Diabetics Have Options When it Comes to Diabetic Friendly Desserts

Your diabetes problems are caused by too much glucose or sugar in the blood. The heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys are some body parts can be damaged by high blood sugar. To slow down these problems and still have those special treats, you can certainly do a lot with diabetic friendly desserts.

Your success in diabetes management is often determined by your attitude. A change in lifestyle and diet is usually called for by the diagnosis. Remember, lowering the blood sugar levels is the goal. Sugar and other carbohydrates similarly affect glucose levels, calorie for calorie. Foods with lower sugar and carbohydrates usually make up a new diet for a diabetic.

Many recipes, ideas and products that are low in sugar provide a variety of choices for you. Dipping in some salad dressing or non-fat yogurt may be tried to liven up the taste of fresh veggies. In moderation, that will not destroy your sugar levels. You can also have vegetable soup of onions, celery, green beans, spinach, squash and other non-starchy foods in a bigger cup.

You can definitely eat desserts and sweets as well. Without depriving yourself, fit desserts and other treats into your meal plan. A way can be found by working with your dietician. Within acceptable limits, desserts for you can still be as delicious. It can only be a matter of watching your portion. This is the same as with all foods and with most things in life. You can certainly find the balance that works.

Some tasty treats can be your diabetic friendly cheesecakes. Try a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of no-sugar hot chocolate. Melon salad, fruit salad with yogurt dressing, and banana split cake are some delicious fruit treats you can surely enjoy. Diabetic friendly desserts that include many options for diabetics are made available. Sugar-free gelatins and puddings are some of the simplest and least expensive. Fruits, fruit salads, or a combination of fresh fruits is a common option. Canned fruits packed in natural juices are other options you can eat. You may love frozen grapes and bananas for dessert.

Try baking your own diabetic friendly cheesecakes at home. You can also try preparing pudding. Graham cracker sheets, fat-free milk, cream cheese, crushed pineapple, bananas, and pecans are nutritious ingredients you can include.

Definitely, you have the options. You may also consider natural sweeteners and sugar alternatives in your diabetic friendly desserts. For their beneficial characteristics, natural sugars are widely used in many applications nowadays.

Our diabetic friendly bakery carries yummy diabetic friendly cheesecake. Check us out at http://www.aTasteofHeavenTreats.com.

Tips for an Easy Diabetic Diet Menu

A diabetic diet menu is not a rigid diet where all you can eat are fruits or vegetables, although including plenty of these foods in your diet is beneficial but that applies for everyone and not just for diabetics. Below are some suggestions for a good diabetic diet menu:

- Include a wide variety of vegetables and fruits to your diabetic diet menu. Include apples, oranges, bananas, red cabbage, beans and carrots. Eat vegetables that are high in fiber and low on starch like broccoli and spinach. Additional fiber helps digestion and improves health.

- As much as possible try to eat whole grains instead of processed foods. Grains are at the base of the diabetic food pyramid which means that you should make it a central part of your diabetic diet menu. Choose whole wheat spaghetti and brown rice.

- Eat food at regular intervals. Don't have large gaps or too low gaps between successive meals such as lunch and evening snacks.

- Pick non-fat dairy goods like skimmed milk, non-fat yogurt and cheese. If the taste of these products does not suit you, you can go for the low-fat instead of non-fat dairy products. Today a lot of flavors are available in market such as strawberry, blueberry, peach etc. Include these in your Diabetic Diet Menu.

- One of the Diabetic cooking tips you can use is to abstain from high-calorie drinks like sodas. It is better to just drink water and fresh, natural fruit juices. Cut down on coffee and tea as much as possible. If not, try to reduce the sugar you use or opt for an artificial sweetener instead.

- Cut down on desserts. Sorry to say!! We all love to eat cakes, cookies and ice cream but cutting down on them can make a big difference on having a healthy body. It is alright to eat at once a week rather than every day. This change you need to make in the Diabetic Diet.

To stay in health, try to implement above food tips as much as you can. A diabetic diet menu emphasizes eating the right foods and the right amount. Remember, it is all about control and discipline.

Rahul Gupta is an expert in the field of Diabetes and related Diet. With his cooking tips, he has helped hundreds of people across the world. If you want to learn and get a free ebook on Diabetic Diet Menu and Recipes [http://healthinsuranceace.com/Diabetes/diabetes_food_recipe.html], please visit his website at healthinsuranceace.com/diabetes [http://healthinsuranceace.com/Diabetes/diabetes_food_recipe.html].

Phyllo Fruit Tart

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Guilt-Free Holiday Eating

We are officially into the holiday season and that mean parties, get-togethers, and lots of food and drink. If you are like many people who are interested in staying healthy, feeling better, and maintaining your weight, making wise holiday food choices can be challenging. Thankfully, help is here. Hidden amidst the dessert dishes, family dinners, and holiday buffets are ways to indulge yourself while making realistic choices that won't send you into a dietary abyss or derail your health and weight goals. So forget about the all-or-nothing approach. By engaging some smart nutrition tactics and knowing which foods to choose, you can enjoy plenty of tasty holiday fare without being weighed down by guilt.

A Healthy Food Philosophy

The first step to guilt-free holiday eating is to make a decision that your goal is to eat in a manner that allows your body to feel good now and later. When you walk into a holiday party, decide eat the best of what there is, not all of what there is. Make up your mind to choose foods that are worthy of your taste buds and your goals. This means picking your favorites while keeping in touch with your body's limits. And somewhere in your mix of choices, decide to make a few decisions based on maintaining your health.

To help make your food choices fun and fulfilling, while also satisfying your health and weight goals, consider these nine great holiday foods you can feel good about eating:

Nuts

Bowls of nuts are staples at most parties. And while most of us think of nuts as fatty, salty, high-calorie snacks, strong evidence supports the claim that, "Diets containing one ounce of nuts per day can reduce the risk of heart disease." Nuts are loaded with the antioxidant vitamin E and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. In addition, research shows that eating a handful of nuts can satisfy hunger and help you stay full longer. The healthiest nuts? Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts. As with anything, the key is moderation. Allow yourself to savor a small handful and move on.

Turkey

It's a holiday staple you can feel good about. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless turkey breast contains 26 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat. For leftovers, put turkey on a whole-grain bun, add on the cranberry sauce, and you're getting an excellent source of protein, fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants.

Shrimp

Seafood is a great way to make holiday eating healthy. Eating 12 large steamed or grilled shrimp not only taste good, they fill you up at only 66 calories. Shrimp and crab claws are very low in fat - and cocktail sauce is fat free. While it is true that shrimp contain a fair amount of cholesterol, research has show that shrimp do not raise overall blood cholesterol levels. And, the low-fat content and high omega-3 fatty acids contained in shrimp are good for your heart.

Potatoes

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap in the low carbohydrate craze. Despite the latest diet trends, the highly nutritious potato can be an excellent addition to your holiday fare. They are fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium free. One medium potato contains only 100 calories, 0 calories from fat, and is loaded with potassium and vitamin C, and contains good amounts of B6 niacin, thiamin, and iron. If eaten with the skin, it also has lots of fiber. This holiday season, you might consider forgoing the potato chips and fries and instead enjoy a steaming baked potato. Order the potato plain and add your own toppings. Create a satisfying, flavorful spud with chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, fat free sour cream or low-calorie dressing.

Sweet Potatoes

Interested in even more value for your calorie buck? The sweet potato is a nutritional powerhouse. The calories in the sweet potatoes are the same as potatoes, but the vitamin and mineral count is far greater. Orange colored sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotene - approximately 520% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance. They are also an excellent source of vitamins C and E, provide potassium and vitamin B6, and are high in iron and dietary fiber. Sweet potatoes are great for you!

Pumpkin

Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? Imagine eating a portion of your daily vegetables in the form of pie. The bright orange color of pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotene, touted for its anti-aging and heart-healthy properties. To make your own lower calorie pumpkin pie, follow traditional recipes with just a few substitutions. Use egg whites instead of whole eggs (two egg whites for every whole egg), evaporated skim milk, and reduce the sugar by one quarter to save more than 100 calories and 18 grams of fat per slice. For a splurge, top it off with fat-free whipped topping.

Meringue cookies

Substitute some of your regular sugar cookies and other guilty treats for meringue cookies, which are light, delicate, and fat-free. The simple mixture of egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar is easy to make and can satisfy any sweet tooth. At only 28 calories per cookie, you can afford to indulge on these holiday cuties.

Chestnuts

Technically a fruit and not a nut, chestnuts are nutrient dense and extremely low in fat. Four chestnuts contain about 70 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. They are also a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins and magnesium. The simplest way to eat chestnuts is to boil or roast them. To boil, use a knife to make an "X" in the shell. Place in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain and peel with a sharp knife while still hot. To roast, make an "X" through the shell to relieve the pressure while cooking. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the shells split. Remove the shell and the inner skin, and they are ready to eat!

Silk Soymilk Nog

Ordinary eggnog contains about 230 calories and 10 grams of fat per half-cup serving. Yikes! Consider trying Silk Nog which contains about 90 calories and 2 grams of fat per half-cup serving. Silk Nog is a seasonal eggnog-like product made with soymilk instead of cow's milk or eggs. It is available during the holidays in most larger grocery stores. Silk Nog is thinner than most full-fat eggnogs, but has a similar flavor. It's not real eggnog, but you just might find it a pleasant alternative to the real stuff.

Holiday eating is meant to be fun and not guilt-ridden. Avoid putting on extra weight while having a great time by using the tips above to choose quality and taste over quantity. As with so much else that is fun in life, let balance, intuition, and your body be your guides!

Dr. Annette Colby, RD can help you take the pain out of life, turn difficult emotions into joy, release stress, end emotional eating, and move beyond depression into an extraordinary life! Annette is the author of Your Highest Potential and has the unique ability to show you how to spark an amazing relationship with your life! Visit www.LovingMiracles.com to access hundreds of content filled articles and sign up for a Fr'ee subscription to Loving Miracles! newsletter.

Pasta with Roasted Broccoli

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Healthy Eating Tips Aimed At Children

If you stay on top of the news, you probably already know that obesity is the number one health problem and type II diabetes is becoming epidemic among US children. Yet, many parents are baffled at how to get their children to eat more healthy foods. Getting children to eat healthy isn't as complicated as it first appears. By following a few healthy eating tips for several months to a year, children will begin to prefer healthy food choices, because that's what the body craves, anyway. The tips include healthy choices, variety, color, avoiding junk food and...very important, do-it-yourself instructions.

Make Healthy Food Choices: Controlling food choices is essential for children to begin eating healthy. Food choices don't have to be controlled in the home if they are controlled at the supermarket, cafeteria and restaurant. If only this tip were used, children would be far healthier than they are today. If it doesn't get into the basket, it doesn't come home. If it doesn't come home, it can't be eaten there. Simply by choosing low fat, non fat, sugar free, and fresh, unprocessed foods, you can deal a death blow to obesity. "But my son won't drink diet soda." Fine, there's the water faucet! Which one of you is responsible for his health? "But my daughter's school serves processed food meals for lunch." Give her no lunch money...Send her with a bag lunch...if they insist she eat their lunch, find a more flexible school or one that serves only healthy food choices. You can always make ice cream or cake an occasional treat, but if someone is loading your child up every day on sugars, fats and salts, they are literally poisoning and addicting the child to things that will destroy their health.

One 4-year-old I knew naturally preferred vegetables over everything else. Her mother forced her to eat pork chops like mine forced me to eat spinach. If your child naturally prefers things that are healthy, don't fight it. You can find creative ways to add foods like soy beans, nuts and beans that are high in proteins. Don't fight success! Don't accept failure, either. Another family I knew had the mother scurrying to meet every tiny food preference the children had. It turned out that the only thing all of them liked was pizza, beef (especially hamburgers), cheese, corn and ice cream. Needless to say, the whole family struggles with weight issues. The tip of making healthy food choices is only successful if you use the discipline to make those healthy choices consistently. Skipping back and forth can't be an option if your aim is to teach your children to make healthy food choices.

Use Variety In Texture, Flavor And Color: One of the most helpful tips in aiming kids toward healthy foods is to use a variety. Young children are attracted to bright primary colors, which is one of the reasons yellow corn is popular. I didn't like salad as a kid, but it was always the same...iceberg lettuce and tomatoes...on Thanksgiving we got croutons. There are so many beautiful colors and interesting flavors in the vegetable section, there is no reason to use one boring recipe over and over. Fruits are naturally colorful, full of many nutrients and unprocessed sugar. Fresh fruits are excellent snack and dessert substitutes. Many ideas for variety and color of snacks are in my article Making Healthy Snack Choices which is too long to duplicate here. Please...if you want kids to like vegetables, don't use those mushy canned ones...they have no nutrients and are the most unpleasant things for a kid to eat. Almost everything in cans is also available frozen and is simple to cook, using a microwave. Use pepper, garlic powder, ground dill or basil for added flavor with no salt. Also, use variety in preparation methods by going from stir-fry, to baked, to BBQ, etc. The very changes in texture, color and flavor of foods gives kids an appreciation for the natural flavors of healthy foods.

Eating Healthy Saves Time And Money: Many people have the misconception that eating healthy is expensive and takes a lot of time. In my personal experience doing both, preparing healthy foods is no more time-consuming than preparing unhealthy foods. In fact, most recipes are faster and easier to prepare, and there's no driving or waiting in line for the prepared foods. Time is just an excuse! As far as cost goes, well, there's a huge difference. Eating healthy is far less expensive. The average family could save at least 75% of their food budget if they switched to fresh meats, fruits and vegetables and eliminated the prepared snacks and meals. Anyone can do this and improve the health practices of their children. All it takes is the decision to change and the discipline to stick to it.

Do It Yourself-Avoiding Junk Food: You may have noticed I talk a lot about preparing this and cooking that. That's because one of the healthy eating practices every child should learn is the practice of doing it yourself. By doing the cooking yourself, you set the example that it can be done...you don't have to bring your meal home already cooked from the store or restaurant. Doing it yourself puts you in charge of the amount of salt, fat, carbohydrates and proteins in your foods. It's much healthier! Also, one of the things that makes food interesting is cooking it. If your kids get to take part in the preparation, they have a vested interest in eating the foods. You can't do that with dinner-in-a-box.

When we talk about using "do-it-yourself" to aim your kids toward eating healthy, there is one tip that outweighs all others. If you want your kids to eat healthy, do it yourself. You can't eat ice cream and tell them it's only for grown-ups. While puffing on a cigarette, my Dad told us never to smoke "It's a filthy habit." I'll bet you know how that turned out...four out of five of his children smoked. If you want your kids to eat healthy, set the example by eating healthy, yourself.

Of course, where kids are concerned, there is no guarantee, but the vast majority of children will eat healthy if their parents make healthy food choices, use variety, plan and prepare the meals, and provide a healthy eating example in their choices. The bottom line in most cases, childhood obesity isn't an epidemic... it's a choice. Choose health!

Glen Williams is Webmaster for http://www.e-health-fitness.com, founder and CEO of EHF, Inc. He has done extensive research on personal and family health and fitness issues and has been helping and advising people on health since 1987. You can comment on his articles at Health And Fitness Forums.

The Benefits Of Nutrient Dense Fruits And Vegetables In A Healthy Diet

All fruits and vegetables are super foods. They are the most nutrient dense of the food groups, meaning they have very low calories for nutritional punch that they pack. They are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are low in fat and calories. They protect against a number of diseases, including cancer. Making fruit and vegetables the main component in your diet guarantees a slender, healthy body.

You don't need to memorize this information or count calories. Just be aware and add nutrient dense fruits and vegetables to your meals for optimal health. The color of each fruit and vegetable is the key to the type of phytochemical it contains. Be sure your plate has 2 or 3 colors: red tomatoes, green broccoli, purple berries.

Here are some ways to ease more of them into your diet;

Add a handful of green leafy vegetables, sliced avocado or sliced apple to sandwiches.

Drink 100% vegetable juice.

Tomato sauce is an excellent source of phytochemicals. Use in spaghetti sauce, chili, salsas, soups, beans.

Add extra chopped vegetables to soups.

Save the water from cooking vegetables and add it to your soup. Replace the water in bread or other recipes with the vegetable water.

Add dried fruits and vegetables to lunches. The healthful phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are not affected by cooking, freezing, canning or drying. Dried produce has more fiber than fresh. Watch out for sugar content in dried fruit.

Add pureed foods to dishes: pureed sweet potatoes to macaroni and cheese: applesauce substituted for part of the fat in desserts: any pureed fruit or vegetable to soup.

Make dessert with fruits; sugar-free angel food cake with strawberries: cobblers and pies: canned peaches and gingersnaps: yogurt and fruit.

Top Picks of Fruit and Vegetable Super Foods:

Red tomatoes--contain lycopene that reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes: photochemicals in their flesh prevent free radicals from damaging joints, muscles, and brain cells.

Broccoli--boosts the immune system, fortifying it with cancer fighting photochemical; contains vitamin C and folate.

Spinach--contains high fiber, calcium, vitamins C, A, B6, E, K, and iron.

Berries--antioxidants, fiber, calcium, vitamin C

Bananas--important for its phosphorus content.

http://www.food-addicts-weight-loss.com

Becoming a Vegetarian - Some Useful Tips

1. Do some research - Not as hard as it sounds, search the internet and you'll find many sites with information relating to being vegetarian. Alternatively, visit a library or bookstore, there are many good books on the subject.

2. When you are shopping look at what vegetarian food is available in the shops. Many supermarkets and food stores, especially the larger ones, tend to stock an increasing range of vegetarian convenience foods, such as veggie burgers, sausages and other frozen or chilled foods that are suitable for vegetarians.

Also any health food shop or natural food store will have a good selection.

3. Buy a vegetarian cook book. There are literally hundreds to choose from, there are many that specialise in quick and easy recipes, and many are aimed at beginners who are becoming vegetarian too. Some also specialise in different types of food, for example, Indian, Italian or Chinese.

4. Try a vegetarian recipe - There are literally thousands of them out there, you can easily find them on the internet, from the many recipe books available, or many cookery magazines will have vegetarian recipes.

5. Buy some vegetarian food, don't be afraid to try new things such as the many meatfree replacements out there.

However don't rely too heavily on the meat replacements for the meat you eat, but also think about the vegetarian foods you already eat, and try to include more of these in your planning, for example macaroni cheese, vegetable lasagne, baked potato with cheese, spaghetti with tomato sauce, pancakes or vegetable soup! This will help you when becoming a vegetarian.

6. Decide if you want to convert gradually/quickly - and make a plan!

Some people go vegetarian overnight, perhaps if they've read about or seen a TV documentary about what happens in slaughterhouses.

This way you would get the benefits sooner and know that you were doing it immediately might make you feel better, but you would need to have done some planning and be around people who are supportive of your decision and not have any major disruptions in your life.

The making a gradual change plan gives you time to plan when becoming a vegetarian. You'll be more likely to stick to your new diet and you'll have less disruption. However you need to make sure you don't start eating unhealthily as a quick way to replace meat, for example with lots of cheese, eggs and high fat dairy foods. Also it's a good idea not to take too long on going vegetarian altogether or you could end up not cutting out the meat completely.

If you want to cut out meat gradually, you could first cut out the red meat, then the chicken and finally the fish, choose whatever you think will suit you.

7. Beware Hidden Animal Products

Check the labels when buying food. Of course depending on where you live, the labelling will be better in some places than others. Look out for the "suitable for vegetarians" label.

There are many animal products used in everyday foods that make them unsuitable for vegetarians. The most common of these are:

Gelatin/gelatine - Protein from the bones, cartilage, tendons and bones of animals. Often found in desserts and yoghurts, but also some sweets and marshmallows.

When you see any tempting chocolate desserts check the label, in many cases it contains gelatine! The same goes for many yoghurts especially the low fat ones. Organic yoghurts and other dairy produce is more likely to be vegetarian.

Rennet - This comes from the stomach lining of slaughtered newly born calves. It is used in the making of cheese. However more cheeses are being made vegetarian all the time, they should be labelled as suitable for vegetarians but unfortunately aren't always.

Animal Fat - Most often found in cakes and biscuits.

Cochineal (E120) - Red food colouring, found in some sweets, made from crushed insects - would you really want to eat that?

Eggs - Only buy free-range!

Sarah Blackett is a long-term vegetarian and the owner of the Vegetarian Central website. You can find more information on becoming a vegetarian at http://www.vegetarian-central.com

To Have and to Have Not - Besides Diabetic Desserts

To have and to have not when diabetic:

As a lover of Desserts I have recently found many Diabetic Dessert recipes. I have been enjoying making them and being able to eat my creations without worrying about the health consequences.

Although not a diabetic, I am concerned about making sure my diet is healthy. I do have a mother who is diabetic and that is why my interest started.

I know that some people are looking for sound advice about what they should eat and what they should not eat. So here is some advice about what you should eat besides Diabetic Desserts; and also what you shouldn't be doing, whether you are diabetic or not.

TO HAVE:

Start with a little faith and add a larger amount of determination. You need to develop routines and this takes a little time, but once the time has been put in the routines should become habits. There are good habits as well as bad habits - you are aiming for good habits. I know from experience that once the good habits are developed they become quite easy to maintain. So; make those decisions, then stay focused!

Some of the routines will be made clear by your doctor, or healthcare professional. But you can always improve things by adding to these basic routines. Of course by routines I am talking mainly about your diet - what food and liquid are taken, and how regularly.

Here are some of the foods you should be taking:

Fresh seasonal fruit; some fruits are high in sugar so use in moderation. Best fruits to choose are: grapefruit, raspberries, loganberries, strawberries, blueberries and rhubarb,. Also look for Diabetic Dessert recipes, many of which include the best fruits.

Fresh vegetables, especially broccoli, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, runner beans, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, cougettes, aubergines, swede and green salads.

Dried unsweetened fruit, unsalted nuts, wholemeal bread (especially stoneground wholemeal), wholemeal pasta.

Game is a interesting addition to a diet, along with plenty of oily and white fish such as salmon, haddock, tuna, swordfish, mackerel & kipper. Reduce your saturated fat intake by cooking on a griddle and cutting off any excess fat. Cook with olive and nut oils, as these unsaturated fats are good for you.

These recommended foods will contain a good selection of vitamins, but it would be useful to try and supplement. So here is some information about beneficial vitamins:

Main vitamins to consider are vitamin B complex, thiamine or vitamin B1 and pyridoxine or vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Because of stress, urinary losses and destruction by artificial sweeteners, the vitamin C requirement is usually high in diabetics. Large amounts of this vitamin sometimes bring very good results. Dr. George V Mann in 'Perspective in Biology and Medicine' recommended extra vitamin C for diabetics. Natural insulin output increases in diabetics with supplementary doses of vitamin C.

The intake of vitamin C in the form of dried Indian gooseberry (amla), the richest known source of vitamin C, or tablets of 500 mg or from natural sources of vitamin C like amla, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, sprouted Bengal gram and green grams.

Vitamin E reduces considerably the devastating vascular damage accompanying diabetes. Dr. Willard Shute in 'The Complete Book of Vitamins' recommends 800-1600 IU of vitamin E a day to prevent arterial degeneration in diabetes. Vitamin E helps diabetics decrease their insulin requirements. It would be advisable for a diabetes patient to take a daily dose of 200 IU of this vitamin for a fortnight at a time. Valuable natural foods sources of this vitamin are wheat or cereal germ, whole grain products, fruits and green leafy vegetables, milk and all whole raw or sprouted seeds. Other rich sources of vitamin E are cold pressed crude vegetable oils, especially sunflower seeds, safflower and Soya bean oils, raw and sprouted seeds and grains, alfalfa, and lettuce.

Low calorie tonic water is also useful (the quinine helps prevent cramps), mineral water, low calorie Ginger Beer and cold filtered tap water.

Do not forget to exercise regularly. This could be just a matter of a regular daily walk, or simple exercises in the house. It is possible to run on the spot to get the heart working - but do not overdo (10 minutes light exercise is sufficient). If you have any concerns then seek a doctor's advice (it is advisable to monitor pulse rates and know something about the limits for different ages). There is plenty of advice around about exercising, for instance I would recommend seeking out the work of Al Sears, MD.

TO HAVE NOT:

Cut back on snacks and white flour. Avoid excessive intake of salt (promotes water retention in the body, puts extra burden on kidneys and may cause high blood pressure). Eliminate white bread, cakes, sweets, pasta, rice, cereals, biscuits, sugars, some fruit juice (low-sugar

content juices, such as pomegranate, are okay), potatoes, honey, jam, marmalade, baked beans.

Never use lard for cooking.

Do not smoke.

Here are 8 reasons why mixing diabetes with smoking is a very bad idea:

1) Smoking doubles the damage to the body caused by diabetes by causing hardening of the arteries. This particularly affects the body's larger arteries to the legs and brain, making amputation and strokes more likely.

2) By smoking you increase your blood-sugar levels. This makes it more difficult to control your diabetes because your glucose levels could be fluctuating quite dramatically. This, in turn, leads to other problems.

3) There is an increased risk - double in fact - of you getting limited mobility in your joints. It's no fun trying to bend, climb stairs or lift something when you have a painful joint.

4) You could develop kidney disease.

5) When you smoke your blood pressure increases. Increased blood pressure creates a real risk of heart disease.

6) Your eyes can be affected. Smoking greatly increases retinopathy progression (about 15% for each cigarette smoked!).

7) It also increases your cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of a heart attack.

8) And, of course, on top of all that there's the proven risk of cancer!

Now you may be reading this as a non-diabetic, so be aware that smoking doubles the risk of diabetes. Actually it causes you to be more insulin resistant, and insulin resistance often leads to diabetes.

For any diabetics who are concerned about weight gain when stopping smoking, it has been shown in studies that the benefits of giving up smoking actually far outweigh any negative effects caused by weight gain.

I hope this advice has been useful. Please take a look at Diabetic Dessert recipes - they are worth the effort. For anyone who has just been diagnosed as a diabetic I encourage you to persevere in the early stages and develop those good habits.

Author: Bob Blake

Webmaster of various sites, including health-related sites and of particular interest is a site for Diabetic Desserts at http://www.diabeticdessertsblog.com, where can be found diabetic recipes and general diabetes advice, as well as plenty of information on Diabetic Desserts.

Types of Gourmet Cakes

Gourmet cakes are moist and sweet desserts. They are stylish cakes of assorted artistic designs. There are many different types of gourmet cakes you can try baking, and some examples are discussed here.

A bundt cake is cooked in a bundt pan (fluted and grooved sides). It is a simple flavored cake with no added designs on top. The most popular bundt cake flavors are vanilla, peanut butter, banana and cream, apple, butter, chocolate, carrot and cinnamon.

Chocolate flavored gourmet cakes are one of the most popular. It uses dark chocolate or ganache instead of milk chocolate. It makes the cake so rich, creamy and flawless. There is a wide variety of chocolate gourmet cakes. There is the mousse meringue, filled with rich chocolate mousse, and finished with cream. The Dessert Torte is a dense layer of cake filled and topped with a ganache and mini chips.

Other chocolate gourmet cakes are Black Velvet, Chocolate Almond Cake, Truffle Cake, Rocky Mountain Mudslide and Satin Cake.

On the other hand, dessert cakes usually come in small servings, often consumed at home. There is the sansrival, tiramisu, ube macapuno cake, chocolate mallows, chocolate torte, black forest cake and banofie pie.

Sugar-free cakes are perfect for people who love sweets but are on a diet. It can be any type of cake for as long as it does not have any sugar content. These cakes make use of sugar alternatives to produce the same sweet taste of a regular gourmet cake. A good alternative to sugar is maple syrup.

Cheesecakes are made with soft and fresh cheeses. It is a creamy and cheesy flavored dessert made from flour, eggs, sugar and liquids. Each filling is covered with a crust of either pastry or cookie.

Cheesecakes can be a combination of blueberry, chocolate, peanut butter, Irish cream, caramel and fruits. It is a very rich dessert and the good ones have a thick consistency. Next to chocolates, cheesecakes can be considered the next best favorite.

A chiffon cake is a very light dessert. It uses eggs, vegetable oil, flour, baking powder, sugar and flavorings. Its fluffy textures are achieved by beating the eggs until it is stiff and evenly folding onto the batter.

Chiffon cakes do not harden because of its moist characteristics. It has low saturated fat compared to butter cakes. However, this is a very sweet kind of cake containing heaps of calories. But once in a while, one must indulge to taste the delicious mix of chiffon cakes.

A fruit cake is made with dried and candied fruits, nuts and other spices. It involves the basics of bakin g a cake, while making sure that the fruit selected is the dominant taste. Some of the famous fruit cakes are strawberry shortcakes, mango cakes, apple cakes and blueberry cakes.

Fruit cakes are commonly given out as presents during weddings, Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The traditional recipe of fruitcake is combined with rum or liqueurs. This is normally given out during the yuletide season and it can last for many months without wasting.

For more information on Types of Gourmet Cakes and Gourmet Rum Cake Recipe please visit our website.

Key Lime Cheesecake, The Ideal Gift for Any Occasion

It is unusual to see cheesecakes made into gifts but for those who know, they will tell you that cheesecakes make a 'perfect gift'. The first guideline that you have to follow in order to acquire the 'perfect gift' is that gifts must be chosen according to a person's tastes and desire. Then, when you are not well acquainted with the person you're giving your gift to, you should choose a general-type of gift that will not offend or upset the person. Make sure the gift fits and that if the person does not like the gift, it should be able to be passed on to someone else.

It is not often you see a cheesecake made into gifts but those who know will tell you that it makes a perfect one. Cheesecake is loved by almost everyone and why wouldn't it not make an ideal gift? Aren't gifts are supposed to be well liked and enjoyed together. Thanks to the development in today's modern culinary the sky is the limit when selecting ingredients for a cheesecake even if you want to make it a sugar free cheesecake. With this, no matter if the recipient is on low fat, no fat, no sugar or no carbohydrate diet, you can make a cheesecake to suit the diet.

The look on the recipient's face upon receiving the freshly made cheesecake will make you happy. To make it a great gift, why not personalized the cake with a few different toppings such as fruit toppings or sweet toppings. There are so many versions of cheesecakes available today. Just take your pick from well known original New York cheesecake, Japanese cheesecake or Key Lime cheesecake.

Those who have some time to spare can try making their own cheesecake for a gift. Included here is the award winning recipe of Key lime cheesecake, a special cheesecake which is graham-cracker and sour-cream cheesecake with creamy filling topped with thick layer of sour cream and tart Key Lime custard. The recipe maybe seems a bit complicated but the end result will worth the effort.

The recipe below makes 10-12 servings. Start by assembling the compulsory ingredients for the different parts of the cake.

Lime custard

6 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice or regular lime juice

1 teaspoon grated Key lime peel or regular lime peel

Crust

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 whole graham crackers)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice or regular lime juice

1 tablespoon grated Key lime peel or regular lime peel

1 16-ounce container sour cream

Thin lime slices

After gathering all the necessary ingredients, you can start preparing each part of the cake. Just follow the following instructions.

For lime custard:

Combine all ingredients and beat them together in a heavy small saucepan over medium setting on the stove until the custard starts to thicken. Leave it to boil for 30 seconds. This may take about 8 minutes. Leave it to cool to room temperature and occasionally stir the mixture as it thickens.

For crust:

Warm up the oven to 350°F. Use 3 layers of foil to wrap around outside of 8- to 8 1/2-inch-diameter cake pan with 3-inch-high sides. Butter the pan using pure butter. Stir in the first 3 ingredients to blend in medium bowl. Mix in butter until moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Bake the ingredients just long enough for them to set, this takes about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:

Simply blend together the cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, lime juice, and lime peel a food processor until smooth.

Spoon the custard into crust; smooth out the top. Then carefully spoon filling over. Set the cheesecake in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come 1 inch up sides of cheesecake pan. Bake until almost set but not puffed and center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes.

In the mean time, stir sour cream and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend.

For the final few touches, carefully spoon sour cream mixture over hot cheesecake and gently smooth the top. It should be baked until the topping sets, which is in about 10 minutes. Cool it down for another 10 minutes. Using a knife, poke around sides of pan to loosen the cake. The cheesecake must be cooled down completely by refrigerating it overnight and remember to keep it covered. The cheesecake can be made 2 days earlier but keep in the refrigerator. Take the cheesecake out of the pan's sides a transfer it to a platter. Garnish the cake with lime slices and serve.

The author actually gets paid to taste new cheesecake recipes, including Key Lime cheesecake or New York style cheesecake. Greg Scott writes for EliteCheesecakes.com, where you can send a cheesecake gift to a loved one (or to yourself).

The Pros and Cons of the Medifast Diet

I've been on Medifast since last fall and have lost over 75 pounds, so I feel I am pretty qualified to write about this topic. Overall, I've been very happy with: this diet; my experiences with it; and my results on it. But, I'm often asked my honest opinion about its pros and cons. So if I had to list them, this is what they would be:

Medifast Pros:

1. The system is very easy and convenient. The company has really taken all of the work and tallying out of the equation. There are no points or calories to total. You're given "safe" prepackaged foods which you eat five times per day. Then, you make one larger "lean and green" meal on your own. For the most part, the food is grab and go. Some of the options only require removing the wrapping or poking a straw in the box, while some require only basic and minimal assembly (usually less than two minutes).

2. The system is very effective. This diet works because it is low calorie, low carb, and high in protein. This puts your body in a metabolic state called ketosis in which your body is tricked into burning its own fat because carbohydrates are not available for this. In my experience, if you follow this diet as instructed, you will be rewarded with constant and steadily weight loss.

3. The foods are not your typical low carb fare and are nutritionally sound. I had a good deal of success on Atkins, but eventually, I could not stand eating meat, eggs and fats all of the time. I also worried about the amount of fat and cholesterol I was consuming. Medifast offers carb, dessert, and snack type foods in the form of shakes, pudding, oatmeal, crackers, cappuccino, and hot chocolate, to name only a few. (There are over 70 food choices.) The foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals and are genuinely low in fat and cholesterol. So, you're getting a low carb diet without the pain that goes with it. The food taste pretty decent too.

Medifast Cons:

1. You may have an adjustment period if you're a "foodie." If you love to cook and plan elaborate meals, this may take some getting used to. Yes, you can get fancy with your "lean and green" meal, but you'll have to work at this and you only get this opportunity once per day. There are recipes around that allow you to turn the plan's foods into cookies, muffins and cakes, but these are pretty simple.

2. If you have a family, you'll have to either make separate meals or encourage them to go lean and green. Most people eat their main meal for dinner (although you can have it at any time), so you'll either have to make a separate meal for yourself or have them join you. (This is typically true with any diet, though.) I've put my family on a healthy, lean dinner. I typically just use an indoor grill for the meat and make use of bagged salads and stir fries. I sometimes make peanut butter pasta just for them, but this is as far as I go. Sure, they balked at first, but now they are used to it and it's better for them anyway.

3. I know many people consider having to buy additional food a con, so I will list it here. I'd argue though that medifast is very cost effective ($8 - $10 per day and less with coupons / specials), considering you're eating five times per day. Around $300 for a month's worth of food is not bank breaking, especially if you consider the cost of groceries and gas today. I believe I actually save money on this diet, as I no longer buy junk or my lunch outside of work, which was quite pricey and not good for me anyway.

Lindsey's Medifast Review Website offers the latest medifast coupon codes and a free medifast ebook.

Edamame Hummus

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Low Carb and Atkins Diet Tips

When doing the Atkins Diet or other low carb diet, it's easy to get stuck in a rut and have the same old foods every day. And getting bored with your food choices is one of the quickest ways to fall off your diet! So it is helpful to get hold of some Atkins and low carb menu plans and a good low carb cookbook to ensure your diet is varied and enjoyable.

Atkins dieters and other low carbers often get fed up with packing a salad and cutlery for lunch at work or on a day out, and think wistfully back to the days of putting their ham and salad in a sandwich. Low carb breads are available on the Internet and in some shops, but even these may be too high in carbs for some people. However, low carb breads containing little more than a gram of net carbs per slice can be made from flax and other healthy ingredients. Low carb cookbooks which include bakery recipes (the minority) usually include recipes for flax bread.

If you are on the Atkins or other low carb diet, you may need to boost the fiber you get from your green vegetables and salads. There are various fiber supplements you can take in capsule form or mixed with water, but how much nicer to incorporate your added fiber into your cooking. For instance, fiber-rich flax seeds and soya bran can be used in making low carb bread, muffins, chocolate refrigerator cake and even fish cakes and 'breaded' fish or chicken.

When starting the Atkins or other low carb diet, many people find the most difficult thing is making the change to a whole new way of thinking in the kitchen. A low carb cookbook will help with this, but it's important to choose one which focuses on everyday, quick and easy recipes and shows you how to make low carb versions of the foods you miss most, be they bread, cookies, pies, quiche, sauces, ice cream, risotto, lasagna or whatever. Many of the so-called low carb or Atkins cookbooks just provide recipes for meals comprising meat, fish, eggs or cheese coupled with salad or green vegetables, which you can find in any cookbook.

Breakfast on the Atkins Diet isn't just about bacon and eggs! Try porridge made with dessert-type ricotta cheese, flax seeds, soya bran and unsweetened desiccated coconut. Just put a teaspoonful of each dry ingredient into your bowl and cover with hot water, leaving for a few moments. Then mix in the ricotta and warm in the microwave, adding artificial sweetener and a pinch of cinnamon to taste. Or try making low carb crunchy breakfast cereal or granola.

High in vitamins, minerals and 'good' fats, nuts are making something of a comeback in healthy eating and their low carbohydrate content means they are also perfect for dieters on Atkins and other low carb diets. But don't just think of them as something to nibble raw -- ground into nut flours, they're also great for use in low carb bake mixes.

Dietary needs and preferences differ, so when considering which low carb or Atkins Diet cookbook to buy, why not think about getting an interactive one? For instance, you might want to be able to adjust the recipes to suit your likes and dislikes, and even recalculate the carb counts if you substitute ingredients or change serving sizes. Or you might want to add low carb recipes of your own. A good interactive cookbook will not only organize and index your own recipes along with the existing recipes, it will allow you to import recipes from elsewhere as well.

When choosing a low carb cookbook, be sure to check which ingredient measurement system it uses. The best cookbooks show ingredients in metric and imperial as well as cup measures, so that you do not have to spend time converting ounces into cups or cups into grams and so on.

Copyright LowCarbIsEasy.com and GoodDietGoodHealth.com 2007

Jackie Bushell is passionate about raising awareness of the role of diet and nutrition in good health and helping those who are affected by obesity. Via her website at GoodDietGoodHealth.com, she provides information, support, cookbooks, how-to guides and a newsletter for those wishing to understand more about how to improve their health and achieve a healthy weight in a natural way. Amongst the resources she has developed are a low carb/low GI diet cookbook and a book called 'Why Can't I Lose Weight' for those who experience common problems such as not losing weight on their diet or becoming stuck on a 'diet plateau'.

Healthy(er) Cake Recipes

Image via Wikipedia In today's health-conscious world, it can be a challenge to find tasty treats to enjoy and still be mindful of your figure. But by employing a few strategic substitutions and/or additions to your favorite desserts, you can indulge both your sweet tooth and your waistline. For example, by using reduced-fat milk products in place of whole milk, and egg whites instead of a whole egg, you can cut down your cholesterol intake considerably. Using fruits and fruit juice as sweeteners instead of sugar not only reduces calories, but also provides extra nutrients like vitamins and fiber.
Need some ideas to get started? Here are five recipes for scrumptious, guilt-free desserts guaranteed to satisfy both your conscience and your inner gourmand:
Almond Spice Cake
The prunes in this recipe add a sweet, moist richness, as well as vitamins and fiber.
Ingredients
1/2 cup + 1 dsp sugar
1/2 cup + 1 dsppureed prunes
3 tbsp margarine, softened
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 1/2 cup + 1tbsp + 1dsp white all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 1tbsp fat free or skim milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with low-fat cooking spray .
2. With an electric mixer, beat together sugar with prune puree, margarine, and both the almond and vanilla extracts for 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites and egg for 1 minute.
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, allspice, and salt. Add to the prune mixture in conjunction with the milk, fully combining the ingredients.
4. Spoon batter into the coated pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and let cool on a wire rack.
For an added culinary flair, top this pound cake with fresh prunes and reduced-fat whipped topping. Serves 10.
Diet Cola Cake
A favorite in the South, this easy cake recipe uses diet cola to sweeten and expand the ingredients.
Ingredients
1 18-oz. package chocolate cake mix
1 can diet cola
Spray a 13" x 9" square cake pan with low-fat cooking spray. Mix the cola with the cake mix in a large bowl, about 30 strokes. Pour into pan and bake according to package directions.
Baked apples
A traditional holiday treat. Try to use Rome or Delicious apples for best results.
4 large apples, washed, seeded and with cores removed to 1/2" of the bottom of the apples. The holes should be about an inch wide.
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tbsp chopped pecans
3 tbsp currants (or chopped raisins)
1 dsp + 1 tsp margarine
2/3 cup + 1 dsp boiling water
1. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, currants/raisins, and pecans together in a small bowl. Place apples in a 8-inch-by-8-inch square baking pan. Fill each apple with the pecan/raisin mixture. Top with a dot of margarine (1/4 of the Tbps).
2. Pour boiling water in the baking pan and bake at 375º F for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Be sure not to overbake or the apples will become too soft.
3. Remove from oven and pour the pan juices over the apples a few times.
Serve with low fat vanilla ice cream or low fat whipped topping.
Makes 4 servings.
Blackberry sorbet
An elegant and refreshing way to end a meal.
Ingredients
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp + 1 dsp cold water
1 1/2 cup + 1tbsp + 1dsp blackberries, fresh or frozen and partially thawed
1 tsp orange juice
Directions
1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5-10 minutes.
2. Add blackberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until blackberries are soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour mixture into shallow baking dish and allow to cool completely. Place cooled mixture in freezer and freeze until completely solid (about eight hours).
4. With a fork, break frozen mixture into large chunks and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth.
5. Sorbet can be served immediately or frozen. If frozen, remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving to defrost until soft enough for serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Mini-Chocolate banana sundae
A healthy treat that kids are sure to love.
Ingredients
2 dsp + 2 tsp semisweet chocolate chips
4 dsp + 4 tsp cold water
1 banana, thinly sliced
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp + 1 dsp nonfat yogurt or low fat whipped topping.
In a small saucepan, bring 4 tablespoons of water to a boil and add the chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over the banana slices and top with yogurt or low fat whipped topping.
Holiday seasons can be an especially difficult time of year for those of us who are trying to eat more healthfully, but with a little bit of planning and a lot of enthusiasm, baking cakes with healthy cake toppings can be a fun, rewarding and a nutritious experience.







I like bad food, yes its true, but not all deserts are bad! Click here for more information on cake products.

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2 Tips to Enjoy Low Cholesterol Food

As soon as an individual discovers they have high cholesterol they figure they will never be able to enjoy food again. First thing you don't want to do is throw everything out of your cupboards and restock with all the labeled food that says cholesterol free. Reason being, its too difficult to adjust overnight to new eating habits.

Start by reading the food labels on the foods you enjoy now. If they are high in cholesterol then see if there is a light version.The change in the taste is usually very minimal. Making the transition this way is not so much of a shock to you and you should quickly adapt to the lower cholesterol foods quite easily.

The next step is to adapt your favorite recipes by replacing as many of the ingredients as possible with lower cholesterol foods. You will soon adapt to the changes. Now start to use your imagination. Once you have become knowledgeable in what foods are low in cholesterol, start designing recipes that you can use them in. Start with the main dishes first. These are usually easier to work with because there are so many more foods available to choose from. Don't expect to like all of the foods you try. It will be trial and error for the first little while.

If you really want to continue enjoying food and you need the lower cholesterol ones then you have got to be innovative and flexible. Desserts can be a little trickier to substitute. A good way to overcome this is mix the zero cholesterol ingredients in with the normal foods. For example if you enjoy chocolate pudding then make it with skim milk. The chocolate in the pudding overpowers the milk. Or if you enjoy cake, then try them with cholesterol free eggs and ice them with low fat puddings. To really enjoy these foods you need to know where they will fit into the diet you are accustomed to.

Another good hint is to rely on seasonings and condiments. So for example if you are attempting to try low cholesterol ham, and can't get used to the taste then use a condiment such as low fat mayonnaise,mustard or one of your favorites. Often by combining fat free foods with regular foods you will still end up with a low cholesterol diet that you really enjoy.

Start slow and transition to you new regimen. It won't take long before you forget those high cholesterol foods.

Mike writes about topics ranging from the best wireless TV headphones to how to find the best wireless headphones for TV. If you are interested visit his websites for further information.

Keeping Yourself Motivated When Dieting

One of the common problems with dieting is keeping yourself motivated, especially if you’re dieting slowly over a long period or have a lot of weight to lose. So today I wanted to share some of the tips I’ve found useful for boosting my motivation.

Use photos to aid motivation

This can be a bit scary – but be brave, as it does help! Take a photo of yourself before you start your diet and keep it somewhere prominent, like on a shelf in your bedroom or on a noticeboard. If you don’t want all and sundry and seeing it (and I quite understand), then stick inside your diary or a notebook.

When you’re feeling under pressure with dieting or feel like you want to give up, look back at the picture to give yourself a visual reminder of why you’re dieting. You may like to also pair the picture up with and older photo of you when you were at a weight you were happy with.

Regularly weighing yourself once a week is a good way of seeing how you weight is changing, but to boost your motivation further, it’s a good idea to regularly take your bodily measurements too. As you lose weight, your measurements will change and, sometimes, when your weight appears to be moving at a slower pace, seeing your new measurements can be reassuring.

Don’t take your measurements too often, but perhaps record them on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Keep a record of each measurement and, hopefully, you’ll eventually get to benefit from seeing how much they’ve each gone down.

I’ve found that it helps to set myself goals with dieting and that helps keep me motivated from month to month. For example, you could set yourself a goal for losing weight ready to go on holiday, promise yourself that you’ll buy a new dress for a party when you lose a stone or have a special day out when you reach your next weight loss goal.

Little goals along the way can help, but having big or special goals on the horizon can keep your motivation going even more.

Dieting is hard work, but having all sort of motivation factors to help you on your way can make the process easier. Good luck with your dieting!

Have you got any motivation tricks that you use? I’d love to your thoughts!

         

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Tasty Recipes For High Protein Diets

Many people think that when they go on a diet of any kind, they will have to give up food that tastes good. Actually, there are all kinds of delicious foods that can be enjoyed by dieters. This is also true for people who are on high protein diets.

Like many diets, high protein diets allow you to eat a number of times throughout the day, with three meals and three or more snacks. Here you will find some delicious high protein recipes to get you through the entire day, from breakfast right through to your bedtime snack.

Prepare Meals With Protein Supplements

If you are looking for ways to add more protein to your diet, there are plenty of protein supplements on the market today. Many powdered supplements are available unflavored and can be incorporated into a number of your favorite recipes.

Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gives you energy to start your day off right, and when you feel fuller, you get more accomplished. Unfortunately, many people don't have time in the mornings and tend to skip breakfast frequently. Here is a recipe for a high protein meal replacement shake that you can take on the road with you, and it only takes a couple of minutes to make.

High Protein Banana/Strawberry/Pineapple Breakfast Shake

- 1 Banana, sliced

- 1/2 C Frozen Strawberries

- 1/2 C Fresh or Canned Pineapple

- 1 C Skimmed Milk

- 2 Scoops Fruit Flavored Protein Powder

- Ice

Mix ingredients in blender and pour into a take-along cup with a built-in straw.

Mid-Morning Snack

Usually about half-way between breakfast and lunch, people start to feel a bit hungry and need a little bit of a pick-me-up. For a tasty and protein-rich mid-morning snack, enjoy a handful of unsalted almonds, peanuts or cashews with some water, diet soda or herbal/green tea, sweetened with a teaspoon of honey. Or try this deliciously sour, protein-rich slushie:

Protein Powered Super-Sour Slushie

- 1/2 C Frozen Strawberries

- 1/2 C Frozen Raspberries

- 1 C Sugar-Free Lemonade

- 2 Scoops of Fruit or Berry Flavored Protein Powder, or for a really sour slushie, add one Raspberry Protein Shot (or whatever your favorite flavor is...try different shots for amazing flavor combinations)

- 1 C Ice

Mix ingredients in a blender or personal smoothie maker, and enjoy this protein-rich slushie. Kids will love this too, especially if you add some lemon juice to make it even more sour! If you are serving this to kids, cut back on the protein by half (or more, if you are using protein shots).

Lunch

Now that you have an hour to sit down and enjoy a warm meal that will get you ready to tackle the afternoon, you need to find one that is quick, tasty and loaded with protein and other essential vitamins and nutrients. Here is a recipe for a delicious lunch that is terrific for those cold winter days, and it only takes a few minutes to make. (You can even bring the ingredients to work and put them in the fridge until you're ready to heat them up at lunch.)

Protein-Packed Poultry Soup

This is a tasty soup you can make ahead and put in a thermos to take to work with you.

- 1 Can Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

- 1/2 C Cubed Chicken, cooked

- 1/2 C Egg or Rice Noodles

- 1/4 C Frozen Mixed Vegetables

- 2 Scoops Unflavored Protein Powder

- Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients with seasonings, and heat until noodles are soft and vegetables are heated through.

Mid-Afternoon Snack

Just like the mid-morning, many people start to feel their stomachs rumble around mid-afternoon. Because it is so close to dinner time, it isn't a good idea to eat anything heavy, but a tasty snack rich in protein will help to get you through the rest of the afternoon.

Peanut Butter/Trail Mix Protein Bars

- 1 C Crunchy Peanut Butter

- 2/3 C Applesauce

- 2 C Packed Brown Sugar

- 3 Eggs

- 1 C Flour, minus 2 Tbsp

- ? Tsp Salt

- 1 Tsp Vanilla

- 2 Scoops Protein Powder

- 1/2 C Chocolate Chips

- 1/2 C Unsalted Sunflower Seeds

- 1/2 C Unsalted Pumpkin Seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together well, and spread into a greased, 9X13 cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or until center springs back when you touch it. Cool, and cut into bars. To turn these into high protein dessert bars to enjoy after dinner, mix 1 C icing sugar and 2 Tsp. (or so) water, and ice the bars. Then, melt chocolate chips and a teaspoon or so of vegetable oil, and drizzle on top of icing. These bars are high in fat, so eat them in small servings.

Dinner

After a long day at work, probably the last thing you want to do is come home and make dinner. What if there was a delicious, high-protein dinner all ready and waiting for you when you get home? Below is an awesome slow cooker recipe that will cook while you are out. Gather your ingredients before you go to bed, and throw them in the slow cooker before you head off to work.

High Protein Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken or Beef Stew

- 2 Cans Low Sodium Cream of Chicken or Beef Soup

- Enough Water to equal 2 cans of soup

- Boneless Chicken Breast or Lean Stewing Beef, Cubed

- Potatoes, cubed in water, set aside in refrigerator

- 1 C Frozen Vegetables

- Fresh Garlic and Onions

- Salt, Pepper, Other Seasonings, to taste

Combine soup, water, chicken and seasonings in slow cooker. Cook on low for seven or eight hours. When you get home from work, add potatoes (drain the water) and vegetables, and cook for another half hour or so on high. Serve with a slice of French bread, toasted with garlic butter. If you want, you can also add dumplings in the last half hour of cooking, but if you do, skip the bread.

Evening Snack

For a tasty, protein-rich bedtime snack that won't make you feel full, try this fun treat you used to enjoy when you were a kid:

- 6 Whole Grain Crackers, unsalted

- 3 Tsp Chunky Peanut Butter

- 3 Banana slices

Spread one teaspoon of peanut butter on each of three crackers. Place banana slices on top, and top with remaining crackers

About Protica Research

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.

You can learn more about Protica at http://www.protica.com.

Copyright - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com.

Menopause Diet Tips - Eat Foods Rich in Phytoestrogens

Foods rich in phytoestrogens are a very healthy addition to any menopause diet as they can help relieve and alleviate a lot of the symptoms of.

Here's some specific foods you can include in a menopause diet to help relieve the symptoms and signs of menopause, and improve your overall health:

Green Soya Beans (Edamame)

Fresh soya beans in pods are harvested when they are young and tender. When steamed and salted they make a delicious snack. Green soya beans are available from Chinese supermarkets.

20 mg isoflavones per 100 g

Canned Soya Beans

These can be added to salads or casseroles or pureed with olive olive, lemon juice and garlic to make a dip similar to hummus.

80 mg isoflavones per 100 g

Tofu Or Bean Curd

Made from pureed, pressed soya beans, tofu is low in fat and is a good source of protein. There are three basic types: firm, soft and silken. Firm tofu has a texture similar to cheese; it can be marinated and used to make kebabs or cut into cubes and added to stir-fries. Soft tofu is used in recipes that call for blended tofu or in Oriental soups. Silken tofu has a texture similar to set yogurt; it can be used to make dips, salad dressings, sauces or desserts.

11-30 mg isoflavones per 100 g

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

This is a meat substitute made from soya-bean flour It is low in fat and rich in protein. It is available as dehydrated chunks, as a ground beef substitute or incorporated into prepared foods such as burgers or sausages. The ground beef substitute can be used in dishes such as spaghetti sauce or lasagne.

114-245 mg per 100 g (dry weight)

Soya Milk

This is available unsweetened or sweetened and in a variety of flavors. Look for one with added calcium. Soya milk is cholesterol-free and available in low-fat varieties. It is also lactose-free. Soya milk can be used in the same way as cow's milk, as a drink, on cereals, in cooking or to make smoothies.

A 250 ml glass provides 10-20 mg isoflavones

Tempeh

A thin cake made from fermented soya beans, it has a mushroomy slightly smoky flavor It can be grilled and used as a meat substitute or added to stews, casseroles or pasta sauces.

35-19 I mg isoflavones per 100 g

Isolated Soya Protein

This powder can be mixed into drinks and sauces or added to baked goods such as bread.

46-100 mg isoflavones per 100 g

Soya Flour

Made from ground, roasted soya beans, it comes in full-fat or low-fat versions. It can be used as a substitute for white flour in recipes such as muffins and cakes. It has quite a strong flavor so it is best mixed with another type of flour; try substituting 20-30 percent wheat flour with soya flour.

188-276 mg isoflavones per 100 g

Miso

Made from fermented soya beans, miso is used mainly as a seasoning or condiment. It is very salty and should be used sparingly.

8-28 mg isoflavones per 15 ml (1 level tbsp)

Soya Desserts

There are many different types including yogurts and ice creams. Isoflavone content will vary according to brand.

Soya ice cream - 4-5 mg isolfavones per 100 g

Soya custard - 5 mg isoflavones per 100 ml

Soya yogurt - 16 mg isoflavones per 100 ml

Soya and Linseed Bread

contains around 7 mg isoflavones per slice.

It's also worthy to note that soy sauce, soya oil and soya margarine contain no isoflavones, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't include them as part of a menopause diet, as they offer other health benefits including helping to lower cholesterol.

Get the facts about natural hormone replacement therapy and other natural herbs for menopause. We don't need pumping full of drugs just because our bodies are changing - take control and learn how to manage your symptoms with natural alternatives.

Yeast Free Recipes to Inspire the Imagination

Being able to produce recipes for a yeast free diet is not something that can be easily achieved by everyone. Finding that exact flavor to accompany the fish or meat that you have just cooked can be really difficult. Get it wrong and it can be heartbreaking especially if you have spent a couple of hours preparing it. Also, as a master chef myself, I know that 90% of any dish is the appearance. Psychologically, if it looks good it tastes good. Cooking is probably one of the most unforgiving professions there is, get it right and everyone loves you, get it wrong and you are in trouble.

So, where do you start? First dig out all your cook books and recipes and look through them for recipes that you can use straight away. Weight loss cookbooks are a great place to start. Most of the recipes will be sugar free, low fat and free of carbohydrates. Make a note of accompaniments to various meats like pork and apple, lamb and mint, trout and almonds. Most classic foods date back to long before the invention of ketchup and mayonnaise.

With the growth of the desirability of organic products there are many substitutes available for foods that are not recommended. Nut and vegetable milk is now available as a substitute for dairy milk. Various non wheat flours are available to make bread and cakes. Mixed with baking powder they can make a passable bread substitute. Coconut is said to be effective against candida and the milk is very sweet. Heat and thicken with cornflour, with small amount of fruit it can make a great dessert.

With the abundance of herbs you can make the same food look and taste different every night. Always use fresh herbs and wash them well before using. Chopped parsley will go with anything and is a great source of iron. Tarragon goes great with white fish. Mint is another favorite as is thyme, chop and mix with vegetables to give extra flavor. If you are going to follow the diet for an extended time you may want to consider your own herb garden.

Many spices can provide flavor and color but use them sparingly. Chili and cayenne pepper should be avoided because they could cause irritation if the stomach or intestine lining is damaged. Small amounts of pepper should be okay and natural sea salt should be used if possible. Table salt, and some organic salt, is processed and contains other chemicals to keep it free flowing. Garlic is said to be a natural cure for yeast infections and can be used widely. If you live near a river or marsh you may be able to find wild garlic which has a slightly sweet taste.

Methods of cooking are pretty much standard. Boil, fry, bake or grill. There are variations to these methods and you should try to take advantage. Stir fry meat and vegetable, use plenty of cabbage which will help it keep moist, with a small portion of rice is quick and easy. Pot roasts in a slow cooker are ideal for the busy family. Just set and forget. Deep fried food should be avoided but an occasional treat shouldn't hurt. Use fresh potatoes if you are cooking french fries or chips and only small portions.

Starting a yeast free diet is not something that should be done lightly or without consideration. The body soon adjusts to the absence of sugar and other foods and you will feel uncomfortable if you suddenly eat a danish pastry or ice cream, or put mayonnaise on your salad. The overall benefits though outweigh the disadvantages when your health is improved, not just from the removal of the yeast but also, by the removal of toxins and antioxidants in your diet.

I you want to know more about a yeast free diet and what you should and shouldn't eat, go to www.EasyYeastFreeDiet.com.

4th of July Desserts Suitable For Diabetics

July 4 is not only the birthday of our great country, it is also a day synonymous with the 5Fs; family, friends, fun, fireworks and food. And we diabetics don't want to be cheated on the food part of the celebration! Following, I have pulled together some great recipes that are suitable for diabetics and I believe, excellent dessert ideas for your Fourth of July celebrations.

AMERICANA PARFAITS

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 small package strawberry-flavored sugar-free gelatin

3/4 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

ice cubes

3/4 cup frozen sugar-free whipped topping, thawed

Wash fruit and pat dry on a paper towel; set aside. Reserve 3 strawberries with leaves still attached. Reserve 6 blueberries and set aside with the 3 strawberries. Get six parfait glasses and divide the remaining fruit evenly between them. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir boiling water into gelatin. Stir at least two minutes to dissolve gelatin completely. Put cold water in a two-cup measuring cup and add ice cubes to make 1 1/4 cups. Add to the gelatin and stir until slightly thickened. Remove any remaining bits of the ice cubes. Pour out 3/4 cup of the gelatin and set aside. Pour the remaining gelatin evenly over the fruit in the six parfait glasses. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set but not firm. Using a wire whisk, stir whipped topping into the remaining gelatin until smooth. Spoon over gelatin in parfait glasses. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Before serving, top half the glasses with the reserved strawberries and half with the reserved blueberries.

OREO COOKIE DESSERT

2 small pkgs sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix

3 cups low-fat milk

8-oz light cream cheese, softened

8-oz carton frozen sugar-free whipped topping, thawed

16 Oreo sugar-free cookies, broken into pieces

Mix together pudding mix and milk on low speed of electric mixer; add cream cheese and mix until well blended. Add whipped topping and mix well with a large spoon (do not use mixer). Add cookie pieces and mix in. Chill for several hours or overnight before serving.

SUNSHINE CUPS

3/4 cup boiling water

1 small pkg sugar-free orange gelatin

1/2 cup cold orange juice

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1 small can mandarin oranges, rinsed and drained

Put dry gelatin into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in boiling water and still at least two minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in juice and cold water. Refrigerate approximately 1 1/2 hours until thickened to the point that a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a definite impression.

Take 3/4 cup of the thickened mixture out and set aside. Stir raspberries and orange segments into the remaining gelatin mixture. Pour into 6 serving dishes or into 1 larger bowl. Beat the reserved gelatin on high speed of electric mixer until fluffy and approximately doubled in volume. Spoon over gelatin. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm.

If you don't mind heating up the oven--I suggest doing this early in the day--try these apple dumplings. We all know Apple Pie is considered very American but why not show your family and friends how creative you are by changing things up a little and going with Apple Dumplings instead?

APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup low-fat milk

5 cups chopped apples

1 cup Equal Sugar-Lite

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut flour into shortening as if making a pie crust. Add milk. Make into a dough and roll out into a rectangle. Add Equal and cinnamon to apples and mix together. Spread apple mixture over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style and cut into slices. Place into a baking pan and pour sauce over all. Bake 1 hour.

To make sauce: Bring to boiling:

2/3 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup Splenda and 1 1/2 cups boiling water

NOTE: The sauce in this recipe uses 1/2 cup sugar. You can substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or go with the sugar if you don't like the applesauce results. But be aware of this when fitting this recipe into your diet!

CHERRY DELIGHT

1 sugar-free angel food cake

1 pkg (8 oz) light cream cheese, softened

1 small pkg sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp Splenda

1 can lite cherry pie filling or no-sugar-added cherry pie filling

1 small carton sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

1/3 cup chopped pecans, if desired for garnish

Tear cake into bite size pieces and lay on bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Mix pudding according to package directions and refrigerate until set. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and Splenda into the pudding. Pour mixture over top of cake pieces. Spread pie filling over pudding mixture. Top with whipped topping. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. Refrigerate 1 hour before cutting to serve.

So whether you are diabetic or will be entertaining diabetics, try one of these easy, delicious recipes and enjoy dessert without feeling guilty or sabatoging your diet. Happy Holiday!

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

Greek Turkey Meatballs

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Make Your Dessert Healthy Today

Can you really call it a meal if there's no dessert afterwards? For people living in the States, you're probably aware that those desserts can cause a pang of regret later on, with their salt, sugar, and fat. Come to think of it, our nation has become a slave for junk food. It seems that the more money a person has in his pocket will likely result in a fatter diet. The higher the power of choice, the more likely people will buy fast food and candy.

So what can you do to help that sweet tooth? You can always try fat-free options such as mix cakes, fruit yogurt, and chocolate, but the chances are you'll eat double the quantity to satisfy you need, thus rendering the fat-free option useless.

Fruits are a great choice for dessert, especially seasonal fruits that aren't always on the shelf. It is advised that you pick ripe fruits to eat, since they will be juicier, less chewy, and tastier. So you might be bored of that run-of-the-mill fruit salad, but there are other options. You can always try cooking fresh cut apples, with a little bit of sugar and cinnamon, and raisins. It makes a delicious dessert that is nonetheless healthy. Another recipe would be to slice a banana in orange juice. If you're more of a drink person, you can try putting those fruits in a blender and make yourself a fresh cocktail or with a bit of milk make yourself a milkshake.

If you're not a huge fan of fruits, you can try gelatin. The unflavored packs are best used with fresh fruit juice and if you feel like it a bit of whipped milk - that is almost identical to whipped cream. You can try low-fat cakes, but avoid mixes that have a lot of eggs or dairy in their ingredients. Instead of frosting, you can always use jam or jelly and if you're eating apple or banana cake trying putting some lite maple syrup on top.

Ideas are quite infinite when it comes to dessert; all it needs is a bit of creativity. With a small change to your dessert menu, you can save a lot of calories and keep your weight loss efforts right on track.

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The Children's Fitness Manifesto

We have a fight on our hands.

A fight to reclaim a physical culture, that I fear has become lost on this current generation. A task of this magnitude requires a basic understanding of the needs of children from an inspirational, developmental and physical perspective.

The following is a bullet-point primer on some philosophies of children's fitness, and how we can help reclaim the health of our youth through activity.

The ultimate goal with any children's fitness initiative is to instil a joy for activity that will carry on into adulthood. One of the most important things we can provide children is the importance of relishing the process.The central nervous system develops spontaneously, but is also formed through the right kind of activity. There are critical and sensitive periods of neural development that are dependant on physical activity.Children get better at moving through opportunity, experience, reward, guidance and proper stimuli. For young children (under 9), fun and play should be the centerpiece of activity. It shouldn't feel like "work". That said, there should be an element of fun at any age.Trying to teach complex skill or designing "plays" makes no sense for children under the age of 6, as they are egocentric. Imposing sets and reps on young children is a form of deprivation of play.Machines are not safer - learning how to move properly is.Slowly introduce rather than force activity on children.Creating inclusive environments are vital to the enjoyment for all.Incorporate variety: Vary the stimulus, including the terrain, situation or the activity.Repetition (within the context of variety) is a good thing. Children need repetition to build familiarity - which begets mastery - which builds confidence. Early sport specialization is detrimental to the overall physical and mental wellbeing of most children. For 6-9 year-olds: This age group should be focused on discovery - put value in the attempt (don't correct form). Incorporate basic skills such as running, climbing, crawling, skipping and jumping. As children progress in age and physical/emotional maturity, add technical skills as needed. There is no such thing as "good" or "bad" coordination. Coordination is a multi-faceted concept that includes balance, spatial awareness and rhythm, to name a few.It's ok for children to fail and yes even cry - this builds resilience and adaptability. Children don't need to be relegated to one emotion. (Note: this doesn't mean we try and "make them cry", it just means that children get frustrated sometimes and we need to tell them it's ok to feel that way).Seize every opportunity you can to get out and be active with your children. Take walks, bike rides, swim or play a sport with them.

Special thanks to the International Youth Conditioning Association and Dr. Kwame Brown for the resources.

Image Credit: geowillis

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Low Calorie Meals

Low calorie meals don't have to taste like cardboard

Worried that your foods are also low on flavor? Think again. New recipes for low calorie meals have more flavor than ever. With a little preparation, you can serve great-tasting dinners every night of the week!

Most weight loss foods feature lots of vegetables. Veggies are good for you. Think green. Asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, spinach and all green vegetables are great side dishes for your weight loss diet. Just remember to prepare your vegetables without oils or fats, like butter.

You don't have to go without meat to prepare excellent meals. Plenty of recipes use pork and even lean beef. However, most entrees for weight loss lunches are either fish or poultry. With unusual spices, your low food will taste great.

Fresh fruit is always the perfect choice for dessert for weight loss dinners. Angel food cake is low in calories, too. Low calorie and sugar free sweetners, whipped cream and cookies can sometimes create new desserts.

Plenty of tasty condiments exist to take some of your high calorie favorites and turn them into weight loss dinners. Try salsa on your baked potatoes. Use low-fat sour cream, cheeses and tortillas in your chicken enchiladas.

If you don't have time to cook, check your grocer's frozen food section for healthy dinners. Low fat prepared entrees can easily be paired with a great bagged salad and fruit for nutritious, low calorie meals.

Don't be afraid to experiment when you prepare healthy dinners. Tofu is a low-fat, highly nutritious alternative to meat and can be prepared in hundreds of tasty dishes. Try vegetables that you may not serve a lot, like turnips, bok choy or beets with your low fat meals.

Lisa has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. Come visit her latest website over at http://www.garagestoragesolutionsshop.com/ which helps people find the best garage wall cabinets and other information they are looking for when doing garage remodeling.

Eat Well With an Ulcer

Peptic ulcers are often a side effect of having too much stress, smoking, excessive alcohol usage, and even bacteria. Whatever might be the cause-stomach ulcers affect nearly 10% of the population in America. The perception is that bland foods are part of the treatment is not entirely true. Here are a few flavorful recipes that you might enjoy.

Baked Chicken Breast

Since some peptic ulcers are agitated by fatty foods, it's nearly an added benefit that most of the meals you will be preparing will be low or fat free. Baked chicken is always a savory and healthy choice.

Ingredients:

2 c. of diced cooked chicken breast

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (fresh or pre-shredded)

1 large can of cream of celery soup

1 c. skimmed or 2% milk

1/2 c. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. long-grain white rice (cooked)

Oil

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the milk, Parmesan cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese (1/4 cup). Add the chicken and celery soup. Mix in cooked rice. Coat the baking dish with oil and add the rice mixture. Top off with the remaining (1/4 cup) shredded cheese. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.

Grilled Marinated Steak

You shouldn't have to give up your "meat and potatoes" lifestyle altogether. So, here is a recipe that's sure to satisfy the meat-lovers in your house without requiring anyone to "pay the price" later.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. of flank steak

1/4 c. vegetable or olive oil

1/2 c. light soy sauce

2 tbsp. brown sugar

Preparation:

Place the steak into a container large enough to marinade. Combine oil, light soy sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl and blend well. Pour mixture over the steak, making sure meat is completely coated. Cover marinade dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Light your grill-how else are you going to cook a steak? Remove the steak from the marinade and grill to appropriate temperature.

** When buying the streak remember to buy "lean" steak with a good bit of marbling and not a lot of fat. Ask your butcher or meat department stocker to help with this. Once you have explained your dietary requirements, they will be more than willing to help.**

Angel food Pudding

What's dinner without dessert? Try BORING! Here is a nice combination of bread pudding and angel food cake. It might not be the absolute healthiest thing out there, but it's not the worst either. And it doesn't taste like cardboard.

Ingredients:

1 angel food cake

6 cups cold milk (or skim milk)

1 package instant chocolate pudding

1 package instant vanilla pudding

2 bars Butterfinger bars (crushed)-You can also use Chic-o-Stix candy if you wish to avoid more chocolate.

Preparation:

Cut the angel food cake into 1 x 1 inch squares and place at the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch dish. Prepare the chocolate and vanilla puddings in separate bowls according to directions. When they're ready, pour the pudding over the cake cubes. Sprinkle on half of the crushed candy. Spread the rest of the cake cubes over candy and top with vanilla pudding. Sprinkle with remaining candy and chill until you're ready to serve.

Having an ulcer doesn't mean a strict diet of nothing but bland rice and broth. If you don't take care of yourself, though, that could be where you're heading. Listen to your body-particularly your stomach-and take it easy on the foods that affect you adversely.

If you're looking for recipes, take a look at the Platinum Recipes Collection.
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