The Bear`s Seafood Pasta in White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

3 cloves Garlic chopped

½ Spanish Onion diced
2 pinches of Kosher Salt

1 tbl of my Spice Rub
1 tsp fresh ground Pepper
1/4 cup fresh Parsley chopped
1/4 cup fresh Basil chopped

1 cup diced Mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped Oregano
Seafood > Clams / Shrimp / Mussels / Haddock / Crab, whatever else suits your fancy
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil, & Butter

3 cups of Fish Stock
1 cup of white wine of your choice
your choice of Pasta
1 large skillet for cooking
1 large pot for boiling pasta

Start with heating your skillet/ frying pan at a medium heat, then melt your butter and add the olive oil ., when the butter is melted add your Onions. Once they have sweated add your Mushrooms and Garlic, and sauté. Then proceed to add the wine, parsley and basil, oregano, stock.....stir the contents and simmer off the alcohol for approx. 5 minutes min at a medium low heat.....add your seafood of choice and cook for until the Haddock is cooked through....add in the Salt and pepper to taste....( if you wish to thicken the sauce a bit create a roux and add as needed )
Salt pasta water with aprox a tsp of salt and add your pasta aprox 10 min into the cooking time...
Cook your pasta en dente
Drain, then put back into the pot with a little butter and olive oil and stir it up

Then add some Parmesan cheese to the Pasta...
Add your pasta to the skillet at a medium low heat...

it`s Dinner Time ;o)

What is Apple Cider Vinegar and it`s Benefits ??

What is Apple Cider Vinegar and it`s Benefits ??

Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made by the fermentation of apple cider. During this process, sugar in the apple cider is broken down by bacteria and yeast into alcohol and then into vinegar. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid (like other types of vinegar) and some lactic, citric and malic acids.

Unlike white vinegar, apple cider vinegar is a light yellow-brown color and is often sold unfiltered and unpasteurized with a dark, cloudy sediment called mother of vinegar (consisting mainly of acetic acid bacteria) settled at the bottom of the bottle.

Unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is sold in health food stores, online and in some grocery stores.

Although other types of vinegar -- such as white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and rice wine vinegar -- are used mainly in cooking, apple cider vinegar is used primarily for health purposes. Hippocrates was said to have used it as a health tonic and American soldiers are said to have used it to combat indigestion, pneumonia and scurvy.

But it wasn’t until the book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health, written by D.C. Jarvis, M.D., was published in 1958 that the medicinal use of apple cider vinegar took off. Jarvis recommended apple cider vinegar as a cure-all, explaining that it was unusually rich in potassium (compared to other food sources, it is not). He said that mixing the apple cider vinegar with honey, a mixture he called “honegar,” enhanced the healing power of the vinegar. Jarvis also wrote that apple cider vinegar could destroy harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and recommended as a digestive tonic to be consumed with meals.

Although the year it was released it didn’t attract much attention, the following year, Folk Medicine became a bestseller and stayed on the bestseller list for months. According to Time magazine, it sold more than 245,000 copies in a single week and received many testimonials by people who felt they benefited from the apple cider vinegar and honey mixture.

In the 1970s, apple cider vinegar became popular once again, this time by proponents who had read Jarvis’ book and suggested that apple cider vinegar along with kelp, vitamin B6 and lecithin could help people lose weight by speeding metabolism and burning fat at a faster rate.

Weight Loss

Apple cider vinegar has become popular as a “fat-burner” and as a natural appetite suppressant. In fact, there’s even an apple cider vinegar diet, which involves taking one to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or apple cider vinegar pills before each meal.

The earliest proponent of apple cider vinegar for weight loss was Jarvis, who wrote that people who consumed apple cider vinegar regularly would burn fat instead of store it. Although some say that the pectin, enzymes, vitamins, or potassium may help with weight loss, there is no reliable research showing that either apple cider vinegar or the combination of apple cider vinegar, kelp, vitamin B6 and lecithin can influence metabolic rate or the help us “burn fat” faster than we normally would.

One small study in 2005 found that those who ate a piece of bread with a small amount of white vinegar felt more full and satisfied than those who ate the bread alone. It’s possible that vinegar may affect satiety by lowering the glycemic index of carbohydrates eaten at a meal. More research is needed.

HONEY NUTRITION

The secret to honey nutrition: Why the rich array of complex sugars, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants are so beneficial.

One can eat honey directly, or put it on bread like a jam. You can mix it with juice or any drink instead of sugar. Alternatively, mix it with warm water, lime juice, cinnamon and other herbs to make a medicine.

So, what exactly does honey contain that make it such a healthful beverage?

Honey Nutrition #1:
Complex Sugar and Carbohydrates

Honey is made up of both simple sugars (called monosaccarides) such as glucose and fructose, and complex sugars (called oligosaccharides).

Complex sugars are present in all life forms and particularly in cell membranes and cell secretions. They form the basic components of:

o Hormones - made of links of complex sugars and proteins known as glycoproteins.

o Blood proteins - also made from glycoprotein links, with the only exception being serum albumin.

o Blood cells - especially if you have a blood group of ABO.

Which type of honey contains the most complex sugars? It depends on the type of nectar the bees collect.

Honeys that contain nectar from blackberry, chinquapin, coral vine, cranberry, holly, poison oak, mountain laurel, raspberry, rhododendron, Spanish needle, sumac, thistle, tulip trees, cedar honeydew, or hickory honeydew have higher complex sugars levels.

Honey Nutrition #2:
Complex Carbohydrates

The complex carbohydrates found in honey are made up of complex sugars.

They are considered prebiotic - i.e. these complex carbohydrates are non digestible, but by consuming them you encourage the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria in the body, which helps you digest food more easily.

Honey Nutrition #3:
Vitamins and Minerals

It may come as a surprise to many people, but honey is an excellent source of vitamins. This is not equally true of vegetables and fruits.

For example, spinach loses 50% of its vitamin C content within 24 hours after being picked. Fruits lose some of their vitamin content during storage. In contrast, honey keeps well. In fact, it is probably the only food that never expires!

Honey contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. The vitamin and mineral content of honey depends on the type of flowers used for agriculture. When bees are allowed free forage, the honey blend is higher in a wider variety of vitamins and minerals.

Honey is high in vitamin C, a variety of B vitamins such as niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid, as well as, minerals such as potassium.

Honey Nutrition #4:
Amino Acids

All varieties of honey are rich in amino acids. One study has found that the level of amino acids present in honey is a reliable indicator of the honey's antioxidant capacity.

Amino acids are the basic building blocks of life, essential to our very existence. When you examine the various properties and benefits of each amino acid, you will start to form a clearer picture as to why honey is so beneficial.

Tryptophan:

A natural relaxant, it helps alleviate insomnia by inducing normal sleep. It reduces anxiety and depression, relieves migraine headaches, boosts immune system, reduces the risk of artery and heart spasms, and works with Lysine to reduce cholesterol levels.

Honey may be a good remedy for insomnia.

Lysine:

It is one of the essential amino acids - your body cannot generate its own Lysine, meaning you must get it from your diet.

Recent studies have shown that Lysine may be effective against herpes by improving the balance of nutrients that reduce viral growth. Prolonged stressful situations increase our requirements for Lysine and it is important in the formation of collagen (the protein that forms the matrix of your bone, cartilage and connective tissue).

Methionine:

Another essential sulfur amino acids. As with other essential amino acids, you do not create your own so you must ingest it for survival.

Contributes to the formation of important compounds in your body and works as a sulfur donor to aid in your body's detoxification processes.

Cysteine:

Functions as an antioxidant and protects the body against radiation and pollution.

Histidine:

Another essential amino acid and is delivered mostly from our diets.

It has anti-inflammatory properties and is the only amino acid found to be consistently low in the blood of those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Glutamine:

This essential amino acid plays a key role in the metabolism and the gastrointestinal tract. It is the primary energy source for the cells that line your intestines and is essential to keeping them healthy.

It is considered also to be a brain food by improving mental capacity. It may also help speed the healing of ulcers and reduce fatigue.

Tyrosine:

Tyrosine is a natural mood enhancer due to its ability to convert to feel-good neurotransmitters nor epinephrine and dopamine in the brain. It helps with depression. It also may convert to thyroid hormone and to adrenaline which is produced by your adrenal gland in response to stress.

Honey Nutrition #5:
Antioxidants

Honey contains powerful antioxidants which fight free radicals and reverse aging.

Free radicals are everywhere - in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and even the sunlight we love so much. Every moment, the body absorbs oxygen and turns it into energy in a process called oxidation. This process also releases free radicals.

Antioxidants slow down aging by neutralizing these free radicals. They perform healing at the deepest cellular level, allowing the benefits to manifest in a myriad of different ways.

Foods that`ll help burn FAT

Foods that`ll help burn FAT

List of 14

I`ve been off the “Smokes”, for slightly over 6 months now. My 7^th monthAnniversary will be on Aug 10^th.

This is a re-issue Blog from “The Bear`s Den” April 25^th 2011

 To be honest I’m finding it very tough. There is not a day that passes in which my old “buddy” wants to re join me. On top of that I’m experiencing the “sweats” during the evening. Certainly the nicotine has left my body by now, correct?

My eating is very controlled during the morning and day time. However at night, I’m GORGING!! Thus now I have weight gain. I`m so frustrated & pissed with myself right now.

Yesterday being Easter, dinner was huge; however, fortunately we ate early afternoon. My personal challenge was to get through the evening without raiding the fridge. With the assistance of these sugarless candies I discovered when I stopped smoking, and a roasted nut mixture I created, plus tons of water. I got through the evening YEAH!

One down, and the rest of my life to go ;o)))

This morning I did some research and came up with my list of 14 that I’m going to work with. And I`m sure I’ll get my weight back down, which will no doubt turn one of my personal negatives into a positive!

 

List of 14

(Special Note: There`s nothing listed here that`ll break any grocery budget!)

Turkey:

Is a dieter’s friend, because it’s a great source of lean protein. This helps boost metabolism, says AOL Health. Removing the skin before eating saves additional fat calories, too. Turkey breast can be used just like chicken. So try dicing and using in a stir-fry, or skewering onto kabobs, or grilling

Tuna:

Can help reduce the level of the hormone leptin in the body. Lower leptin levels are associated with faster metabolisms - at least in mice. University of Wisconsin researchers discovered that mice with low leptin levels have faster metabolisms and burn fat more efficiently than animals with higher leptin levels, reports AOL Health.

Lean Beef:

Helps boost your metabolism because it’s rich in protein, which requires more calories for your body to digest than either fat or carbs, says AOL Health. Keep in mind the key word here: lean. That means steering clear of well marbled T-bone steaks in favor of leaner cuts like Flank steak. And if you want a burger, substitute ground sirloin for higher-fat ground chuck.

Salmon:

Contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which can alter the levels of a hormone in your body called leptin, says AOL Health. Lower leptin levels are associated with a higher caloric burn. This fish is excellent on the grill, so think of it when it's time to fire up the barbecue this season.

Pork:

Is an excellent source of protein. The more protein you consume, the harder your body has to work to digest it. But be smart about pork consumption, and keep it lean, AOL recommends. Lean pork chops that are grilled and seasoned with fresh herbs are a much better bet than ribs slathered with barbecue sauce.

Sardines (canned):

Are rich in fish oil, and French research has found that men who replaces six grams of fat with six grams of fish oil lost an average of two pounds in just 12 weeks, according to AOL Health.

Chicken:

Is high in metabolism-boosting protein. Danish researchers found that men who subbed protein for one fifth of their daily carbs increased the number of calories they burned each day by up to five percent, AOL Health reports.

Coffee:

contains caffeine, which helps speed up your heart rate and thus helps you burn more calories, reports AOL Health. And this benefit comes in coffee of all kinds, whether it’s iced, hot or in a mocha smoothie. Of course, the hundreds of calories in a sugar and fat-rich blended coffee drink can negate whatever heart-quickening benefit the coffee in caffeine imparts, so you may want to consider using skim milk and keeping sweeteners to a minimum. I myself drink it black.

Green Tea:

Has a chemical called EGCG that causes the brain and nervous system to run faster and helps you burn more calories. EGCG works sort of like caffeine except that caffeine causes your heart to beat faster. Want a super boost of your metabolism? Try combining caffeine and a 90 mg.dose of EGCG three times a day and you can burn an additional 80 calories a day, AOL Health says. Researchers found this out, along with the great news that you don’t have to engage in exercise for this to happen; it occurs when your body is at rest.

Oats:

Is a rich source of fiber, which pumps up your metabolism? And since oatmeal breaks down slowly in your stomach, says AOL Health, it doesn’t cause a big insulin spike the way carbs like bagels do. Oatmeal is typically eaten for breakfast, which is an important meal to consume for anyone who wants to burn calories. Eating this meal keeps insulin production down and revs up the daily calorie burn.

Cruciferous Vegetables:

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and celery are fat-burning cruciferous vegetables that are high in fiber and have a low caloric content

Gourds:

Cucumber and squash are among the gourds that can also be included as fat-burning vegetables in a weight loss regimen because of their low caloric value and high fiber content

Others:

such as eggplant, peppers and tomatoes comes from their high fiber and low caloric content while hot peppers offer fat burning through their thermogenic effect

Nuts:

Choose the right seeds and nuts that contain MUFA. All of these nuts and seeds burn belly fat and can be consumed as snacks or added to many recipes: almond butter, natural peanut butter (smooth and crunchy), cashew butter, dry-roasted cashews, dry-roasted sunflower seeds, dry-roasted peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seed paste (tahini).

Let me know if these work for you ....your feedback & comments are welcomed...Thanks ;o))