My Globe Trotting Friends - Guest Post

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I don’t travel, primarily do to the fact that electric wheelchairs and airliners don't mix.  Fortunately, I have lovely friends who do travel.  Knowing of my love of food, two of my friends recently sent me pictures of cuisine from their travels.  I realized these photos are too mouth watering not share.

My friend, Meredith Dahl, is currently doing a rotation for medical school in Vietnam.  Knowing what a food lover I am, she just sent me a couple of pictures of Vietnamese cuisine.

Meredith wrote, "The first picture shows the elephant ear fish, fried pork spring rolls and shrimp. We rolled pieces of the fish in rice paper and ate it like a roll. The second photo is from our favorite pho place and this was the one with beef. Overall, I give the Vietnamese cuisine a 10 out of 10 stars. Everything was so fresh and tasty! And cheap!"

Another friend of mine, Whitney Regan, visited Rome recently.  Before she left, she asked if I had any eating recommendations.  Never having been to Rome, my mental rolodex called up an episode of No Reservations, and I recommended Cacio e Pepe at Ristorante Roma Sparita.

“Cacio e Pepe" means "cheese and pepper."  As the name suggests, the ingredients of the dish are very simple and include only black pepper, Pecorino Romano cheese, and pasta. 

She was kind enough to send me the following picture, and said, “Took the advice of my resident food specialist (you) and got this dish (though at a different ristorante).  It was delicious and it's simplicity was a great way to highlight the very high quality ingredients used here in Rome.  Went great with the pictured (large!) glass of dry white wine.”



I don't own the rights to the recipe, but I found a good version on The Splendid Table’s website. 

While I will probably never leave the greater 48, thanks to friends like too, I can, at least, sample the world vicariously through others.

Healthy Meals For Man's Best Friend - Guest Post

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Recently, a gentleman named MD Abu Selim, with ByteBest.com, asked if he could write a guest piece on homemade dog food.  It was a different kind of request, to be sure.  I thought about it though, and decided to give it a shot.  I mean, if Rachel Ray can enter the dog food game I can accept a post about it.
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Healthy Meals For Man's Best Friend 

| Subject: James' dog, Harley, as a puppy |
| Date: 12/25/2015 | Photographers: Bonnie Kiester |

If you're a pet lover like me, you've probably searched for recipes for preparing dog food at home.  There are many ready-made brands of dog food on the market, but knowing which ones are healthy can be a tricky business.  Thus, I suggest you feed your dog homemade dog food, so you can be sure that what you're feeding your dog is healthy and nutritious, not to mention cost effective.

There are thousands of recipes for homemade dog food.  Many of them need lots of time to prepare, and are quite complicated to cook.  With this in mind , our kitchens have come with some of the easiest recipes for making homemade dog food.

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The Standard One with Turkey

This is the most popular meal among our dogs.  It's our baseline recipe  and the easiest one to prepare since it utilizes common ingredients which most people already have on hand.  Not only is it easy to prepare, but it's very healthy for your dog’s health.

Ingredients:
Brown rice - 1 and 1/2 cups
Ground Turkey meat - 3 pounds
Peas - 1/2 cup (canned or frozen)
Shredded carrots - 2 pcs
Shredded zucchini - 1 pcs
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Baby spinach - 3 cups (chopped)

Directions:
• Take 3 cups of water in a large saucepan and put the 1 ½ cups of brown rice in it. Then cook the rice according to the instruction printed on the packet.
• Take a large stockpot and put the olive oil in it and then heat it. You can use an oven with medium heat to heat the oil. Add the ground turkey to the oil and cook it for 3 -5 minutes until it becomes brown. Make sure that the meat is cooked thoroughly.
• Mix the peas, spinach, carrots, zucchini, cooked turkey and brown rice and heat them again around 3 -5 minutes until the point that the spinach has withered and the blend is warmed enough.
• Finally, cool it and then give it to your dog.

This is the standard healthy meal for your dog with 50% protein (ground turkey and peas), 25% veggies (spinach, carrots, and zucchini), and 25% grains (brown rice).

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Beef & Vegetable Mix Meal

This beef and veggie crockpot version of Delicious Chungah’s recipe works great in a slow cooker.  This recipe is much like the one above, but uses beef for the protein instead of turkey.

Ingredients:
Brown rice - 1 and 1/2 cups
Ground beef - 2 and 1/2 pounds
Peas - 1/2 cup (canned or frozen)
Butternut squash - 1 and 1/2 cups (chopped)
Carrots - 1 and 1/2 cups (chopped)
Kidney beans - 1 (15-ounce) can (drained and rinsed)

Directions:
• Take 3 cups of water in a large saucepan and put the 1 ½ cups of brown rice in it. Then cook the rice according to the instruction printed on the packet.
• Stir the ground beef, carrots, kidney beans, butternut squash, peas with 4 cups of water in a slow cooker
• Cover and cook them in medium heat for 5-6 hours. For quick cooking, you can use high heat for 2-3 hours.
• Mix the rice with the mixer and cook in medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Then cool down the mixer.
Your dog meal is ready. Just take it in a bowl and give to your pet.

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Layer Cake Meal

If your dog doesn’t want to eat regular food, then you can try this recipe for her.

Ingredients:
Brown rice - 1 cups
Chicken - 1 kg (minced)
Egg - 1 pc
Apple - 1 pc (medium size)
Peas - ½ cup (canned or frozen)
Carrots - ½ cup (chopped)
Sweet corn - ½ cup

Directions:
• First, heat your oven at 170 degrees.
• Put the carrot, peas and sweet corn in a pot and cook them until softened.
• Peel the apple and cut it into as small pieces as possible.
• Cook the brown rice in a large saucepan following the package.
• Take a cake pan with baking paper.
• Take 1/2 of the minced chicken and place in bottom of the pan.
• Take 2/3 of the veggie and rice mix and put them on top of the chicken base.
• Place rest of the chicken on top of the veggie and rice mix.
• Pop it into the pre-heated oven and cook for 35 minutes.
• Let cool down and give the cake to your dog.

You can feed your dog any one of these meals, or rotate between them to give your pet some variety in their diet.  All of them are healthy and nutritious, so you really can't go wrong.

If you enjoyed this blog, you may like to read about chew proof dog beds here.

The Bourbon Boom - A Guest Post by Spencer Bohm

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Bourbon and whiskey fan, Spencer Bohm, noticed TV shows have been catering to people’s growing interest in craft beer and wine in recent years.  Additionally, viewers are starting to see similar attention being given to small batch bourbon, whiskey, and scotch.

The trend inspired him to ask me to publish his thoughts on the subject.  Being a libations enthusiast, I agreed to post any well written piece he might send.  A week later, he succeeded in sending me just such a piece.

So, with further ado, here are Spencer Bohm's thoughts on The Bourbon Boom.

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The Bourbon Boom 
by, Spencer Bohm   

Whiskey lovers rejoice! Your amber liquids of choice are once again enjoying a worldwide renaissance of appreciation and popularity after suffering a depression of sorts for several decades. Having quietly and steadily weathered the more flashy trends in flavored vodkas, craft beer, and martini bars, whiskey and bourbon find themselves once again proving that slow and steady wins out and endures in the long haul.

Subject: Ten High Kentucky Bourbon | Date: 10/28/2013 | Photographer: Buffalotrace | This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

And slow and steady is exactly what's needed for the manufacturing of all types of whiskeys. Aging requirements dictate that whiskey cannot be produced today and be on the shelves tomorrow like many of the white liquors, leading to the possibility of a shortage of quality whiskeys and bourbons should the demand seem to grow too quickly.

For example, American whiskeys are legally required to age at least two years in oak containers, while Scottish and Irish whiskeys require at least three. Many versions of the different whiskeys on the market today are aged much longer than the minimums, however, some counting the aging process in decades rather than years and meaning that experienced producers have to be adept in forecasting the demand for their products over the next few decades rather than the next few months or years.

Whiskey varieties produced worldwide include Canadian, Irish, and Scotch versions, blended and single malt versions, and each with its own distinctive tweaking of the ingredients and creation process. Bourbon is a subcategory of whiskey produced exclusively in the United States and mainly in the state of Kentucky. While all whiskeys are not bourbons, all bourbons are whiskey. Tennessee whiskeys are often mistaken for bourbons, and although close in nature, true bourbon is distinct from these other blends.

Title:  Tullamore Dew, an Irish Whiskey. | Date: 07/22/2006 | Photographer: Dom0803 at en.wikipedia |Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

Whiskeys are distilled from fermented grain or a blend of grains and aged in wooden barrels. Grains commonly used include corn, rye, wheat, barley, and oats. All whiskeys contain at least a small amount of malted barley, as this starts the fermentation process. Bourbons and their close cousins, the Tennessee whiskeys, are required to be made from at least 51 percent corn, with the remainder made up of the other grains mentioned. As an American whiskey, the minimum aging process is two years and usually takes place in charred white oak barrels. Bourbon generally has a sweeter taste and heavier texture than other types of whiskey.

Today, in keeping with the increased interest and popularity in artisan foods and craft beverages that has been seen over the last couple of decades, smaller distilleries have begun creating craft whiskeys and bourbons right alongside the big players that have weathered the white liquor boom of the 1960's to early 1990's. While mass media was at least partially responsible for the rise in popularity of white spirits, particularly vodka, as shown in the variety of vodka martinis and cosmopolitans seen in movies and on TV, mass media has also been instrumental in the resurgence of the brown liquors with shows such as AMC’s Mad Men and the new documentary Bourbontucky from DirecTV portraying the more glamourous side of whiskey and bourbon.

Bourbon in particular has become popular in countries around the world as well as within the United States, with annual sales recently hitting the $2.7 billion mark domestically. This is leading to record numbers in the export of this spirit and raising questions of whether the producers can maintain a supply to meet the demand. Whiskey and specialty bourbon bars have cropped up around the world as well, looking to capitalize on the wider than ever variety of specialty liquors being produced and exported. As noted in the documentary Bourbontucky, people around the world may not agree with our politics but they sure love our bourbon!

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There's Whiskey In The Jar - A Guest Post By Colleen Lacey

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Saint Patrick's Day is just around the corner.  Being no expert on Irish consumables, I approached my good friend, Ireland enthusiast, and former member of the LAOH Brigid McCrory Division 25, Colleen Lacey, who makes a variety of recommendations on her blog, Colleen Recommends.  She kindly agreed to recommend a selection of Irish ciders, whiskey, and even a few Irish tunes to my readers.

So, without further ado, here's what Colleen Recommends  for Saint Patrick's Day.
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Tis the season to be IRISH! I am only 25% Irish, but it is my favorite part. Don’t tell my German or Polish side though. I love Irish heritage all year round, but I tend to go all out during this month. During the entire Month of March I tend to drink a bit more than usual and I listen to tons of Irish/Celtic folk music. Here are some recommendations for all you Irish American and Non-Irish American folk. I underlined the recommendations.

Bevvys (beverages):

Every good Saint Patrick’s Day starts with the anticipation of getting “langered” with friends (as they’d say in the Ireland...so I am told). Now most Americans will go with the typical American beers, lagers, and any cheap drink to get them hammered. BUT most Irish Americans will go with a classic Guinness  or Smithwicks (Irish Red Ale, product of Guinness Ltd.). If none of those tickle your fancy, then try a Killians Irish Red Ale or another Irish Stout.

Title:  A pint of Magners cider | Date: 08/20/2011 | Photographer: PierreSelim | This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Now if you are like me and not a huge fan of beer, but want to keep to the theme of Irish/Ireland, I would recommend Magners Irish Apple Cider and Magners Irish Pear Cider, (http://usa.magners.com). Both are simple, tasteful and go well with pub food. Also, don’t let the alcohol content of 4.5% fool you. Both are so light and simple, that you can barely tell you are drinking alcohol before it hits you. I recommend 6 at max and 4 if you are accompanying it with shots in between. 

Fun facts: Magners is the only Irish Cider served in the US and it is Gluten Free for all you hard core gluten watchers like myself. Both ciders contain 125 cals each 12oz and have the same number of antioxidants as wine.

Title:  Tullamore Dew, an Irish Whiskey. | Date: 07/22/2006 | Photographer: Dom0803 at en.wikipedia |Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

For those of you that like to drink shots of whiskey, or mix it with soda or have it on the rocks, I have a two recommendations. Every typical Irish American will tell you to get Jameson Irish Whiskey, http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/. Jameson the most commonly used Irish whiskey in bars and restaurants. For those of us who like a smoother and slightly more richer taste, I recommend Tullamore Dew, http://www.tullamoredew.com. Tullamore Dew, or Tully as they say in Ireland, is also great to mix with a Hard Cider or regular apple cider. It is 1 part Tully and 3 parts hard cider/apple cider.  

Finally, my favorite recommended shot is an “Irish Car Bomb”. I am not sure who trademarked this specialty shot, but its basically one pint glass full of a Guinness can, to which you drop a shot glass full of Irish Whiskey and Bailey’s Irish Cream into the Guinness glass and then chug until finished. I personally do not like these, as I do not like Guinness, but if you like shots mixed with beer than it is an“experience” to say the least. It is a favorite of the East Coast Americans.

Irish Folk Music & Bands:

Now every good drink and bar needs some good music to dance to. Saint Patrick’s Day is probably the only time you will hear a DJ play Irish rock and folk music at the bars here in the US.. Every city may have its own special song they play several times a day during this Irish festive season, but in Philadelphia for example, we like to over play “Celtic Symphony” by Blackthorn, a local/semi-national band. The song is originally sung/inspired by The Wolftones, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6emGGwGqhI.  

East Coasters like myself are no strangers to national, international and local Irish bands. We have tons of Irish immigrants! Music like this plays nearly all year round in some parts, as much as it does in Ireland! For those of you who are not familiar, here is a list of bands, old and new, that I personally love and recommend (with links to their web sites). So hit up your MP3, YouTube, downloader or Spotify and get listening.

Gaelic Storm: http://www.gaelicstorm.com/

Dropkick Murphys: http://www.dropkickmurphys.com/

The Wolftones: http://www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com/

The Dubliners: http://www.thedubliners.org/

Young Dubliners: http://youngdubliners.com/

Shamrock: http://www.capitalceltic.com/sham-rock.shtml

Annemarie O’Riordan: http://www.annmarie.ie/

The Pogues: http://www.pogues.com/

Celtic Woman: http://celticwoman.com/

Flogging Molly: http://www.floggingmolly.com/

Celtic Thunder: http://www.celticthunder.ie/

The Chieftains: http://www.thechieftains.com/

Birmingham Six: http://www.birminghamsix.com/

Jamison Celtic Rock: http://www.jamisoncelticrock.com/

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Saint Patrick’s Day!  Sláinte! 

(Cheers/Cheers to Your Health),
Colleen Lacey
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What are the Best Holiday Wine & Food Pairings? - A Guest Post by Vintage Wine Gifts

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Every now & then someone asks to post a guest spot on this blog.  I end up rejecting 3 out of 4 requests, either because the poster wants to write about something completely off-topic (athletic shoes, camping gear, etc...), the poster's facts are wrong, or the poster simply can't write above a 7th grade level.

When Vintage Wine Gifts, a British seller of wine & spirits, asked if they could post a piece, I was skeptical but told them, if they would send me something on holiday food pairings that I'd take a look at it.  To my pleasant surprise, I received exactly what I'd asked for.

The following is a well written piece which outlines several possible pairings for Christmas dinner, based on the main dish.  The piece also includes links to some delightful holiday recipes.  Enjoy!
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Title: Vintage Wine Gifts Logo | This graphic courtesy of Vintage Wine Gifts.

Author Byline: David loves the festive season, especially as he can grab a bottle of the finest vintage port from his home cellar and share it with family and other guests. His love of Christmas is also helped by the fact his office closes for three weeks from mid-December!
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What are the Best Holiday Wine & Food Pairings?

The holidays are always an exciting time for everyone. While we’re all gearing up to spend time with loved ones and take advantage of some well-deserved time away from the office, we’re also well stressed out about buying gifts and making sure out festive plans are all in place.

One thing that you have to get right is your festive wine choices. Although things like Eggnog and Mulled Wine are popular at Christmas and around the holidays in general, the great thing about festive wines is that you can actually choose to drink whatever you want; there aren’t any hard and fast rules about what you should and shouldn’t drink. Rather, your considerations should be around ensuring you match the wine to the meals you are making, as you normally would. As always, the big focus here is on how your festive wine matches with the meat component of dishes.

Title: Turkey | Date: 10/27/2010 | Photographer: Howard Portnoy | This graphic was released into the public domain by the photographer.

Turkey
Turkey is the traditional festive bird and as such the one that most people will be trying to find a match for. Most of the time, the general rule of thumb is that you have white wine with poultry, although this is often done with “solo” meats in mind. This is Christmas, so you’re not going to have turkey on the plate on its own, you need to match it with the herbs, sauces, vegetables, and all the other great tasting stuff on your plate.

If you do decide to stick with white, then Sauvignon Blanc is what you need to have on the table, although if you prefer red then a Shiraz or a Zinfandel variety – go for White Zinfandel if you prefer rose wine – is good, too.

Duck
The mistake many people make with duck is to assume that, because it’s a bird, you can use the same wines as you might do with turkey, or throughout the rest of the year with chicken. However,

Title: Roast Duck | This graphic was released into the public domain.

anyone who has cooked with or eaten duck knows it presents its own range of unique characteristics and therefore pairing challenges.

Duck is a much more complex meat, given its rich and fatty texture, so you need to consider how to balance this. Choose a wine based on how you’re cooking a festive duck. If you’re roasting it to have with vegetable trimmings, then a simple Red Burgundy works brilliantly. If you decide to move away from a traditional festive roast and plan to serve the duck lightly cooked with fruity or creamy sauces, go for a white like Sauternes.

Ham
If you’re having ham this holiday season then it comes down to a simple choice between taste preferences; go for a white like Reisling or explore lighter bodied reds. Keep the complex, oaky and full bodied red wines for lamb and beef. Pinot Noir is a perfect wine to put with ham, although a

Title: Vintage Wine Gifts - Niepoort Vintage Colheita Port 1944 | This graphic courtesy of Vintage Wine Gifts.

Zinfandel – red as well as rose – can work nicely, too.

Spicy Foods and Desserts
Port is a very traditional Christmas wine and is your only option here! If you’re cooking spicy foods on Christmas Day then ensure there’s Port on the table, and ensure white wines vacate the table when it is time for pudding!


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Thank you Vintage Wine Gifts, those are definitely some great options for Christmas dinner.  To learn more about this company, readers can click on their logo, or the bottle of port, to visit their site.

Title: Roast beef with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and vegetables | Photographer: HotBabyHot | Date: 03/29/2007 | This graphic was released into the public domain by the photographer.

I'd only add one final pairing thought.  Many people celebrate Christmas with a some version of roast beef; loin roast, eye round, or standing rib roast, etc... As alluded to in Vintage Wine Gifts' ham section, red meat requires a firm full-bodied red wine, sometimes with a bit of oak on the palette.

One such option is a sharp dry Bordeaux with a generous level of tannins and a nice mineral flavor to enhance the flavor of the beef.

Those who find Bordeauxs to be a little bold for their tastes might enjoy a peppery Shiraz with hints of smoke & cloves, and an acidity which compliments fatty meats.

Of course, only one rule is truly important, when it comes to Christmas.  This Christmas, pair whatever food & wine have with a generous helping of loved ones!
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November is National Diabetes Month - A Guest Post by Mario Trucillo, PhD

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I'm not a health driven food writer by any means.  I've happily consumed mys share of steaks, cheeses, pâtés, cream sauces, and desserts.  Heck, my last entry sung the praises of a 900 calorie sandwich.

That being said, I am also very community minded.  Thus, when Dr. Mario Trucillo, PhD asked me to repost his blog, in honor of National Diabetes Month, I happily agreed.  I felt it fit this blog since diabetes is a condition which affects 25.8 million people in the United States, including members of my family, and can affect pleasure eaters, like me, down the road.
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Life With Diabetes by, Dr. Mario Trucillo, PhD

November is National Diabetes Month and here at The American Recall Center, we wanted to do our part in helping to raise awareness. Diabetes affects over 25 million people in the United States, or 8.3% of the entire population. Within those 25 million people, over 8 million are undiagnosed, or do not know they are living with diabetes. For diabetes being so widespread, there is a lack of common knowledge about how to recognize diabetes, the different types, and what it takes to manage the disease. There are also potential risks associated with taking diabetes medication, such as Actos, that we are happy to educate this community about. An Actos recall has been issued in France and Germany, while the US issued a black box warning on the drug in 2007.

At The American Recall Center, we want to use National Diabetes Month as a platform to help educate everyone about life with diabetes and what they can do to help. With that idea in mind, we reached out to bloggers from all different walks of diabetic-life and asked them for one thing they would like the world to know about this condition. The infographic below, “Life With Diabetes” describes what they want the world to know. So this November, help us raise diabetes awareness by sharing, posting, adding your own voice, and making diabetes awareness the forefront of the national conversation!

 
Click graphic for larger view.

Special thanks to the participating bloggers (in order from top to bottom):Denise, Rachel, Thomas, Megan, Brooke, Gavin, Kerri, Shelby, and Brian

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Homemade Beef Jerky: How to Make It and Why You Should - A Guest Post by Bridget Sandorford

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Lately I've been thinking about jerky & smoked meats.  In the good old days people made jerky to preserve meat for long trips.  Pioneers & drovers lived on the stuff, because it was a good source of energy that wouldn't spoil.  We have to gulp down the jerky we buy today though, because it molds within a few days after opening it.

I was writing about the issue, but having a hard time of it, since I'm not expert enough in smoking meats to include a recipe for homemade jerky that would be safe to store for long periods.  Fortunately, freelance blog and culinary writer, Bridget Sandorford wrote to me asking if there was a topic she could write about for my blog.

Talk about perfect timing.

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance blog and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching culinary schools in Kansas City. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.
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Homemade Beef Jerky: How to Make It and Why You Should
It is important to include plenty of quality protein in your diet. Yet most of us don’t have the time to sit down and eat a steak or to whip up a grilled chicken breast in the middle of our busy work days. Nor do we have the time to cook a full breakfast of eggs or sausage in the morning. Finding quality sources of ready-to-eat protein is a great way to help us meet our protein needs despite our busy schedules.

However, many commercially available products contain unhealthy ingredients that can contribute to our risk of serious health problems and even disease. For example, deli lunch meats have preservatives, additives and artificial colors. Hot dogs and other cured meats like pepperoni have cancer-causing nitrates.

Beef jerky is a great choice for protein-on-the-go, but commercially available options have a lot of those same additives – and they often spoil a few days after they are opened. Traditionally, beef jerky and other smoked meats were created to preserve meats for long trips or to store food in case of shortage. Now they provide healthy snacks for busy people.

Here are a few tips for how you can make our own beef jerky that is free of all toxic ingredients and that you can store for later use:

Choose a Quality Cut of Meat
Good jerky can’t be made from just any type of meat. You have to choose a quality, lean cut such as a sirloin or top round. Make sure to remove any visible fat from the cut. The meat doesn’t have to be beef. Jerky can be made of any type of meat, and some great versions have been made from bison, ostrich, deer, and even turkey.

Marinate Your Meat
The marinade that you choose will have the most impact on the final product. Here’s where you can have fun and try out different spices and flavorings. Explore different recipes or experiment in your kitchen until you find one that you like best.

Consider trying out one of these recipes:

• Food Network Beef Jerky 

• Emeril Lagasse’s Homemade Beef Jerky

Let your meat marinate for anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. Typically, the longer you allow it to marinate, the more full the flavor will be.

Make Your Jerky
The easiest way to make your jerky is to put it in a dehydrator and to follow the instructions for use. However, if you can’t or don’t want to buy a dehydrator, you can just use your oven.

The right temperature will vary depending on your altitude, the power of your oven, and other factors. However, 200 degrees F is an average starting point for jerky. The key is to dry out the meat, not to cook it, so the oven has to be set to a very low temperature.

Cooking times will also vary according to the same factors. However, typical times range from 45 to 90 minutes. The longer you cook it, the more tough and chewy it will be. The lower your temperatures, the long it will take to cure. Some recipes call for jerky to cure for up to 6 hours or more.

Store your jerky in airtight bags or jars, and put it in the refrigerator or freezer to help it keep longer. Your jerky should be able to last two weeks or more if stored correctly. Then you’ll have a ready supply of healthy, lean protein that you can eat for a snack or as an addition to a meal.

What are some of your favorite recipes for making your own beef jerky? Share your recipes and your best tips in the comments!
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7 Craziest Fad Diets - Guest Post by Virginia Cunningham

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This week I have the privilege of hosting another guest writer.  Health advocate and freelance writer, Virginia Cunningham, comes to us with warnings about seven crazy, and potentially harmful, weight loss schemes.  Where was she when I started SENSA?  Ah well.

Virginia Cunningham is a freelance writer from the Los Angeles area whose writing specializes in healthy cooking, vegan/vegetarianism and holistic medicine. Whenever she starts a diet, she always makes sure that her body gets the essential vitamins and nutrients.

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7 Craziest Fad Diets

Fad diets come and go every year and most people who hear about them write them off immediately, assuming they’re pretty much as crazy as they sound; however, some fad diets seem to stick around.

Why these fads seem to be popular or talked about year after year is really a mystery, though when it comes to losing weight, a lot of people are willing to try anything-- even something as crazy as one of these seven diet diets.

1. The Baby Food Diet

The baby food diet seems to be pretty popular with celebrities, especially ones with kids. The idea is to replace one meal per day with baby food, which is very low in calories.

The problem is that many people only eat baby food on the diet, and it’s pretty difficult to get the proper nutrition adults need from baby food – at least without eating 100 jars of it.

Image Courtesy of Flickr

2. The Sleeping Diet

The sleeping diet is pretty much what it sounds like – a diet that suggests you spend time sleeping, instead of eating. While there’s some science behind getting enough sleep, and many healthcare professionals believe a lack of sleep is part of the obesity epidemic, sleeping more than your body needs just to avoid eating really doesn’t make any sense at all.

It’s also likely that you’ll overeat at a certain point as well.

3. The Tapeworm Diet

The tapeworm diet is perhaps the worst diet fad in history. It’s simple: swallow a tapeworm. The tapeworm itself won’t allow your body to absorb calories and process the food you eat properly.

Of course, there are some serious side effects – death being the most severe one. At the very least, you’ll end up with some severe nutritional deficiencies.

4. The Cookie Diet

Sure, the cookie diet sounds pretty great. After all, who doesn’t love cookies? The idea behind the cookie diet is that you can eat about six per day, along with a very small meal.

The problem with the diet is that it’s basically a starvation diet (since most people eat less than 1,000 calories on the cookie diet). It might work, but you can’t keep it up long-term, and you’ll be cutting a lot of necessary things from your diet, such as protein, amino acids and a whole host of vitamins and minerals.

Although cookies might be tasty, you may have a better chance of losing weight by including weight management bars that are specifically targeted to reduce cravings.

5. The Martini Diet

Similar to the cookie diet, the martini diet really doesn’t have anything to do with the cocktail. What the “martini” is referring to is how much food you can eat – only as much as can fit in a martini glass (about three ounces).

The martini diet lets you eat whatever you want, but portions are so small, it’s pretty difficult to stick to. You’ll also likely end up hungrier and breaking your diet by eating high-fat and high-sugar foods.

6. The Cotton Ball Diet

If you were to follow the cotton ball diet, you’d be eating cotton balls as an appetizer. That’s because the cotton ball diet suggests filling your stomach with cotton balls before you eat a real meal so you’ll feel full faster.

Sure, it makes sense to fill your stomach with something lightweight and low in fat like vegetables or a salad, but cotton balls? Keep the cotton balls in the bathroom – they can damage your digestive tract, and it’s not highly recommended to put them in your mouth in the first place.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

7. The Cabbage Soup Diet

The cabbage soup diet is a low-calorie diet that allows you to eat two bowls of low-fat cabbage soup and a very short list of fruits, vegetables, skim milk and lean meat. The cabbage soup diet is somewhat effective as it fills you up with foods that are fiber rich and high in water, making you feel full before you can eat a lot of calories.

While the diet is relatively effective and usually not deemed to be unsafe because it’s only meant to be done in one week intervals, problems arise when people try to maintain the diet for more than one week because of nutritional deficiencies.

You’ll also gain the weight back as soon as you start eating normally. The cabbage soup diet might work if you need to lose three pounds for that wedding dress, but it won’t work for long-term weight loss.

How many times have you heard that a healthy diet and sensible exercise plan are the only true paths to weight loss? As little fun as those things are – it’s true – that’s why you keep hearing it.

If you need to lose weight, fad diets aren’t the answer. A healthy diet and exercise plan that allows you to lose between one and two pounds per week is all you need-- unless you’re being monitored by a doctor.
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Eating Healthy on Your Vacation: The Healthy Diner - A Guest Post By Cole Millen

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Every so often I turn this blog over to a guest writer who's written a particularly powerful and/or constructive piece about food, but who doesn't have a forum of their own.  This time I welcome travel and food enthusiast Cole Millen.

Cole Millen is an avid traveler and foodie who never forgets that life's best memories are made through real life apprehension of legitimate "experiences." Some people plan a trip to "get away," while others realize benefit of adding something greater to their current repertoire of knowledge, thought and emotion. Through my writings, I hope to influence the earlier, and connect with the latter.  

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Eating Healthy on Your Vacation: The Healthy Diner 

You're vacation is now in full swing. You've successfully navigated the diet pitfalls of both the airport and your first night or two at the hotel. Maybe you didn't eat out much the first night, or even the first day, but it is your vacation. Eventually, you will probably eat out. If you do it right, eating out doesn't have to be a diet buster. Simply keep a few reminders in the back of your head. 

Choose the right restaurant 

The biggest decision you can make to save your diet is choosing a location that won't do everything possible to bust you. Choose a restaurant that will be offering the healthiest possible options. Usually, authentic, ethnic Mediterranean cuisine is your best choice. Greek and Indian style places tend to offer flavorful and naturally healthier menus. Fish and seafood places are also good choices, but they have plenty of dangers as well, including obscene amounts of butter and fried options. Avoid classic American menus at all costs, such as burger-joints and anything that offers fried foods as its main choices.  

Doing a little research and planning out your meals prior to your departure can go a long way. On a recent trip I was researching for healthy hotels and stumbled upon a great site that listed reviews for hotels in Las Vegas not only regarding the amenities offered, but also for the surrounding restaurants in the area. These reviews were extremely helpful and led to me not only booking a great hotel with a complete fitness center, but also being able to find the most nutritious and delicious restaurants in the area for my vacation. Needless to say, with this preparation I was able to have a great time and maintain my healthy lifestyle.  

Eat before eating 

Many dieters feel guilty about going out to eat. Some will delay going out. They will end up going long hours without eating anything, and by the time they do get to the restaurant they are starving. Don't wait until you're starving half to death to eat out. Be proactive. Eat a small healthy snack, such as piece of fruit, some whole-grain crackers or a yogurt, less than thirty minutes before you leave for the restaurant. This will curb your initial craving and help you avoid the first two diet bombs at the restaurant: bread and appetizers.  

Sometimes the bread is unavoidable. It's just a part o the meal they give you by default. Restaurants are, however, increasingly asking customers if they would like bread. Just say no. The bread served is usually unhealthy white or french bread, although some restaurants do serve whole-grain breads or breads with oats and seeds. You can ask for healthy breads or just skip it altogether. 

That brings us to appetizers, the ultimate doomsday weapon in the diet-killing arsenal. Appetizers are perhaps the worst enemy you have yet faced on this journey. With few exceptions, appetizers are carb and fat loaded monsters that emphasize fried foods. Many have nearly as many calories in them as a full entree. If you have properly prepared by eating before eating you will have little trouble saying no to appetizers. 

Select your meal with care 

Choosing your entree is equally important. You can fall back on most traditional diet wisdom here. Aim for lean meats such as chicken or fish that are baked or grilled instead of fried. If ordering pasta, ask if they can prepare it with whole-grain noodles, and choose red or pesto sauces instead of cream or white sauces. A salad can be a great addition. Be sure to ask for the dressing on the side so that you can control the amount. Most restaurants smother their salads in an inordinate amount of dressing. 

Smart diners will ultimately find themselves having a great time on vacation without having to sacrifice their healthy lifestyle. 

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