Seven Ways to Avoid Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that strikes more and more people every year, and the increase seems to only continue. This disease can lead to severe complications such as heart problems, kidney trouble, blindness, and amputation of limbs.

There is some thought that diabetes is genetic and that we may be born with a tendency for this disease. It is well known that it runs in families and women who have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at risk as well. Can we prevent or delay the onset of diabetes? Yes, here are some simple ways to allow you to avoid or delay this disease.

1. Eat healthy and wisely. Eating smaller portions is a great way to lose weight. You can make it look like more by using a smaller plate or a salad plate. Avoid snacking while you are cooking. Don't be tempted to eat the unfinished food to keep from throwing it away or storing it in the refrigerator. Eat breakfast every day, and make your meal and snack times regular by having them at the same time each day.
2. Limit your meat, poultry, and fish intake to no more than three ounces a day. In size, this is equal to about the size of a pack of cards. Another good tip is to listen to music instead of watching TV while you are eating. If you are watching TV while you are eating, you are not aware of how much you are eating and will almost always overeat.
3. Skip desserts and refined sugars. When eating out, have a good-sized vegetable salad to take the edge off your appetite. When you receive your entrée, share it with your dinner companion, or ask for a take-home box immediately after receiving your meal. Have meals that have been stir fried or baked.
4. Use low-salt broth instead of oil and butter.
5. Drinking a full glass of water before eating will also help reduce your appetite.
6. If you are eating at a fast-food restaurant, choose the healthier foods, such as grilled chicken, salads and fruits.
7. Increase your exercise. Next to diet, exercise is vital to a healthy body especially for diabetics. If nothing else, try walking every day or swimming at your local club. Taking walks is a nice way to keep up with your friends and an enjoyable, healthy way to take a break from work related stress. If possible, avoid the elevator and take the stairs as much as you can. You can try to march in place if you cannot get outside for some reason.

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All of these activities can help you prevent the onset of diabetes and all can improve your overall health levels. Try them!

Seven Ways to Avoid Diabetes

Seven Ways to Avoid Diabetes

For more information and resources on type 1 Diabetes, type 2 Diabetes, symptoms, diet and solutions visit Jeremy Parker's complete reference guide on Diabetes.

Cupcake Toppings

When it comes to putting toppings on cupcakes, given their small size, attractive snacks are easily created; your guests, kids and family will appreciate the care and love that goes into baking. Candy is one of the easiest choices when selecting toppings for cupcakes. Colored sugars and sprinkles are always an attractive and delicious topping and it's something kids can help with as well. Once the cupcakes are iced, pouring the sugars and sprinkles in separate bowls allows for careful dipping, or not so careful, of the cupcakes. Another tasty topping can be larger candies such as gum drops or finely chopped up candy bars of various flavors.

To kind of shake things up a bit, adding flavors to frostings is a nice way to turn the ordinary into astonishing. Chocolate frosting with some coffee added becomes a scrumptious mocha topping. If it's St. Patrick's Day you are celebrating, green dye in the frosting with some mint flavoring will surprise your guests into having more. If it's a fall chocolate cupcake, orange frosting and some thin black licorice formed into the face of a jack o'lantern is sure to put a smile on the faces of some eager Halloween celebrants.

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A festive alternative to your average cupcake could be like a Mardi gras King Cake. White cupcakes, filled with cream cheese or your favorite jelly, can be iced with yellow frosting and then sprinkled with purple and green sugars. Put them on a tray edged with sparkly beaded necklaces and chunky, in expensive costume jewelry and you have a Mardi gras party your guests won't soon forget.

Cupcake Toppings

Easter need not be a challenge when cupcakes are on the menu. Some colorful and creamy cupcakes in their holiday baskets will be a treat for everyone of whom you make a gift of these cheerful snacks. Frost some cupcakes with a nice pastel frosting such as pink, yellow, green or blue. On top of each cupcake, place some Easter candy such as Peeps, chocolate eggs or candy coated M&M's are decorations that enhance the delicious flavors that go along with the holiday.

For those who like to mix flavors, chocolate cupcakes are delicious iced with a peanut butter frosting with bits of peanuts or chocolate drizzled on the top. Use this same peanut butter frosting on a white cupcake filled with their favorite jelly to create something just for the kids. Another delightful combination can be orange flavored cupcakes iced with a pineapple-flavored frosting, sprinkled with coconut. If you're planning a bridal shower, how fun would it be to present to the party goers cupcakes topped with candy lollipop rings, available in any dime store candy aisle.

Topping a cupcake needn't be any harder than a walk down the candy aisle at your local grocery store, with the only limits in place being the smaller size of the cupcake and which delicious toppings to choose. For every occasion, there will be an attractive topping for a cupcake that is certain to cause your guests and loved one to delight in their beauty. Dare to imagine and remember, the sky's the limit when it comes to topping cupcakes.

Cupcake Toppings

Lisa is an avid home cook who loves to share her favorite recipes with the rest of us. Find all her cupcake recipes at http://www.Cupcake-Creations.com. And be sure to take a look at all the cupcake toppers she has found.

Origin Of Cheesecake - It's Older Than You Think

Have you ever wondered about the origin of cheesecake? Well, I did and the information that I found was amazing.

If you thought that cheesecake was a recent creation, then you're wrong. The origin of the cake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. History has the first recorded mention of cheesecake, as being served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 BC. The recipe consisted of crushed cheese, wheat flour and one egg. It's not quite the recipe of modern cakes today, but a cheesecake none the less.

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Their first introduction into Western Europe and Great Britain was said to have come from the conquering Roman armies and by 1000 AD was said to be flourishing throughout all of Europe.

Origin Of Cheesecake - It's Older Than You Think

The origin of cheesecake in the Americas was brought over by the immigrants. However, their version relied on cottage cheese to make the cake.

As for the modern version, it's creation began in 1872 with American dairymen, who were said to be trying to recreate French Neufchatel cheese. Instead of recreating it, they happened upon a formula that was more richer and creamier. Their creation: cream cheese.

However, in 1912 James Kraft developed a his own method to pasteurize cheese, in which other dairy product manufacturers soon adopted and offered as cream cheese.

However, the origin of cheesecake being made with cream cheese has been credited to Arnold Reuben, owner of the legendary Turf Restaurant at 49th and Broadway in New York City.

Legend has it that he was served a cheese pie by a friend, which he immediately fell in love with. Not satisfied with his friend's recipe, he began to develop his own. Once perfected, he eventually began to serve it at his restaurant. The cheesecake was said to have become quickly popular with his patrons.

And the rest as they say is history.

Origin Of Cheesecake - It's Older Than You Think

Cedrick White is an avid baker and publisher of http://www.I-Love-Cheesecake.com which offers an assortment of delicious and delightful cheesecake recipes. Be especially sure to check out the large selection of chocolate cheesecake recipes. Go ahead and find one to bake today.

Italian Dessert Cannoli Recipe

Cannolis are a great Italian dessert and they were said to have been developed by Sicilians in Palermo, Italy. These fried wafers are filled with a mixture of ricotta, candied fruit, chocolate, and other ingredients, and they are very, very tasty! Sicilians are supposed to have created this great dessert recipe, and I think that they are just delicious. I hope that this recipe is fairly easy to follow. You will need some type of dowel or metal tube that you will use to form out your cannoli shells. If you have a 3 ½ inch in diameter ring or even a 3 inch ring, you will need this to form the shape of your shells, also. You will also need a deep fryer, or a pan that is deep enough for these shells to float in oil.

Ingredients for Cannoli Shells:

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3 Cups of unsifted flour

Italian Dessert Cannoli Recipe

1/4 Teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon of salt

3 Tablespoon of granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 Tablespoon of firm butter cut into small cubes

1/4 Cup of a good Marsala wine

1-2 egg whites, whisked slightly

First thing is to sift the flour with salt, cinnamon, and granulated sugar. You will make a well in the center of your sifted flour mixture. In the middle of the well you have made you will add the egg and butter and start mixing with a fork. You will work the egg mixture with the fork from the center out, to incorporate the moist egg with the flour mixture. You will then add your Marsala wine slowly until dough begins to come together like a playdough mixture. You will then start working the dough with your hands to form the dough into a dough ball. You will then cover and let the dough rise for about 10-15 minutes.

If you have a stainless area to work on great, if not you will need a wooden cutting board. You will need to slightly dust the area you plan to work on with a small amount of flour. You will then roll out the dough into 1/4 inch thickness. You will then use your 3 ½ rings and cut the cannoli shell circles. You will then use a rolling pin to roll the circles into oblongs or ovals. You will then take your dowels or tubes and wrap the dough around cannoli forms. You will then whisk your egg white, and seal your dough edges by using a brush or very clean hands if you have no brush. You will then roll up ever so slightly the ends so they will have a very faint lip or ring on the edge of the cooked product.

At some point when you are ready to get your shells into the oil to start cooking them you will heat your oil to around 350 degrees. Once it is at the proper temperature you will begin to fry two, or three at a time in deep hot fat for about 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Remove with tongs to paper towels to drain, you will then let cool for about 30 seconds to one minute and then slip out cannoli form, holding shell carefully so you will not break it. Cool shells before filling. Let them hang out while you will start to make your filling.

Ingredients for the Cannoli filling:

3 lb. ricotta cheese, that has had moisture removed

2 1/2 Cup of confectioners' sugar

1/4 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate pieces or grated sweet chocolate

1/4 Cup candied cherries, finely chopped

1/2 Teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 Cup of chopped pistachio nuts

Confectioners' sugar to dust each of the finished Cannoli's maybe about 1/2 Cup

First thing you will want to do is take your ricotta and place into cheesecloth and wrap it into a ball and then you will tie a knot in the top part of the ball you have made. You will want to hold over night if possible to drain the water from the ricotta. If you have some way to hang the cheese ball in your refrigerator that would be best. You will need to have a bowl under the cheese to catch all of the moisture that will drain off of the ricotta. The shells that you have made will hole for a couple of days if you want to make these in stages. They are worth the wait, and the time taken to make these little delicacies.

First you will take the drained ricotta and get it into the bowl and work it for a minute or two to get it more pliable. You will gently start to combine the cheese, and the sugar into a mixing bowl, and fold in with a spatula until you obtain a light, airy blend of ingredients. You will start to fold in the minced candied fruit and the chocolate very gently. You will then start to spoon the cheese filling into a pastry bag, or a large Ziploc if you do not have a pastry bag. You will then twist the top into a knot to keep the filling from emerging, and fill each of the Cannoli shells, squirting the filling in from either end.

Once you have all of the shells filled you will dip the ends of the cannoli in the pistachios. You will then arrange all of the Cannolis on a platter, and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, and they're ready. If you would like to garnish you can save some of the candied cherries and place them on the center of each Cannoli after the powdered sugar has been applied. Then serve, and enjoy.

Italian Dessert Cannoli Recipe

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Shelley is also the desserts editor for http://www.BellaOnline.com

Interesting Facts About Pancakes

Pancakes are one of most popular breakfast items in the United States and in some other countries around the world. We especially enjoy having pancakes with maple syrup, and coffee. Sometimes we tend to eat them as snacks. Why do we love eating them so much, what is so special about pancakes? Some people often take pancakes for granted, and don't really know their background. What is the history behind pancakes and why are they so popular?

Here are some interesting pancake facts you may not be aware of:

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• Pancakes have traditionally been eaten on shrove Tuesday, this use to be way back in days, around a 1000 years ago.
• Pancakes can be found in many cultures around the world, although they might not use the same ingredients as pancakes, they are generally similar in taste and texture.
• Maple syrup, which goes great with pancakes, is actually a tree sap, that comes from the maple tree, which is found mostly in the Canadian region.
• The French often make a wish while turning the pancake during the cooking process, while holding a coin in the other hand.
• The first recipe for pancakes were listed in the 15th century, in a English cookbook.
• The world's largest pancake was cooked in Roch-dale Manchester in the year 1994, which was around 15 meters in diameter, weighed 3 tons, and had a whopping two million calories.
• Pancake tossing can be considered a funny sport, one such person ran a marathon while continuously tossing a pancake for three hours.
• William Shakespeare loved pancakes so much, that he mentioned them in his plays.
• A fairly new trend that has emerged just recently are pancakes sandwiches.
• Long time ago, before baking soda was invented, cooks often used freshly fallen snow, as a secret ingredient which contained ammonia, that made pancakes come out nice and soft.
• Pancakes are often made on griddle, that is because griddle cooking is quite older than baking.
• If you use baking soda along with butter milk as an ingredient for pancakes, the baking soda, will remove the acidic properties that often come with butter milk, thus a better tasting pancake.
• In Europe pancakes are often eaten on easter day, as a they have a quite a significance related to easter.
• Pancakes when in their original state are pour-able batter type which are made of milk, flour, butter, and eggs. Unlike breads, which tend to be semi solid.

Interesting Facts About Pancakes

Interesting Facts About Pancakes

If you are interested in pancake facts and would like to know more then feel free to visit my detailed guide to interesting facts about pancakes.

Kid's Cupcake Recipes

Cup cakes are a favorite treat for kids of all ages. Cupcakes can be decorated for all seasons and reasons. These are quick, easy cup cake recipe that kids can prepare with the help of an adult.

These cupcakes could always be made starting with a boxed cake mix. But where is the fun in that? With these recipes, you and the kids start from scratch and create memories as well as some delicious mouth watering treats.

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Lemon Cupcake Recipe

Kid's Cupcake Recipes

Ingredients:

• 3½ oz. softened butter
• 3½ oz. softened cream cheese
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
• 2/3-cup superfine sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan, with cupcake papers

3. Beat the butter, cheese, lemon rind, sugar and eggs until smooth and creamy

4. Sift the flours together

5. Add the flour gradually to the cheese mixture
6. Beat on a low speed, until just combined

7. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin tins

8. Bake for 25 minutes until firm to touch

9. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Frost with purchased lemon frosting. Enjoy

Basic Vanilla CupCake Recipe

Ingredients:

• *5 oz. Butter - softened
• *5 oz. superfine sugar
• *6 oz. self-raising flour
• *3 eggs
• *1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. Line a 12-cupcake pan, with cup cake papers

3. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork

4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl

5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy

6. Divide the mixture in the muffin pan

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack

9. Allow to cool fully before applying the frosting

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Frost with purchased vanilla frosting. Enjoy

Kid's Cupcake Recipes

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All-Filipino Desserts

All Filipinos seem to be born with a sweet tooth, and most of us never really outgrow it. We're never too old for a candy bar or a rich filled doughnut. That's why desserts have always been a big part of Filipino cuisine. For many of us, a meal isn't a meal without something cold and sweet to top it off. It doesn't matter if your meal consists of rice and dried fish; without dessert, it's simply not complete.

However, our idea of dessert has evolved a lot through the years. Ask any kid what his favorite dessert is and he'll most likely say ice cream, cake, or something not really Filipino. If you think the same way, maybe it's time you tried the old favorites and rediscover Filipino food. Here's a quick guide to local desserts and some Filipino desserts recipes you can make on your own.

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Rice cakes

All-Filipino Desserts

With rice as our staple food, it's really no surprise that we'd turn it into a dessert as well. In fact, we have more than a dozen varieties of kakanin, the local term for rice desserts, most of them sold at practically every corner. Because they are rice-based, they are seldom eaten after regular meals (which already have rice as the main course). People prefer them for merienda in the late morning or afternoon. Some of the most popular Filipino rice cakes are puto, suman, biko, bibingka, and kalamay.

Native pastries

If you're looking for a lighter dessert, Filipino pastries may be just what you need. Our native pastries cover everything from small bite-size tarts to tropical fruit pies. They may seem complicated at first glance, but they are actually one of the easiest Filipino food recipes. In fact, if you're just starting out, pastries make a great beginner recipe. Start with simple snack tarts such as this one.

Easy Caramel Tarts

Ingredients:

1 tbsp flour

1 c milk

1 c golden syrup

1 c brown sugar

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tbsp butter

2 eggs, separated

½ tsp vanilla

Procedure: Beat the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the white sugar. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour into baked pastry shells. Top with the egg white mixture and bake for about 10 minutes or until the meringue turns brown.

Puto and kutsinta

Puto a steamed cake made from rice flour, often topped with cheese or salted eggs. It is often sold with kutsinta, a brown jelly cake served with grated coconut. The two go together because the soft, grainy texture of the puto contrasts the tart smoothness of kutsinta. Both are among the simplest Filipino recipes; you can make a batch of each cake in less than two hours.

Puto

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 cups milk

6 tsps baking powder

3 eggs (use only egg whites for a lighter cake)

Procedure: Combine all the ingredients except the egg whites. Mix well and let stand for one hour, then fold in the eggs. Pour into baking pan or muffin pans and steam for about one hour.

Kutsinta

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour

1 tsp lye water

3 cups water

2 cups packed brown sugar

Procedure: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl; beat well. Half-fill a muffin pan with the batter, then steam covered over 2 inches of water for about 30 minutes. Top with grated coconut.

Bibingka

Bibingka is actually an Indian dish (bebinca), but the Filipino variety is unique because it uses rice flour instead of white. It also comes with a variety of toppings such as butter or margarine, cheese, salted eggs, or grated coconuts. Bibingka is a popular snack in the Christmas season, where it is often sold with puto bumbong (same as puto, but cooked in bamboo vessels and flavored with coconut or purple yam)and other Filipino cooking recipes. It is traditionally cooked in charcoal ovens, which gives it a smoky flavor. Of course, you can also tweak the recipe and bake it in modern ovens. Here's how.

Ingredients:

2 c plain flour

¼ c baking powder

¾ c sugar

1 ¼ c coconut milk

3 eggs, beaten

½ c Edam cheese, grated

½ butter, melted

½ c grated coconut

1 tsp salt

Procedure: Preheat your oven to 375oF. In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in coconut milks and add in the eggs. In a separate bow, sift the flour, add the baking powder and salt, then sift again. Combine with the egg mixture and beat well. Pour into prepared pans and bake for about 15 minutes. Top with cheese and resume baking for another 20 minutes, brushing with margarine occasionally. Give it a final brush when done, and serve with coconut on the side.

All-Filipino Desserts

Carlo Villamayor is the owner and co-author of the Filipino food [http://www.kusina.ph/] blog, Kusina.ph. A devoted cook, he makes it his personal mission to spread the joy of Filipino recipes [http://www.kusina.ph/low-fat-filipino-desserts-recipes/] with food lovers the world over. Bon appetit!