Headaches After Eating – Cause For Concern?
Do you get headaches after eating? This could be a serious problem as I will get into very shortly. However, let’s try to avoid needless worry by ruling out if you need to make a visit to the doctor.
First of all, if you have only experienced a few headaches after eating, that is if it has only happened once or twice, then you likely don’t have cause for concern. However, you do want to remember what you ate when you did get a headache so you can avoid that food in the future. That’s just common sense. You could have food allergies to something you are eating and that is what is actually causing the headache. Bring it up with your doctor the next time you see him or her.
Of course, if it’s more than headaches after eating, such as swelling of the throat then you will want to go to the emergency room immediately as you might be having a serious allergic reaction to something you ate.
Now, if you are getting headaches after eating everyday or every meal then you could have a very serious problem that you will want to bring to the attention of a doctor immediately. This could be a sign of diabetes, which if left untreated could kill you. Luckily, diabetes is treatable and doesn’t have to be life threatening if you modify for your diet and begin exercising on a regular basis.
What is diabetes? It is a disease that more and more Americans are suffering from every year. It is being forecasted that over 33% of American will have diabetes within the next 10 years. This is mainly because our diet is getting poorer as days go by. Very often, depending on the kind of diabetes you have, you can completely cure yourself by eating a proper diet and exercising regularly. Some diabetes suffers have even been able to completely come off their medication. So, the diabetes may be the cause of your headaches after eating.
If your headaches after eating are isolated or don’t occur often, maybe only once a month, then you probably don’t have a serious problem. It could either be a coincidence that you get the headaches after eating, or you could have food allergies. When you eat the food you are allergic to, you may get a headache. Pay attention to what you are eating when you get the headaches and don’t eat that food again, or eat less of it.If you get headaches after eating everyday then you should see a doctor immediately to rule out diabetes.
Homemade Wood Stove – How to Make a Homemade Wood Stove
You know what’s the best part about D.I.Y. guides? The fact that you can construct anything by yourself in turn saving so much on what you would have to spend so much on a normal basis. It’s pretty amazing what you can build by yourself nowadays with the help of these D.I.Y. Guides. This time, I’ll show you how to make your very own homemade wood stove without needing to break that bank account for too much.
Back then, building your own homemade wood stove meant finding an unused 50 gallon drum a starting from there, but times have changed and innovation has kicked in. Nowadays, using an unused discarded water heater has the capability to hold 3-50 gallons of water. The first step to finding the ideal electric water heater is by finding one without any damage and rust in the heater. Remove the steel wrap around the heater to check for corrosion and rust and remember that this step is very important due for health related concerns and should not be skipped. Next turn the heater on to its side to weld on the metal legs as this will keep the heater up.
The next step will involve making holes to the heater. So make sure to be careful as not to hurt yourself. Make a cut around the upside portion of the heater and weld it back upside down. It is this portion where you should make a few holes because this will aid in the circulation of heat during cooking. Make another hole in the back of the heater as an outlet which will allow the smoke to be taken outside your house via a metal pipe, add a lever here to make sure you can control the intake of air.
Build a grill to cook your food on by cutting vertical strips on the upside portion which you welded back to the stove. Once you’re done with this step, you’re pretty much done, but you can also add some ventilation pipes to your new “stove” and connecting them to your chimney (if any).
It’s pretty amazing how people come up with their own ways to build and construct things and how many of us follow to find out that these innovations really do work. After following this guide on how to make a homemade wood stove, you can casually invite friends and family over because you’ve cooked dinner on your new homemade wood stove a.k.a. a discarded electric water heater. Interesting isn’t it?
Striped Bass Recipes
How delicious is striped bass? It’s pretty freakin’ delicious, especially when cooked properly. Here are some of my favorite recipes for cooking striped bass. Enjoy!
Roasted Striped Bass
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
2 tbsp. minced fresh basil
salt and pepper
4 center-cut pieces of striped bass (each 1/2 pound and about 1 1/2 inches thick)
2 tbsp. Olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the fish pieces on waxed paper. With your hands, generously rub the oil on both sides of the fish. Sprinkle the bread crumb-herb mixture evenly on the fish, then pat it so that it adheres. Place the fish on a cake rack in a roasting pan. Roast until the fish just flakes, 10 to 15 minutes. To crisp the top, turn the oven to broil and place the fish under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately. Note: This may be prepared 4 hours in advance through step 3 (except for preheating the oven) and refrigerated.
Spanish Style Striped Bass
2 lbs. Striped Bass fillets, trimmed and cut into serving size portions 2 tomatoes, medium size, thinly sliced 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped 1 cucumber, small, thinly sliced 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1 clove garlic minced 2 tbsp. Butter or margarine 2 tbsp. Parsley 1 tbsp. White wine 2 tbsp. Lemon juice 1/2 tsp. Marjoram
Prepare striped bass fillets by cutting fillets in half removing the dark flesh along the dark lateral line that runs through the center of the fillet. Also remove any dark flesh on the side of the fillet that had the skin and along the belly area. Cut trimmed fillets into serving size portions and place in a greased baking dish. Arrange tomato and cucumber slices on top of the fish. In a saucepan, cook onion, green pepper and minced garlic in butter until onion is tender but not brown. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, wine, lemon juice and marjoram. Spoon sauce over the fish. Bake in an oven preheated to 375¡F for 20 to 25 minutes or until fish begins to flake easily with a fork.
South Carolina Striped Bass
Ingredients:
2 Striped Bass Fillets
1 cup white corn meal
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk
Lemon Pepper seasoning, to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oil in fryer or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Cut bass into nuggets, place in a bowl with buttermilk and allow to soak
(refrigerated) for at least four hours.
3. Drain buttermilk, but do not rinse fish.
4. Combine corn meal and flour in a zipper top plastic bag.
5. Add fish pieces to the flour mixture a few at a time, shaking bag regularly to coat. 6. Remove fish nuggets and carefully place into hot oil. 7. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. 8. Remove from oil, drain, and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning.
Hypothyroid Diet
Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) can remain undetected for years. People commonly have the symptoms of hypothyroidism even though their blood tests indicate that their thyroid function is ‘normal’. This is because standard pathology tests for thyroid function can have difficulty detecting ‘sub clinical’ cases of hypothyroidism. The most common symptoms of hypothyroidism are chronic tiredness, constipation, feeling the cold and dry skin. If you are in a high risk category for thyroid dysfunction – have a family member with a thyroid condition (especially your mother); are at the menopausal age; have experienced lots of stress in the past two-three years; or have hormonal imbalances – then it’s important that you support your thyroid, even if the tests tell that your thyroid is ‘normal’. One of the best ways to support thyroid function is with diet.
Certain foods improve hypothyroidism by supplying the essential minerals that the thyroid needs to function and produce hormones.
These include:
1. Tyrosine-rich foods. The amino acid tyrosine combines with iodine to make the hormone thyroxine. These foods include meat, fish, turkey and chicken breast, low fat milk and yogurt, almonds, avocado, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, lentils. Supplements of tyrosine should be taken on an empty stomach so that it doesn’t have to compete with other amino acids.
2. Iodine-rich foods. Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones. Ideal food sources include Celtic sea salt, seaweed (sushi, nori rolls), salt water fish and sea food. Iodized salt is available but should be used in small amounts once or twice a week along with a good quality Celtic sea salt. Iodine supplements are usually in the form of kelp tablets. Consult your health practitioner before using these, because the wrong dose can unbalance your thyroid.
3. High quality protein. All of our body’s glands and hormones are made from protein. Try to eat high quality lean protein at every meal.
4. Selenium-rich foods – meat, chicken, salmon, tuna, seafood, whole unrefined grains, brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, dairy products, garlic, onions and black strap molasses.
5. Supplements of Vitamin B complex and essential fatty acids because they help to balance the entire hormonal system.
6. Sunlight – while not a food, its important to get a daily dose of safe sun. Light stimulates the pineal gland, which in turn positively affects the thyroid as well as all the other endocrine glands.
Certain foods are detrimental for hypothyroidism because they can inhibit the production of thyroid hormones.
1. Soy products. Isoflavones are hormone-like substances found in soy products. High consumption of soy products have been found to suppress thyroid function in some people and can even cause or worsen hypothyroidism. In particular, an isoflavone called genistein, appears to reduce thyroid hormone output by blocking the activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. This enzyme is responsible for adding iodine onto the thyroid hormones.
How much is too much soy? Each person can tolerate a different amount and unfortunately soy is hidden in many processed and refined foods. If you have a family history of thyroid disease or a diet low in the minerals iodine and selenium, you need to be careful of your soy intake. Reduce your consumption of soy products (soy milk, tofu, tempeh, miso, soy sauce) to a maximum of two or three times per week. If you have already been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, or you display the common symptoms, then reduce your intake to less than twice in a week.
2. Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mustard, rutabagas, kohlrabi, and turnips. Isothiocyanates are the category of substances in cruciferous vegetables that have been associated with decreased thyroid function. They appear to reduce thyroid function by blocking thyroid peroxidase, and also by disrupting messages that are sent across the membranes of thyroid cells. Cooking these vegetables does make the isothiocyanates less available. Also, because they are so good for us in other ways, only restrict this group if you have been actually diagnosed with hypothyroidism or have strong symptoms.
3. Low progesterone goes hand in hand with low thyroid, so avoid foods that promote oestrogen dominance. This includes any animal product that has not been produced organically (chicken, eggs, dairy, beef, lamb, pork, etc.). All of these foods are available organic.
4. It is believed by some researchers that chlorine and fluoride (found in most tap water) block iodine receptors in the thyroid gland, eventually leading to hypothyroidism.
5. Gluten is linked to thyroid dysfunction (both hyper and hypo thyroid) so if you have any digestive problems or any one in your family with a gluten sensitivity, it would be worth dramatically reducing your gluten intake.
Please note: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a personal relationship with a qualified health practitioner nor is it intended as medical advice.
How to Cook Grouper
“Grouper” refers to a number of different, but related, large fish notable for their stout bodies and big mouths.
Sport fishermen love groupers. Bottom dwellers, these fish pose a particular challenge because they like to back themselves in amongst rocks and debris on the ocean floor. They will do this even after they have been hooked, so the fisherman has to carefully “work” it out without snagging or snapping the line on something.
Normally, you would have to go about 20 miles offshore to find the best grounds for fishing grouper. In recent years, though, the development of artificial reefs off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the U.S. have brought groupers, in large numbers, closer to land.
Groupers are also being farmed in some areas now. So while some types of fish are becoming scarcer or even disappearing from market shelves, grouper is actually being seen more often. This is a welcome development, because groupers are good eating.
Try grilling or baking grouper. The following recipes–one for grilling, the other for baking–are easy and delicious.
Grilled Grouper
Ingredients
2 lbs. fresh grouper fillets
1 jar fancy mustard
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coase-ground black pepper
Directions
Mix mustard, onion, salt and pepper. Coat the fillets with this mixture and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Remove fillets from fridge and place on a hot grill. Cook the grouper until done, turning once during the grilling. (Note: 1-inch-thick fillets will take approximately 13 minutes to cook. Thinner fillets will take less time.)
Baked Grouper
Ingredients
1 stick butter or margarine
Juice of 1freshly squeezed lemon
2 lbs. grouper fillets (fresh or frozen)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
1. Melt the butter or margarine in a baking pan. Pour the lemon juice into the butter or margarine and mix well.
2. Lay the grouper fillets in the pan, coating one side with the butter-lemon juice mix; then turn and coat the other side.
3. Spread bread crumbs over the fish.
4. Bake at 360 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes; fish is done when it can be easily flaked with a fork.
Whether grilled or baked, grouper goes well served on a bed of rice. Add lemon slices or sliced almonds for a special touch.
Soybean Side Effects – Mad About Soy
Not because I hate soy but because I hate the way the Soy industry has lied to us and poisoned us for profit. You must read Kaayla T. Daniels’s book The Whole Soy Story to truly understand the history and damaging effects of soy. The book contains many compelling testimonials, about the dangers of soy, from real people. The serious health problems caused by heavy soy consumption are unbelievable. Soybeans are a cheap, crappy, hard to digest, food source with many harmful side effects. Once again you have been lied to and I will not tone down the truth so corporations can market waste products as health food. I know what you’re thinking. If soy is so bad then how come most people think it is good? This is why:
First of all, the origins of soybean use, 3000 years ago, in ancient China, Japan and Indonesia came out of poverty and famine. The soybean did not serve as a food until the discovery of fermentation techniques.1 Soybeans were used for crop rotation to add nitrogen to the soil.
They were not eaten.
These ancient peoples would have rather eaten fish and meat they just did not have enough. Soy Protein or Tofu evolved as a poor man’s meat substitute. It was discovered that fermenting the soybeans gave them a better flavor, made them more edible and medicines could be created from the soybeans-like Nattokinase. It is the fermenting of soy that makes it healthy in small quantities. This fermentation of foods has been used since ancient times to preserve food and create medicines from food, and is known as “Alchemy”.2
The Chinese did not eat unfermented soybeans because of the large quantities of natural toxins or “antinutrients” that can cause serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and conditions of the pancreas including cancer.1 Unfermented soy is not healthy at all and large quantities, such as the levels currently consumed in America, is very detrimental to our health. It has been linked to hypothyroidism, early puberty in children, loss of testosterone, and many other hormone related health problems.2 The American soy industry took the unfermented soybean, genetically modified it and bastardized it into an unhealthy food that nature never intended. What is further compounding the problem is the relentless multi-billion dollar marketing campaign to convince us that soy is health food and we should eat it in quantity.
“Marketing costs money, especially when it needs to be bolstered with “research”, but there are plenty of funds available. Soybean producers pay $80 million annually to support United Soybean’s program to “strengthen the position of soybeans in the marketplace and maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets for uses for soybeans and soybean products.” Private companies like Archer Daniels Midland also contribute their share. ADM spent $9 million for advertising during the course of a year.”1 ADM is, of course, the corporation that brought us Hydrogenated Soybean Oil or “Trans Fats”. The marketing is working. “Sales from soy milk alone have risen from $2 million in 1980 to over $300 million in the US last year.”1
The best marketing strategy for a product that is inherently unhealthy is, of course, a health claim. 1
Claims that eating soy can “lower cholesterol levels” and “reduce cancer” have been approved by the FDA after heavy lobbying and “alleged research” from the soy industry supposedly proving a health benefit. The opposite is actually true. Soy contains “antinutrients” that are toxic and carcinogenic to the human body.2
Soy protein (Tofu) is the spoogy waste leftover from making soybean oil. This sludgy byproduct from the soy oil industry was considered a waste product and animal feed until recently. By the way, animals do not like soybeans either and will only eat them when they are starving to death.
When I first started weight training I picked up a tub of vanilla flavored soy protein powder and started chugging down some chalky, ill tasting shakes with glee. I thought I was doing myself a big favor but little did I know I was actually reversing any chance of muscular gains. Scanning through a recent “Muscle Magazine” I saw an article supposedly reviewing the different protein powder supplements available on the market today. The article pictured animated protein tubs with friendly faces on them and the names “Soy”, “Whey”, “Casein” and “Egg”. Whey and Soy were portrayed as the best choice for health, low cost and nutritional value. Now listen carefully to what I am going to tell you next. THEY ARE LYING TO YOU! Whey and Soy protein are waste products from the food industry, cleverly disguised as “health food” and heavily marketed to the American consumer.
Soy Protein Isolate is a heavily processed product. A slurry of soybeans is acid washed and then mixed with an alkaline solution. Acid washing in aluminum tanks leaches high levels of aluminum into the final product. The curd is then dried at high temperatures completely denaturing the final product and making the protein ineffective and drastically altered from what nature intended. Animals on soy feed have to actually be given lysine supplements for normal growth.2
Don’t trust Men’s Fitness magazine either. “Open a copy and you will find pages and pages of full color ads for soy based candy bars and instant beverages promoted as a way to create the macho man with perfect abs. Sadly-ironically-most issues contain the requisite article advising these super-built Lotharios how to have great sex. Were Men’s Fitness to warn it’s readers about the fact that soy lowers testosterone levels in men, advertising revenues would dry up and the magazine would fold.”2 (Kaayla T. Daniel)
Tear up your Fitness and Muscle Magazines that are filled with lies and eat a delicious steak or fish dinner.
Maybe you have heard of Edamame, the new “healthy” baby green soybean pods. While eating at a local Sushi restaurant recently I noticed tables of customers around me happily munching on Steamed Edamame appetizers. Surely this must be good, right? Wrong! Edamame is crap too! The good news is these baby soybeans still in the pod are tender and more palatable. They also contain less of the harmful plant estrogens that diminish testosterone. So I would compare them to light cigarettes. They are much less harmful than regular soybeans that are loaded with anti-testosterone hormones!
Supporters of Soy debunk milk and supporters of milk (from pastured animals) debunk soy. They are both right and they are both wrong. Small amounts of milk from pure pastured animals would be nice and ideal but not necessary. Small amounts of fermented soy products like Nattokinase and Miso prepared the ancient way are OK and considered medicine in the East.
If you are not eating organic, you should know that 99% of the non-organic soy we eat is genetically modified and has one of the highest percentages of contamination by pesticides of any of our foods.1 This processed, genetically modified “American Soy” that we know, is poisoning us and causing illness and disease.
Soy Protein excellent for lowering Testosterone
Eating Soy protein causes lowered Testosterone levels. This is especially troubling to men and bodybuilders. To a bodybuilder, soy protein is like Kryptonite! The plant estrogens will rob you of your manhood, shrink your muscles and lower your sex drive. Ancient monks used to eat extra tofu to help them to easily maintain their vows of celibacy.2
Vegetarians who consume tofu and bean curd as a substitute for meat risk severe mineral deficiencies. The results of calcium, magnesium and iron deficiency are well known; those of zinc are less so.1 I met someone recently who was vegetarian and ate lots of tofu because she “loves animals”. For gods sake don’t eat a waste product from a crappy bean because you love animals! Love animals and eat raw nuts, “quality” beans and maybe some eggs. I love and respect animals as well and I am often astounded by the awesome beauty of nature’s wild creatures. Humans, however, did not rise to the top of the food chain just to step aside and eat tofu because we love animals. I love them, respect them and eat some of them too!
Dump your milk down the sink! Spit your Tofu out the window! Throw your milk and soy products in the dumpster today and be healthier tomorrow!
Sources:
1: Fallon, Sally & Enig, Mary G., Newest Research On Why You Should Avoid Soy
2: Daniel, Kaayla T., The Whole Soy Story, New Trends Publishing, 2005
Clams – Tips On Preparation And Cooking
I recently purchased a bag of clams, though I realized my knowledge about the shellfish was limited. I decided to do a bit of research on storing, preparing and cooking them, and I’d like to share my findings.
I’ll only cover clams sold in stores here. It’s possible to harvest your own, but that’s an entirely different matter (along with warnings of poisoning and biotoxins). Clams can be purchased year-round, but are usually cheaper during summer months, as they’re easier to harvest. Although they can be kept for a few days, clams should be cooked or eaten as soon as possible after purchase.
There are two basic types of clams: soft-shell and hard-shell. Soft-shell clams live with their shells partially open, so they must be rinsed well before cooking. Soak them in salted water for at least two hours before cooking and rinse well with fresh water. Soft-shell clams are never eaten raw.
Hard-shell clams come in a variety of types with their names referring to the size of the clams, and they can be eaten raw (though care should be taken in eating any raw shellfish).
Clams in their shells must be sold live, and kept alive until time to cook or eat them. Keep clams in a breathable, non-sealed bag. If a bag isn’t available, store them in an open bowl covered with a wet cloth in your refrigerator. (Never store them sealed or submerged because they’ll die and spoil) It’s best to consume clams within 24 hours of purchasing, though they should last a few days if stored properly.
It is alright for clams to open while you’re storing them, but throw out any clams that don’t close when tapped. Also discard any clams with broken shells or shells that can be easily pried apart. Another test is to place clams in a pot of water. Any that float must be discarded.
To prepare clams for cooking, first scrub their shells with a stiff brush to remove dirt, sand and debris. You can also submerge clams in salt water for a few hours before cooking.
To shuck clams, you can freeze them for up to twenty minutes to ease the opening of the clams. Remove them from the freezer and wait a few minutes. The shells will be easier to open.
Clams can be cooked in a number of ways, including steaming, boiling and frying. They don’t take very long to cook, usually only a few minutes. When the shells open on their own, they’re done. If any clams do not open, they must be discarded as they were not alive and may be contaminated with bacteria. For best results, cook at low heat settings.
Carbs – Why You Need Them to Burn Fat
So much negativity has been placed on carbs. Back in the 80′s it was fat as the culprit. Today it’s carbs. Now there is talk that we are probably getting too much protein. It won’t be long before vitamins and minerals get the bad rap for weight gain. But let me share something about carbs with you… you need them in order to switch your metabolism from fat storing mode to fat burning mode.
Carbohydrate metabolism
I don’t care what carb you eat whether it’s a “good” or “bad” it breaks down to the same energy source: glucose. All carbs break down to this sugar. The difference in carbs is not whether they are bad or good but how the respond to blood sugar release. When your digestive system breaks down carbs into glucose, glucose takes a trip into your bloodstream increasing your body’s blood sugar levels. That blood sugar needs to be transported into different cells for metabolism. Depending on how much sugar is in the blood stream some will be used for energy in cells and some will get deposited in fat cells. This is where the heroes of metabolism come in. The pancreas releases insulin to the rescue. Insulin is going to transport the glucose from the bloodstream to the cells.
Fast carbs vs. slow carbs
We’re going to change the terminology a bit here. What use to be known as “bad” carbs are now going to be known as fast carbs. Why? Because that is what they do. They break down into glucose very fast and stimulate insulin really fast into the bloodstream. The same is true about “good” carbs. We’ll now refer to them as slow carbs. Why? For reasons opposite fast carbs.
The key to burn body fat
The truth is that you can burn body fat with both types of carbs. But here you must combine them with protein. What is a protein? It’s like my mentor Robert Ferguson says: anything that use to fly, walk, or swim. To make a fat loss meal you must combine a protein to either carb. Meaning, you can have a fast carb as long as you combine it with a protein. Take for example a meatball sub with no cheese. You have a fast carb in the white bread and to a lesser extent the marinara sauce and you have your protein in the meatballs. That is a fat loss meal. Another example, is to take sushi where you have a fast carb in the form of white rice and you have protein in the form of some fish combined with it.
Word of caution
Remember to be aware of calories. Just because you are combining fast carbs with proteins doesn’t mean that they are devoid of calories. It’s still fairly easy to eat 600 calories within one sitting of combining fast carbs and slow carbs with proteins. However, this is a convenient and easy way to enjoy carbs again. There is absolutely no need to eliminate them from your diet. Combine fast carbs with slow carbs and proteins. Carbs are good for you and you need them to burn fat. But how much of them should I eat? How often? When? Well, those are other questions that are off topic and you’re going to have to read my other articles and get my book.
Josue
Bamboo Shoots – So Packed With Nutrition They Literally Glow in the Dark
In China and Japan, the sprouting of the bamboo shoot is a sign of spring. Prized for their rich aroma and crunchy texture, fresh bamboo shoots are only available in March and April. In North America, fresh bamboo is only available in the spring in Asian markets and a few farmers’ markets in California and the Southeast, but canned and frozen bamboo shoots are available all year round.
In Australia and the Philippines, high-quality, locally grown bamboo sprouts are available in markets for several months every year. Ideally, it should be consumed the same day they are harvested, so any fresh bamboo of high quality has to be grown in the same area where it is consumed.
Bamboo shoots are so good for you they literally glow in the dark. Researchers in Japan have found that freshly cut bamboo emits a gentle glow as the plant’s internal self-defense system activates antioxidants to prevent oxidation and browning. These antioxidants also counteract bacterial infections in the people that eat it.
Traditional Asian medicine teaches that the energy of bamboo shoots counteracts the energies of negative emotions, specifically the negative emotions that settle into the liver and cause spasms in the gallbladder. Whether you believe the theory of Asian medicine or not, herbal formulas made with it do relieve gallbladder pain.
Scientifically oriented researchers in China have found that bamboo shoots are among nine vegetables in the Asian diet that offer protection against lung cancer (along with bitter melon, cucumber, wild celery, spinach, sweet potatoes, fresh soybeans, Szechuan peppers, and sweet potatoes).
When you use canned bamboo shoots, be sure to add them at the end of cooking, heating them just long enough to heat them through. Browning it does nothing for its flavor and destroys its distinctive crunch. If you are fortunate enough to find fresh bamboo shoots, be sure to process them in boiling water before you use them in cooking.
Bamboo shoots, like many other tropical root vegetables, contain trace concentrations of hydrocyanic acid (yes, a form of cyanide) that have to be leached out of the vegetable before it is used as a food. Here is what you need to do to fresh bamboo shoots:
1. Peel off outer rind of each root. Cut off the tip and score the surface of the shoot, making a long, shallow cut the length of the shoot. Take care not to cut into the shoot.
2. Put it into a pressure cooker, just covering them with water to which you have added a handful of rice bran. Close the pressure cooker and steam for 10 minutes. (If you do not have a pressure cooker, boil in an open boil for 45 minutes.)
3. At the end of the cooking time, take the shoots out of the pot and rinse away the rice bran. Peel off the rind from the score on the surface, then cut the shoots into bite-sized pieces. The bamboo shoots are now ready for use in cooking other dishes.
Americans associate bamboo shoots with Chinese stir fries, but these crunchy sticks can be used to make sushi, in spring rolls (harumaki) and meat buns (nikuman), to flavor stews of shellfish, to give crunch to split pea soup, to provide an edible toothpick for hors d’oeuvre, and as a contrasting flavor in dishes made with fava beans. And they are a key ingredient in a famous savory vegan stew from Nepal.
How To Cook Salmon In an Oven That Everyone Will Love
If you love salmon, but you have no idea how to cook salmon, read on. It’s very easy and delicious and something your family will actually enjoy eating.
First, take your salmon and slice it in the middle, so that it will be a pocket. Don’t cut it all the way through. You want to leave around a half an inch still together.
Place small lemon slices inside your ‘pocket.’ You want to add around two chopped cloves of garlic and some black pepper to your liking. Now, one of the easiest ways to learn how to cook salmon is to start off cooking it in the oven.
Place some aluminum foil around the salmon, and close it loosely. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and pop in the salmon.
You want to let it cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Then check the salmon to see if it’s done. When you’re learning how to cook salmon, one tip is to check and see if the meat is flaky or still ‘heavy.’
If it’s still a bit undercooked, return the salmon to the oven for about 3 to 4 more minutes. Then, take the salmon out of the oven and let it sit in the aluminum foil for a few more minutes. You can then serve the salmon with some of your favorite sauce, like lemon and butter or marinara.
Once you learn how to cook salmon in the oven, you can move on to more difficult ways like the stovetop or grill. Enjoy!