The All Natural Way to Cook

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Everyone at some point in their life has eaten raw foods. All natural foods are extremely healthy for you and are so simple to prepare. There are so many ways to incorporate them into a daily diet. Natural foods are filled with nutrients and vitamins the body craves.  Raw foods also are a time saver. They don’t require a great deal of preparation which allows for more free time. Here are a few basics about all natural foods.

Raw Vegetables

Lettuce it can be used in salads or added to a sandwich as a healthy addition
Broccoli can be used as a dipper with ranch dressing or just eat it plain
Onions can be used to add flavor to any favorite dish
Tomatoes can be added to salads, sandwiches or almost anything

Raw Fruits

Apples can be eaten just as they are, used for fresh toppings or in a caramel dip
Oranges make any breakfast a treat and can be placed in drinks or on cereal
Grapes add a little extra to chicken salad, fruit salads or as a snack
Bananas make great toppings for cereal, smoothies or added to a peanut butter sandwich
Strawberries well they just speak for themselves
Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries make great toppers or snacks

There are many more fruits and veggies that are great in their all natural form. Combine any fruits and vegetables to make drinks, main courses and even dessert. The sky is the limit when cooking with raw foods.

All of these fruits and vegetables are healthy and very filling too. Blend them up and suddenly you have a delicious smoothie. Throw a couple berries on your pancakes pr waffles in the morning and spice up that breakfast.

Something you should think about getting is a juicer. This will open a window into the world of raw liquids. What a name huh? Well it exactly explains its meaning. Take an apple or lemon and put it threw a juicer and BAM just like that you have the makings for a wonderful drink to go along with your meal.

Using a juicer will lend an extra hand in helping your children eat healthier. Kids are pickier then adults so adding something fresh they like will help in getting them to eat healthier.

Raw foods are very easily preserved. All you have to do is put the fruit or veggies into a freezer tight bag and pop them in your freezer. You can find bags just about anywhere which makes dealing with raw foods that much easier.

There are ways to take foods that aren’t originally raw and turn them “raw”. It’s a process called dehydrating and it can take foods and give them different tastes and textures and give us more varieties of healthier foods.

Though raw foods are very healthy for you they are not easy to come by. Yes, you can cook them all day and all night in your home but trying to go out to a restaurant and get a raw food platter could be a little tougher than you might think. Most restaurants even though they tell you the food is raw, have probably soaked or cooked the foods in some shape or form.

All natural foods are a great way to incorporate nutritious foods in our diets. It’s one way to get those children to eat the foods that are necessary to help their bodies grow. It’s also a great way to save money and time. Sink your teeth into an apple and see just how great those all natural foods can taste.

The Snappy Orange Vegetable

carrots

carrotsThey say eating a carrot is good for your eyes. Carrots are also known as “rabbit food” probably because of one famous bunny. Rabbits do like carrots and so do many humans and they are good for more than just the eyes.

Did you know that carrots were not always orange? They used to be white, purple and yellow in color. It was about 500 years ago that the orange carrot came along.

Early settlers used carrots as a remedy for different stomach ailments. Today we use them in many of the dishes we serve. These orange delights are not seasonal and can be purchased year round. At a farmers market you will find them bunched together with leafy green tops as if they were just pulled out of the ground. They can also be purchased sliced, chopped or even in miniature versions at the supermarket. This may be much handier but be sure to eat them fairly quickly. The packages usually have an expiration date on them. Carrots are like other veggies and fruits that shouldn’t be cleaned until ready to eat them.

Store your carrots in the refrigerator. They have a long life expectancy in the refrigerator and keeping them cool will help to delay browning and wilting. When choosing carrots be sure they are firm and do not easily bend.

Carrots are one of the better raw vegetables to eat. Grab a carrot, wash it off, clip the top and tip and munch to your heart’s content. Eaten raw, the carrot maintains all the nutrients that it contains. These nutrients include beta carotene, which is a form of vitamin A, iron and calcium.

Carrots also taste great when cooked. They hold up well when baked or boiled on the stove. Carrots are often present in stews or soups. They do take a little longer to soften when cooked, like the potato, so add them to soups or stews early to give them to cook through.

Carrots make a great side dish. Top them with oregano or other types of herbs. Serve them with a dollop of butter or glaze them with honey or brown sugar

Carrots can also be used in cakes, muffins or bread. Carrots cakes with cream cheese frosting are often a staple dessert when it comes to Easter dinner but it’s great anytime of year. Carrot bread makes a great snack and carrot muffins taste great with a glass of milk for a quick breakfast.

Onions Natures Wonder

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onionsbasketThe myth is that onions make you cry as you prepare them. Tearing up, while preparing onions is a natural process that the body uses to relieve the burning sensation that the strong scent of the onion produces. To help reduce the scent try running the onion under some cold water after skinning it.

Onions have many uses. They can be used cooked, sautéed and even raw. Some people even pick them up and eat them raw like a tomato or an apple.

A steak without sautéed onions just isn’t the same. The flavor enhances the taste of the steak and adds a great taste treat to a meal. While grilling your steak, pull out your favorite skillet, add a little butter and your onions and cook just long enough to make the onion transparent. Add to the top of your steak and the flavor just bursts in your mouth!

Vidalia onions are wonderful cooked. These onions are usually used for onion rings or baked with butter, bouillon and cheese in the oven because they are sweeter onions than most. These are also used in a lot of restaurants for blooming onions.

Green onions are long and thin and are great for a relish tray. Just add your favorite dip and other veggies and have a great idea for a family get together or party. You can also dice them up and add them to salads for color or add them to a favorite cheese ball.

Onions can be sliced for sandwiches. Burgers without onions seem like they are missing something. Dice one and they add a great flavor to a hot dog. Dice another and add to ham salad or chicken salad for a great taste sensation. Potato salad and macaroni salad are bland without a little diced onion thrown in.

Making a pot roast? Add sliced or quartered onions with the potatoes and add them to the pan or crock pot. Your family will love the additional flavor even if they don’t want to just eat the onion.

Because there is no fat or cholesterol in onions they are a wonderful choice for a healthy veggie. Plus there are a lot of benefits to an onion. They are full of great nutrients that can help prevent some cancers, lower your chance for heart problems and high blood pressure and even help with ulcers of the stomach. So be healthy and remember through all the tears that onions are one of nature’s wonders.

The Many Sides of a Potato

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potatoesBaked, broiled, fried, boiled or raw, a potato is one of the greatest vegetables around. This vegetable is one of the most frequently used vegetables as a side dish to every meal.

It’s your anniversary or birthday and you pick a fancier restaurant to eat at and you order a steak. Have you ever thought about your side choices? They are usually baked potato, French fries or potato salad, which of course all use the potato.

Baked potatoes are one of the healthier choices you can make. Unless, of course, you add sour cream, bacon and cheese sauce and then the choice isn’t the healthiest one to make. Sounds good though doesn’t it.

Broiled potatoes are wonderful but full of calories. To keep them a little healthier just add butter and leave off the sour cream and chives toppings.

There are many ways to fry potato the most famous being the French fry. With certain foods, you want to add some onions slices, a little oil and your potatoes and you have a wonderful side dish that all of the family will like. Try shredding the potato and adding onion bits and some cheese and you have a delicious side dish for breakfast with your eggs and bacon.

Boiled potatoes can be used either hot or cold. Boiled potatoes with the jackets (skins) on are very similar to a baked potato but don’t take quite as long to cook. You can also use boiled potatoes and peel them, dice them and add some eggs, pickle relish and a mayonnaise based dressing and you have a wonderful potato salad fit for your family and friends!

Take your raw potatoes and quarter them and place in the crock pot with some carrots and your favorite roast and you have a great Sunday lunch for after church or while watching football. It is one of the quickest meals that can be prepared and will make your taste buds burst with the great flavor. Peal and slice a potato and add some salt. These are a favorite around the house.

Grilling a potato is also a great choice. Add sliced onions, mushrooms and carrots and you have a great vegetable medley that everyone will love!