeno pepper rings and 2 tablespoons juice (to taste - optional)

8 oz sour cream (reduced fat or fat free not recommended)

3 to 4 oz easy melting cheese (like Velveeta - cut into 3/8 inch cubes)

Topping

2 ripe avocados

1/4 cup lemon juice (bottled is OK)

2 cups shredded ice berg lettuce

1/2 cup ranch dressing (or to taste)

1 (2 .25 oz) can sliced black olives (drained)

Position oven rack so nachos will bake in center. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat pan with cooking spray.

Place a layer of tortilla chips into the pan. Top with ground beef.

Mash beans and mix with juice from the marinated artichokes until it makes a consistency similar to refried beans. Dollop mixture over beef.

Top with artichokes (and any remaining juice), corn, drained tomatoes, and if desired, optional pickled jalapeno rings with juice.

Dollop sour cream over all. Sprinkle cheese over top.

Bake in a preheated oven about 20 minutes or until mixture is hot. (Chips will not feel hot.)

While nachos are heating, cut avocado. Remove pit and scoop out pulp. Mash pulp with a fork and mix with lemon juice.

When nachos are hot, remove from oven. Dollop with avocado mixture and sprinkle with lettuce. Drizzle ranch dressing over all and sprinkle with olives. Serve hot.

Radical Cooking - Easy, No Knead Crusty Artisan Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:48:00 +0000

You can make this artisan bread
easily at home!
Yes, you can!!

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Bread shouldn't cost $5.00 or more a loaf. It just shouldn't.

Get your food budget under control and enjoy crusty, homemade artisan bread with this super simple recipe for about 65 cents a loaf.
No special equipment or bread making experience needed!

Artisan bread for $.65 a loaf......that's pretty radical!!

My bread pan.
I got it (cheap) at a
second hand store.

Time Is On Your Side

Time, not effort, is what turns flour, water and salt into crusty, artisan bread.

Nature does the work. You get the credit.

Just five minutes of your time is all it takes.
No kneading. No kidding.

No Knead, Crusty Sour Dough Bread

Got gourmet pals coming for Sunday brunch?
Start the dough Friday night. Bake it Sunday morning.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Makes one loaf
Pan size: A seasoned, cast iron pot with lid that's 8 inches round X 4 inches deep works well but any similarly sized, heavy, heat safe pot with a lid will work.
Make sure the pot and lid handles can take the heat of the oven.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

3 cups all purpose flour (whole wheat or bread flour not recommended)
1/4 teaspoon dried yeast
2 1/4 teaspoons Kosher salt (or 1 3/4 teaspoons regular salt)
1 3/4 cups warm tap water (about 100 degrees - see tip below)
2 teaspoons regular or quick cooking grits or polenta (instant not recommended)

In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast and salt.

Stir in water (just use a spoon) mixing only enough to combine. Mixture will be a sticky batter. Cover bowl (a plate works well).

Put bowl out of the way (where it won't get bumped or jostled) in a warmish, room temperature place for 24 hours.

Next day, stir dough and fold it over itself once in the bowl. Replace cover and put out of the way for another 18-24 hours. (The longer, the better.)

After second rising, you're ready to bake.

Position over rack so bread will bake in center.
Place empty baking pot and lid separately into cold oven. Do not cover pot.

Set oven temperature to 450 degrees. Let pot and lid preheat along with the oven.

When oven is pre-heated, carefully remove pot and lid placing on a heat safe work area.

A well seasoned, cast iron pot will not need greasing.
For other pots, lightly mist the inside bottom with cooking spray.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of grits or polenta over the bottom of heated pan.

Gently and without stirring, quickly pour dough all at once into center of hot pan.
Try not to disturb dough more than necessary. Use a rubber or plastic scraper to guide dough into pot.

Don't fuss with dough or try to smooth out dough. The loaf should look free form and ragged-y.

Immediately sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon grits or polenta over top of dough and cover with hot lid.

Carefully place hot pot back into preheated oven.

Bake (covered) 30 minutes. Open oven. Remove cover without removing pan from oven.

Continue baking (uncovered) until loaf is nicely browned - about 15 minutes more.

Remove pot from oven and immediately tip to remove bread onto a cooling rack. (Bread will easily fall out of a well seasoned pot. An unseasoned pot may require coaxing.)

Cool bread completely (top side up) before cutting.

Store bread uncovered (even after cutting) or in a paper bag to preserve crispness. Plastic bags will make the bread soft.

Easy - No Knead
Artisan Bread!

Karla's Tip
No thermometer to test the temperature of the water? Use your finger. Here's how:

Measure the water then stick in your finger to a dept of one inch. If you can leave your finger in the water to a slow count of 5 and it feels comfortably warm, it's the right temperature.Have to remove your finger? It's too hot.

Rosemary Sour Dough Bread
Crush 2 teaspoons dried rosemary between the palms of your hands and add to flour mixture before adding the water. Continue with recipe.

Food for Thought - Antibiotics Don't Belong in Your Meat

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:48:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Farmacology - Antibiotics and Industrial Agriculture

According to Johns Hopkins University researchers, 50 to 80 % of all antibiotics used in the United States are fed to meat producing animals as a food supplement to promote faster growth (and quicker profits) - not to treat disease.

Anti-biotic free meat and
poultry is readily
available in grocery
stores and from farms - all
you have to do is ask!

Scary, isn't it??

This practice of regularly feeding low doses of antibiotics became standard for mega-industrial farms right after World War II and breeds, say Johns Hopkins, drug resistant pathogens like e coli and salmonella.

The antibiotic resistant bacteria find their way from the factory farms into the general food and water supply as well as the population at large. Since these bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, they become life threatening.

Using antibiotics as a growth promoter so animals can be brought to market sooner seems a reckless endangerment of all life.

Better health begins with better food. The buy fresh, buy local concept is simple and straight forward. It's a great place to start plus fresh, local food tastes so much better!

Want to read the whole Johns Hopkins article for yourself?
It's a plate-full!

Johns Hopkins MagazineJune 2009 Electronic edition - www.jhu.edu/-jhumag/

Radical Cooking - Cold Weather Salads

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:36:00 +0000

From the Kitchens of Cheesecake Farms
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Cooking the new old fashioned way.....
Better, faster, fresher, cheaper and healthier with lots less work.

It's chilly outside here in Virginia and summer's salad days of fresh greens, cucumbers and tomatoes are months away.

But don't worry, there's a seasonal abundance of healthfully delicious, winter greens and veggies ready to take center stage.

Salads are an important part of healthful eating. They provide fiber and fill the plate with nutrients. While raw is always great, some vegetables, like carrots, actually provide more nutrients when cooked.

Cold season salads are easy on the budget, environmentally responsible alternative to the high cost of out of season, out of region, hot house grown greens, tomatoes and lettuce.

So break out of your side salad rut. There's a whole world of yummy healthful eating out there.

A salad without lettuce?

That's pretty radical!!

Cinnamon Carrot Salad

Great with chicken or beef. Divine with stew.
Add some nuts, tofu or hard boiled egg and it becomes a main dish salad.

Serves 2-4

1 pounds carrots (washed, peeled and cut into strips 2 inches long X 1/4 inch wide)
1/4 cup white raisins (optional)
3 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled OK)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons olive oil
1 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice blend or cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground dry ginger
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Put one inch of tap water into a medium pot. Cover. Bring to a boil on high. Add carrots and optional raisins.

Cook, partially covered, until carrots just begin to soften - 1 or 2 minutes. Drain. Whisk remaining ingredients together. Toss with hot carrots and raisins. Chill.

Valentine's Day at Cheesecake Farms - Puppy Love Get-Away Package

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Looking for a romantic little get-away?

How about our

Puppy Love Package????

Book a 1 night Valentine's Get-Away for 2

Any Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in February .......
and your best friend gets to stay for FREE !

$179

The package includes:

One night/double occupancy stay for you, your Valentine and your dog

(No dog? No problem! You can pet ours!!)

A choice of a regular or vegetarian menu

Welcoming cheese plate and fresh fruit basket

Light, farm house supper served family style featuring seasonal fare

and

"Eat your heart out" chocolate desserts especially for Valentine's Day

Hearty, help yourself buffet Hunt Breakfast served in Southern style

Lots of snacks and plenty of home made cookies

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

Bring a large bag of dry dog food to donate to our local animal shelter and we'll reward you with a

take home goodie bag valued at approximately $40.

Upgrades

2 night special - $350

Extra dog - no extra charge (maximum of 2 dogs per reservation)

Need more space?
Traveling with friends or family?

Reserve The Tack Room Suite - 2 bedrooms/2 baths and up to 2 dogs.

Package in the Tack Room Suite - $299 (2 night special - $590).

Extras You Might Like

Take Out/Tail Gate Picnic for 2 of Seasonal Fare

Perfect to take along to our local wineries or horsey events

Choose regular or vegetarian
$39.50

Seasonal, 6 inch Cheesecake Farms Cheesecake to take home $25.00

Extras should be ordered when making your reservation - at least 1 week in advance.

Tax is additional.

Dogs are welcome in our barn accommodations.

Click here to see pictures of the rooms

Questions? Click here

Food for Thought - The Easy Way to Be Healthier in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:11:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
http://www.cheesecakefarms.com/

You already know the basics: eat right, exercise, get enough rest.

Your mother taught you that.

That should be enough but sometimes it isn't.

An apple a day keeps the
doctor away.....
Your mother told you so....

Sometimes no matter what you do, you get sick.

The health information we receive is constantly changing (eat this, don't eat that... do this, don't do that) and ALWAYS seems to contradict itself.

It's hard to know what to do and what to eat to stay healthy.

Simply put, being healthy means having your body, mind and soul in balance. That's a tall order but that's all it really takes!

By our very nature, we are continually in flux. We're NEVER in perfect balance.

The ebb and flow of our external and internal tides effects our health moment by moment.

When you are in balance, your health is optimal.
When you are out of balance, you get sick.

Can you ever have continually perfect health?
Probably not.

Can you have better health?
Absolutely!

Strive for a balance between body, mind and soul by first following your mother's teachings then expand your knowledge. Put into practice those things that add value to your life.

Feed your body, mind and soul with the very best and hunger for more. That's all it takes to be healthy!

Now go have an apple and think good thoughts.
You mother will be happy and you'll feel great!!

Savor the Season - Good Luck Foods for New Years

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:56:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita

www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Everyone has a good luck food to eat at the stroke of midnight.

They vary from culture to culture, region to region but they all have the same thing in common..... they promise good health, good luck and prosperity in the coming New Year.

Lentils have long symbolized wealth and prosperity for the New Year because they're said to resemble a dish filled with coins.

Greens also symbolize money but they also symbolize good health…. which many believe is the real wealth. Cabbage, kale and collards all count no matter how you serve them.

Sauerkraut counts as a green, too, even though it looks white, because it's made from cabbage which is green... well, light green anyway.

Eating Hoppin John (black eyed peas) is the traditional Southern way to insure wealth and prosperity.

Pork and ham symbolize a prosperous New Year, too.

Pigs dig forward with their snouts. Moving forward is good.

Fish is another good choice.

Fish swim forward and never look back plus their scales are said to resemble coins. What's better than a fish swimming out to meet you covered in money?

And let's not forget dessert.

Fritters, doughnuts, cakes and sweet breads with coins or rings inside.

Seems like fried or heavily layered with butter are keys to health, good luck and prosperity…..funny, the rest of the year they are taboo. Oh, well, guess you shouldn't mess with tradition.

Foods to stay away from?

Chicken and lobster.

When chickens scratch their claws on the ground, the dirt they scratch moves backwards. Lobsters, trying to walk on land, shuffle about in a backwards motion. Backwards is bad.

So, even if chicken and lobster are your favorites, steer clear of them for New Years. You just can't take any chances….especially if you've had a rough year!

No matter what the tradition, there's a good luck, good health and prosperity food to eat on New Years.

But which one to choose?

Better not take any chances… have some of everything!

Savor the Season - Winter, The Gift of Rest

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:10:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

The seasons are a gift of time..... time to sow, time to reap and time to rest.

Winter is the time to rest.

With all the hustle bustle of the holidays, it's hard to rest but that's exactly what Mother Nature intended during this cold, dark time of year.

Rest isn't a bad thing.

You don't take to your bed to wait out winter.
You don't stop living or miss out on the celebrations of the season.

Rest is simply the time to look inward.

Winter is the time for introspective pursuits, snuggling down and warming foods.

It's a time for body maintenance, alternative activities and planning for spring.

The extended hours of darkness make it all so much easier.... just like nature intended.

You'd never run your car 24/7 without regular down time and maintenance yet that's exactly how we run our bodies then scold them when they break down.

When you give your body rest, you regroup, energize and gather yourself for positive steps forward into spring.

Celebrate winter as a season of rest.

Work with Mother Nature not against her.
You'll be healthier for it!

Savor the Season - The Animals of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:53:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

We all learned in Sunday school that Christ was born in a manger as a symbol of humility but I like to think there's a little more to the story.

Perhaps the manger birth was also meant to show us that animals are not just here to do our work and provide us food but also to be companions in our shared life.

Had Christ been born in a house or hotel or hospital, animals would have not been present. In a manger, animals are part of the natural way of things.

No other companions I know of so willingly do our bidding and give up their lives so we might eat. Look into their eyes and you'll see gentle souls who never ask for much in return. A kind word or pat on the head is usually more than enough.

The more urban we become, the more we move away from our connection to animals.

When we loose this connection, we loose their grace and holiness.

When we loose their grace and holiness, we loose their energy and companionship.

When we loose their energy and companionship, we loose a huge part of our humanity.

Animals are part of the Christmas message.
Christ was born to all of us.....the animals, too.

Savor the Season - For Better Health No Cooking Allowed

noreply@blogger.com (Karla from Cheesecake Farms) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:27:00 +0000

By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
www.CheesecakeFarms.com

Yes, raw berries on a festive
Christmas cake counts as a
serving of enzymes!
Yipee!!

I went grocery shopping yesterday and was deeply saddened by what I saw.

Being Christmas, the store was packed and carts were piled high but the people all looked so unhealthy. No one seemed to be happy even in this season of joy.

They were grossly over weight, coughing, sneezing with tortuously bad skin... desperate to be freed from their bodily prisons.

The children were no better and perhaps worse since they were far too young to have these maladies.

But taking a look into their grocery carts, it was easy to see why they suffered needlessly. Their carts were filled with life-less food.

Oh, I saw a lot of people checking labels for fat and sodium and they had plenty of festive, yummy fare in their carts - that's for sure - but what they didn't have was live food.

That's the key to good health... live food.

Now what does that mean....live food???

Well, live food is food that contains natural enzymes.

While cooked and processed food may contain nutrients, they do not contain enzymes. Enzymes are the keys that unlock the cells so nutrients can slip inside. Without enzymes, your body is just getting by.

Prepared entrees, cookies, chips, drink mixes, bottled orange juice, canned soups even canned vegetables... are all sources of calories and nutrients but, because they have been heated above 104 degrees Fahrenheight, none contain enzymes. Only raw, unprocessed food contains enzymes and you're got to have some each day.

Now, I'm all for recreational eating and home cooking..... I do it quite a bit of it myself ....but a steady diet of life-less food yields a life less body and a life-less life.

When you eat live foods, you have good health. When you have good health, your cells glow from the inside and you radiate from every pore of your body. WOW!

So, how do you get live foods into diet?

It's very easy.... just begin with raw fruits, vegetables and nuts.

A green salad with dinner, lettuce and tomato on your sandwich, cole slaw with your fast food, raw veggies as a snack, fresh fruit drizzled with raw honey as dessert, a hand full of raw nuts while watching TV......even a frozen banana. It doesn't take much and you'll still have room for the recreational Twinkie, bowl of chili or pizza dripping with cheese.

Here's your reward.... the more raw (live) fruits, veggies and nuts you eat, the better you'll feel (and the better you'll look) so you'll naturally want to choose them more often. Good for you!!

But remember, no cooking is allowed or you'll destroy the enzymes.

It's that easy!