Just for Fun - A song about bananas....

The Muppet Show. Harry Belafonte - Day-O (Banana Boat Song)
Fozzie interrupts Harry's first rendition of Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) on TV, bringing in a pig chorus and trying to get bananas from Beauregard, who brings him onions, pineapples and eggplants instead. The number dissolves into chaos.

Ummmmm, cherries!

A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as either dried, frozen cherries or cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, when compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries or strawberries) vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.

Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also contain melatonin, which has been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.

A recent study from the University of Michigan reveals new evidence linking cherries to heart health benefits. The study found that a cherry-enriched diet lowered total weight, body fat (especially the important “belly” fat), inflammation and cholesterol-all risk factors associated with heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, being overweight or obese, in particular when the weight is concentrated in the middle, is a major risk factor for heart disease. As nearly two out of three Americans are overweight, emerging studies like this are important in examining the role diet may play in disease management and prevention.

While there’s no established guideline yet on how many cherries it takes to reap the benefits, experts suggest that 1-2 servings of cherries daily can help provide some of the health benefits identified in the research. Single serving size examples include:
• 1/2 cup dried
• 1 cup frozen
• 1 cup juice
• 1 ounce (or 2 Tbsp) juice concentrate


Cherries – available year-round as dried, frozen and juice – are “America’s Super Fruit,” a homegrown and colorful way to reap the health-promoting properties of antioxidants. Health and nutrition experts say to look no further than fruits grown on American soil for health and wellness benefits – and tart cherries are a great alternative to exotic berries grown in faraway rainforests.

A growing body of science links cherries’ red color, provided by the fruit’s powerful antioxidants – called anthocyanins – to heart-health benefits related to reducing inflammation, total cholesterol, and belly fat. With more than 80 million Americans living with some form of heart disease, the heart-healthy qualities of eating red have more relevance than ever. Even more good news: research also suggests the red compounds in cherries may help ease the pain of arthritis and gout.

And, because cherries are such a versatile fruit that can be sourced in the U.S. year-round, it’s easy to enjoy cherries in a wide range of sweet and savory dishes.

Chebe Bread - Gluten Free

Naturally Gluten Free
Chebe® Bread (pronounced chee-bee) is a unique bread product based on the Brazilian "pao de queijo" (Brazilian cheese bread) and it is now available in the United States! It is delicious, quick and easy to prepare, and it is gluten free, wheat free, and yeast free!

Our line of Chebe products includes gluten free, oven-ready frozen dough and gluten free bread mixes. And all of our products are corn free, peanut free and tree nut free, soy free, potato free, and rice free. Five of our gluten free bread mixes are also lactose free and casein free. Chebe is a 100% Gluten Free Manufacturer with a dedicated gluten free facility.

http://www.chebe.com/

Red dye from bugs....

Did you know that the food colorants cochineal and carmine are made from dead bugs? Myself, I'm allergic to that red dye, and also red dye #40. Read more about this at Snopes:
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/bugjuice.asp

Basil "cigars"

To preserve basil from a bumper crop, wash and dry the leaves and then roll them into a cylinder. Use unflavored dental floss to tie the bundle; freeze it in a sealable plastic bag. When fresh basil is needed for salads, soups, or pastas, cut off the dental floss and slice from the end of the "cigar".

Pesto for Pasta

A simple way to preserve herbs such as basil, oregeno or summer savory is to make a pesto and freeze it. Process your favorite herb with garlic and olive coil in a food processor and then freeze the mixture in spice jars. When you are ready for a pesto, process two or three tablespoons of the frozen herb mixture with toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese and olive oil in a food processor. Add some of the water from simmering pasta and you will have a quick pesto sauce that enhances any pasta dish. By adding the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese at preparation time, you achieve a fresher pesto taste.

Potato skin myth

The notion that most of the potato's nutrients are found in the skin is legend. The skin does contain about 1/2 of a potato's FIBER, but more than half of the nutrients lie within the potato itself.