Healthy Recipes     Cooking With Class

 Don't shortchange yourself by cooking first rate food using second rate condiments. Energize your food by using only the purest all natural ingredients.


  This is not a list of cookbooks or recipes. For that click here!


OK, what am I talking about? Simply put a recipe is basically a list of ingredients. Thats it! The recipe includes the ingredients, mixing directions, and cooking procedures when needed. Thats it!


  So let's talk about the ingredients. I know from shopping that organic or all natural condiments are sometimes hard to find at least in the smaller supermarkets. If this is true for you I recommend doing some online shopping. I came across this really good website for organic spices. The link is provided for your convenience. Now not only do you have condiments you also have the main ingredients. Not that hard! These parts of the recipe we need to discuss in detail!

But before we go any further I want to veer away briefly to talk about something that concerns me. There is a flavor enhancer used in many seasonings you need to be careful of. MSG or monosodium glutamate . I have added this link to an online encyclopedia. You should read this carefully. Then go to this site and see the potential risks to health from this product. You may really need to study the labels on the things you buy from the grocery. I get these massive headaches as well as severe nausea when I eat it. For many years I wasn't aware what was going on. Every Sunday we would barbecue something and we always had barbecue potato chips. Later I would lay on the couch and take a nap. I almost always had this throbbing headache. What a way to spend a day off. Many years went by and Anacin sales at the drug store was up. It was by chance I came across this information. It was in both the bbq sauce and the chips. Check for yourself. Almost all ranch dressings have it also. Now you have it. Some people aren't affected but for us who are, we are the lucky ones.  Because we have a reaction we really read labels carefully. Just because you don't get sick doesn't mean it isn't bad for you. It means you are damaging your brain and don't know it! The newest to my list is Miracle Whip. I can't believe it. But right there on the label it says "modified food starch." Read these and be careful what you buy!

Another subject I want to pass over briefly is dieting. Be careful with "diet products." Many are just plain not good for your health and can have negative results. Being full or chemically stopping you from being hungry may be more harmful than the benefit they are supposed to provide. If you are considering losing weight, try doing something natural and stay away from diet products. 

OK back on track. I went out on the town the other day. I decided to go to my local markets and see what they have in the way of natural meats and organic or natural spices.  (Be careful with that word NATURAL") I mean things like black pepper, garlic powder. These are not premixed spices. Where I live we have a Walmart, Albertson's, Kroger, King Saver, and Macs Fresh Market. Of the five Kroger had the best selection of organic produce, organic baking products, organic cereals, dressings, jams, and natural meats. I already shop there but I wanted to see who else cared. After spending close to 3 hours going up and down the isles I realized finding a good variety of healthy products might be difficult in smaller cities. For your benefit I have included some good sites to shop from. Remember in healthy cooking I found some good cookbooks.

And even if you can't find organic vegetables, use as many fresh vegetables as possible. Stay away from all those canned and processed meals. Many produce items are seasonal and way up north are non existent. Make the best of what's available. The meat selection was decent in most of the stores so you could at least start somewhere. However I did find a misleading chicken label. Pilgrims Pride said "natural chicken" but Sanderson Farms said "chicken naturally" I'm not as stupid as I look. (because no one can be that stupid!) I read the labels on both but only Pilgrims Pride assured no growth hormones or antibiotics had been used. Don't be tricked by deceptive labels like the MSG stuff. Modified food is another derivative of the glutamate family.

 I'm still researching this subject so check back often and I  will be adding some new material.
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