Dairy products have gotten a lot of bad press lately for being high in calories.
But yogurt contains probiotics: “good” bacteria that research suggests may actually help reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs.
Yogurt is also one of the best sources of calcium — a mineral that may fight fat.
Not getting enough calcium can trigger the release of calcitriol, a hormone that causes us to store fat. On the other hand, getting your daily calcium needs helps you burn fat more efficiently.
Yogurt and other dairy foods are also leading sources of leucine, which also helps fight fat.
You are well familier with eating yogurt from a small container — usually with fruit mixed in or “on the bottom.”
So I have included a few recipes here that allow you to enjoy yogurt in different and interesting ways.
Enjoy.
Coconut Raita
Indian cold yogurt salad with the delicious taste of coconut!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup peeled, finely chopped seedless cucumber
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, or more to taste
Directions:
- Combine the yogurt, cucumber and coconut.
Place a dollop on top of a potato pancake or even a baked potato.
Garnish with a pinch of chopped cilantro.
Mahdzoon Chicken
Cooking in yogurt gives the chicken a creamy tenderness and a certain “tang!”
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil
- 1/2 cup chopped Armenian or Italian flat leaf parsley
- 2 medium yellow onions [sliced]
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups mahdzoon or plain yogurt
Directions:
- Place the olive oil, crushed garlic, wine, and basil in a bowl or pan and add the chicken breats so they are covered with the marinade.
- Cover and let the chicken marinate over night in the refrigerator.
- Heat a teflon chicken fry pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides.
- Discard the marinade.
- In another pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the onions until they are golden.
- Place the chicken in the pan with the onions.
- Spread the mahdzoon over the chicken and onions, cover and let cook over a medium burner for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.
Mango Lassi
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup mango pulp (fresh or canned)
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 3 table spoons sugar
Directions:
- Blend all of the above.
- Add a little water if the consistency is too thick.
Keep refrigerated.
Serve chilled.
Pineapple Lassi
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ripe, fresh pineapple (peeled and diced)
- 1/2 cup plain, natural yogurt
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- cup ice cubes
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in the jug of an electric blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.
Filed under Breakfast, Dairy, Dinner, Fat Burning Foods, Fat Burning Recipes, Meat, Snack by on Oct 28th, 2009. Comment. 
Experts say there are two basic categories of foods that can be considered fat burning foods because they fill the tummy without piling on the calories: fruits and vegetables. And what nutrient gives fruits and vegetables that power? Fiber.
So, if fruits and vegetables are called the fat burning food, fiber may well be the fat burning nutrient. Protein is another best fat burning food. It’s becoming more scientifically accepted that protein may help to curb appetite.
In order for the body to burn fat faster, we need a metabolism boost. And that’s what protein can do quite well. There is one drawback, however. Too much protein adds more weight. Be careful, we want to lose weight, not gain weight.
The following list of fat burning foods includes smart, low-calorie choices that will benefit our weight loss efforts.
1. Green tea. Researchers find that the catechins (helpful phytochemicals) in green tea may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and mildly decrease body fat. So indulge in either a hot cup or a nice tall iced glass of green tea.
2. Tomato or broth soups. A bowl of tomato or broth soup is an excellent snack before meals. No grilled cheese sandwich, please.
3. Low-calorie green salads. Having a low-calorie salad which is not loaded with croutons, high fat dressings, and cheese as a first course can help us feel full, thereby reducing how much we eat with our main course. Wisely choose the ingredients, and its high fiber content can be the key to helping us fight cravings later in the day.
4. Low-fat yogurt. Including dairy products as part of a healthy diet may promote our weight loss efforts. Choosing a light yogurt may help fight off hunger pangs due to its combination of protein and carbohydrate.
5. Beans. Beans have fiber and protein and the best part of all, eating beans is filling. Navy, Pinto, Lima, Black Eye are all common beans.
6. Water. You may know water takes up most of the earth. And it’s the same for your body. Without water your body will dehydrate. If you don’t like water by itself, try adding the following items: lemon, lime, watermelon, or unsweetened flavoring. Remember to ask yourself, as you’re heading to the fridge, “have I watered my body properly today?”.
Your body produces toxins and the best way to remove them is water. Another outstanding benefit water provides is in the stomach. So as you’re working toward weight loss and feel hungry between meals, drink up. You’ll be glad you did.
7. High-fiber, whole-grain cereal. So many folks say I do not have time for breakfast. If you drink coffee, replace it with a bowl of high-fiber whole-grain cereal. Remember fiber is a fat burning nutrient and whole grains give fiber an additional boost.
I believe the fat burning foods listed above will set you on the right track to an improved appearance and health.
Here you can find out more about green tea and weight loss. Fat burning foods are perfect examples of a healthy eating menu. Free fat loss information is available at fat-free-fast.com
Filed under Fat Burning Foods, Fat Burning Tips, Snack by on Oct 31st, 2009. Comment.
Sushi connoisseurs love sushi in roll form. Sushi rolls served in Japanese and American sushi bars are of two basic types.
The first style of sushi roll has the nori, or seaweed, on the outside of the roll. The other type has the nori on the inside of the roll.
Whether or not the nori is on the outside or inside of the roll can dramatically change the flavor and texture of the sushi.
Those who enjoy nori often prefer the style of sushi roll where the nori is on the outside of the roll. This style of sushi roll is called futomaki.
Sushi rolls that have nori inside them are called uramaki. People who like sushi prefer futomaki as it is more popular and traditional compared to the other form.
Futomaki is the more popular type of maki sushi roll, as it is considered the more traditional form. When you purchase a sushi roll from a restaurant, at a sushi bar, or even in the grocery store, you will generally see futomaki.
A typical futomaki sushi is vegetarian but has fish eggs as toppings. Generally futomaki is cut into pieces and then served. However, on certain Japanese festivals it is offered as a roll.
Japanese prefer to eat with their fingers, so uramaki is becomes a less popular choice. As uramaki is has a tendency to be sticky and it falls apart under pressure, it is difficult to eat it either with fingers or chopsticks. A uramaki sushi roll, on the other hand, is non-vegetarian in nature and is served with sesame or fish egg toppings.
Uramaki has primarily originated in North America since its natives are not fond of coating on futomaki.
Hosomaki stands out in the entire sushi rolls family. As with futomaki, hosomaki is served with seaweed on the outside of sushi rolls.
Kappamaki, Tekkamaki, Negitoromaki and Tsunamayomaki are the four varieties of hosomaki.
Kappamaki contains cucumber, as well as some other ingredients, and is used to cleanse the palate between raw fish dishes and other parts of the meal.
Tekkamaki is the tuna sushi roll, named after the red color of the fish meat.
Negitoromaki is filled with tuna and scallions. Fatty tuna is commonly used in this type of sushi roll.
Last, but not least, is the tsunamayomaki, which is canned tuna and mayonnaise. This is considered a home style sushi, and can be made by virtually anyone easily.
Kimikoshi Sumo is a continental cuisine expert. Her sushi help website at http://www.hereishelp.com offers simple yet delicious sushi recipes. Kimi’s sushi cook ebook “Introduction to Sushi” is jam packed with tips for making mouth watering sushi delicacies. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.
Filed under Dinner, Negative Calorie Foods, Sea Food by on Oct 31st, 2009. Comment.
