Showing posts with label Food and Receipies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food and Receipies. Show all posts

FOOD: Diaries Of A Transformed Yuletide Turkey In Pictures!

 


This Turkey had to experience the transformation of spicy baptism. Her predecessors from 2018 and 2019 had been through failed attempts to get the spices soaked deep into their bulky protein mass. Could Turkey ever be seasoned in such a way that, every strand of the meat told a scintillating story to the tase buds of the very critical food critic?



The above image speaks for itself! Seasoned with pepper and every edible spice our hand could reach in our Kitchen, myself and Eri set to work 48 hours before grill day and you bet, we were happy with the results. The taste buds settled down in delight, as the tasty, masticated Turkey made contact. This would have made a critic's delight by every standard of Master Chef Cookery.



Instead of featuring in a Cooking show, this transformed bird blessed our plates with our most tasty Turkey yet and what a delight it was. 😋! I couldn't help but document this piece of culinary history made in our local kitchen. This year was in a lane of its own on different levels but next year/2021 promises to be a year of amazing culinary experiences, that will be documented in this platform. Let's keep safe and stay in touch. Wishing you all a delicious 2021 ahead. 

FOOD:The Relative Theory Of Healthy Fish & Chips - Why You Must Have Fun Dieting

Fish,Chips & Salads 📷: by Dr.Kevwe - instagram.com/drkevwe

Thank God it's another Friday but as I settle into the cafeteria at my work place to enjoy the weekly and nicely put together "fish and chips" garnished with salads/veggies, all I can hear is the wailings of anti-calorie mongers who certainly will not appreciate what I have termed,"THE RELATIVE THEORY OF HEALTHY FISH & CHIPS"! I know that I am on a healthy diet drive and so should you all but as you can see, I nicely ignored the wailings, shot my images and devoured the sumptuous meal you see in the photo above; but come to think of it, why should I not have fun dieting?
👀: High Quality Wallpaper

What do I mean by "the relative theory of healthy fish and chips" though? Since I relocated to the UK, I've come to appreciate the secret of healthy dieting and having fun whilst at it. I used to lament at the site of fresh leaves nicely tucked besides every meal, in the name of salads but now I know better. The ever growing world of weight loss has tilted many people into fanatical calorie disdain, forgetting that the body actually does need energy in form of calories to function at optimum levels. Yes, fish and chips does contain calories that can become unhealthy if consumed excessively in an abusive manner but if consumed in moderation, a beautiful combo of low salt-baked or even fried fish and chips, garnished with fresh salads can give you a super balanced diet composed of: carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals...that can get you winning after a busy morning at work or anywhere else. This is the relative theory of healthy fish & chips!
📷:by Dr. Kevwe - instagram.com/drkevwe

I will refrain from speaking too much grammar about the matter, as my family members and friends in the Legal world will say but anything worth doing is worth doing well and since we must all commence on healthy dieting, let us at least enjoy ourselves whilst at it. Clinically, I have realised that patients  are able to hang in much longer and even develop their dieting into permanent lifestyles when feeding with food timetables that promote only moderate nutritional abstinence. Many who have overzealously delved into extreme diets like Ketogenic and co, relapse even before they know it and become worst at their junk eating habit. Others move about feeling very weak and actually unwell inside- please what is that? Eating good food is fun and unless the clinical indication is absolute like: Kidney disease patients who must go drastically low on proteins or Hypertensives and Diabetics who must drastically go low on table/cooking salt and sugar respectively etc, on no account should anyone advise you not to enjoy your journey into the world of healthy dieting. Consult a standard Nutritionist for your personal dietary guidance and always remember that too much of anything can kill! For more information about the health theory of fish and chips, see references below. The matter is that serious...Lol.

REFERENCES:
* BT| 4 Reasons Fish And Chips Is Good For You

* NHS| Eat Well:Healthier Takeaways

Recipe On Flick: Find Out Where The 21st Century Clinical Diet Is Headed

The world of Clinical Dieting is changing quite significantly from what used to be total abstinence from certain foods if you were diagnosed with  certain chronic diseases, to healthy moderation, satisfaction and thus better quality of life but if you don't know, you will never know. The recipe in the image below was served as lunch in one of the biggest private healthcare facilities in England and if you ask me, I'd say this is where the 21st century clinical diet is headed.
Beef Stake & chips + green peas & cherry tomatoes 📷: @drkevwe (instagram.com/drkevwe)

From the days when diabetic Grandparents were told to avoid sugar and starchy foods completely and left to depend solely on proteins for energy sources or hypertensive parents/grandparents asked to cut out salt totally, Clinical Nutritionist are now finding out that instead of leaving patients totally weak and energy low, strictly controlled portions create better balance both biologically (physiologically) and psychologically. Instead of staying away from a particular food for a while and relapsing to dangerously binge the hell out of that nutrient on certain occasions, the 21st century diet adopts more liberal recipe time tables that have been found to lead to better adherence  and better health outcomes, as long as medications are taken consistently as prescribed by your Doctor; for those on meds or exercise routines are followed religiously for those seeking weight loss and smashing bodies.
Panini and Salads 📷: by @drkevwe (instagram.com/drkevwe)

I am by no means discouraging those who would rather cut out certain foods entirely and easily cope with it. Whatever your reason for dieting, the 21st century reality is that, factors like :physical activity/ exercise, sex, sleep, medications for some and other forms of therapy, play an important role in achieving your targets. Instead of asking a newly diagnosed Hypertensive(person with high blood pressure/poor control) who remains as human as you to cut out salt totally and cope with tasteless food, low salt and 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week would be more like it; not forgetting medication use for those who are on prescriptions. You can enjoy your life whilst on a diet, so get back to your nutritional planning table with your Nutritionist and enjoy better recipe choices all day everyday. you deserve to live not just exist. For more on "Food & Recipes", continue to visit this Blog and do well to drop your comments below, if you may.

Saturday Evening Salads On Flick:Here's Why You Must Make Colourful Vegetables And Fruits A Dietery Constant

Salads refer to a cold mixture of various raw vegetables +/- fruits, served with a cream or oil dressing and only recently have I personally experienced/realised why these colourful plants should be a constant in the diet of every individual. Like many ignorant people out there, I used to think salads actually only referred to coleslaw-( popularly known as vegetable salad ) or a mix of chopped up fruits (popularly known as fruit salad) and were only necessary for adding flavour to rice meals or dessert, with regards to the fruits 😄. Not until I started working in British Hospitals,did I realise that salads, were mostly a mixture of nutritious raw vegetables and fruits that could make all the difference between a healthy and unhealthy diet. Admire the lovely salad on flick this Saturday Evening and find out below why you must make such a constitution part of your regular diet.

📷: Salad, Coleslaw & Lasagna  by @drkevwe (www.instagram.com/drkevwe) 

* Great Source Of Dietary Fiber:
Experts have identified salads as one of the best sources of nutritional fiber - portions of plant derived food that cannot be completely broken down by digestive chemicals. This fiber or roughages as sometimes called, pass down from the small intestine to the large intestine to help the forming stool develop better bulk that can be easily passed out. The suggested cause of bowel cancer in many cases, has been linked to the longterm absence of dietary fiber in the diets of many victims. How this exactly can happen is long medical grammar for another day; if you don't mind. The simplest realtime explanation of this benefit is appreciated when you wake up for 3 consecutive days feeling constipated, until you grab a salad or any other source of dietary fiber like cornflakes/cereals or even oranges and eventually experience the greatest intestinal relief of your life in.....you know where.
📷: Salad & Prawn Mayo by @drkevwe(www.instagram.com/drkevwe)

* Wonderful Source Of Vitamins & Vital Mineral Salts:
Vegetables and fruits, the major components of salads, are confirmed excellent sources of vitamins and vital mineral salts in the body that play very important roles in a multitude of stabilising chemical activities that must occur for everyone of us to feel well overall. Ranging from: skin and bone maintenance to body electrical impulse transfer (nerve conduction) to overall brain function or even general organ function-sexual organs not excluded, a proper balance of vitamins and mineral salts in addition to other factors, will give you the right fix and put your body in a position to function optimally. There is no better way to explain it. Only a trial can convince you.


* Excellent Dietary Option For Weight Loss & Maintenance Of Healthy Body Fat:
Are you one of those battling with weight loss or struggling to maintain a healthy diet to normalise your Cholesterol levels for better blood pressure or blood sugar controls? Have you ever been in a situation where, you really wished you could keep your eating as healthy as possible but circumstances just wouldn't permit?  The Doctor has asked you to reduce or cut out starchy carbohydrates for dinner which must not be eaten later than 7pm/19:00 but you wake up really early to go to work and remain so busy all day that, the only opportunity to eat anything major is late night after you close and you feel starchy carbohydrates are the only filling option right? This is exactly the concern I have gotten from a lot of patients in the past but say no more; a colourful portion of salad served with your favourite  barbecue fish or grilled chicken or turkey...etc.... will do the magic.
👀: Wikipedia

In conclusion, all of the above grammar can be summarised in the fact that, with salads you can't go wrong diet wise. There are different types and when eaten alongside your favourite fish or meat or whatever, you will certainly get as full as you want, yet remain as healthy as possible.

By: Dr. Oghenekevwe Daniel Ogidigben

REFERENCES:
WebMD| 4 Healthy Reasons To Eat A Salad Today

HuffPost| Sex And A Salad


Ever Heard Of Grilled Snake Meat? Here's What It Looks Like

I had heard a lot about Snake meat and how it was in high demand in different parts of the world. Little did I know that on that faithful evening, I will come face to face with an already grilled Python. At first I almost confused the well peppered looking meat for some sort of wild grass cutter but something didn't feel right. I was there to buy grass cutter meat and palm wine. I however couldn't help but wonder what kind of alternative protein source was staring at me in the face. I had to ask the young businessman  as he sauntered out of a palm frond  bar towards his potential new customers, smiling  from the thoughts of making another potential sale I guess. I eventually got the shocker of my life when I was informed that, other than the grass cutter which I was yet to find out the price, the other meat was the only remains of a 20 feet long python. Here's what my Panasonic GH4 Camera with an 11-42mm panasonic lens captured.



Some nutritional authorities have postulated that, snake meat does contain 93 calories per 100g of meat. The big question is how many people will consider this as their source of protein? If you have ever tried this delicacy, kindly let us know what it feels like in the comments section below. Some say it does taste like chicken but way better actually. What do you say? For those of us who have never thought of trying this recipe out, will you ever consider having this dreaded reptile for a meal?
👀: Wikipedia
For better information about the nutritional constituents of snake meat, see References below.
REFERENCES:
FIT DAY| The Nutrition Of Snake

SPARK RECIPE| Calories In Snake Meat

TGIF In London City - Which Of These Lunch Recipe Will You Go For-A Or B?

Thank God It's Friday (TGIF)  and this afternoon if you are in London City or hoping to be or wished you were here, which of the two recipes below would you prefer for lunch? A or B?

A. Pumpkin and Vegetable (Egusi soup) with Cow Leg,Beef & Dried Fish

📷: @drkevwe - www.instagram.com/drkevwe


OR

B. Starter: Lentil Soup & Vegetable Burger; Main: Boiled Chicken & Mixed Salad + very sinful Chocolate Cake & a drop of ice cream for dessert.

📷:@drkevwe - www.instagram.com/drkevwe


Don't even jinx it in case you were thinking of doing so. The African recipe is very much available in various parts of London and the quality is no less, compared to what you will typically get back home in Nigeria. You can contact us if you need referrals to tried and tested Restaurants/Joints. We are happy to sort you out big time.
📷: Bow Road by @drkevwe - www.instagram.com/drkevwe

If you have a healthy visual appetite for good and well presented food, then make the mini-food Blog on "DR KEVWE'S BLOG" your constant stop by. We've got you covered.

By: Dr. Oghenekevwe Daniel Ogidigben

Culinary Diaries & Cuisine On Flick- Here’s My Favourite Lunch From Last Week

Since I started a Culinary Diary  it’s been quite a journey for my tastebuds,  sampling British cuisines from different locations at various times. Here’s my cuisine on flick and favourite lunch recipe from  last week.

Main:
Fish, chips and mushy peas with Tomato ketchup.

📷: @drkevwe


Fish and chips never looked so good! If you have a healthy visual appetite for good food, then return to the food & recipe/mini-food Blog section of "DR KEVWE'S BLOG" and do well to drop a comment below every post, telling us what you think, your favourite recipes and how you prefer them served.

📷: by @drkevwe


By: Dr. Oghenekevwe Daniel Ogidigben




Lunch Was A Risk Worth Taking Today! Here's The Recipe On Flick.

Lunch was truly a risk worth taking today. I walk into the posh restaurant of a Private British Hospital this afternoon for my lunch break and suddenly felt threatened at the first site of the buffet set up. At the end of the outing however, I not only was stuffed up but impressed I must say. Here's the recipe on flick:
Starters + Main:
*Spinach, Mushrooms, Tomato + Goat's Cheese Roulade with a tomato sauce and the soup of the day *Breaded Pork Escalope served with ;Diced Potatoes; Broccoli + Braised Red Cabbage & coleslaw on the side.
📷 :by @drkevwe 

Dessert:
*Lime Sponge Cake and toppings.
📷: by @drkevwe

Don't get me wrong!!! I am typical Nigerian who would usually trade my African lunch of meat and dry fish with prawn infested Banga/Native or Vegetable soup with swallow for nothing; and expected not to fancy these British recipes but surprisingly I am. That is not to say we would not sample African and various recipes from all over the world on this MINI-FOOD BLOG! If you have a healthy visual appetite for good food and will like to explore recipes on a global scale, then stay glued to DR KEVWE'S BLOG because we've got you covered.

By:

Dr. Oghenekevwe Daniel Ogidigben.

Chicken Is the Number One Cause of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks. Here's How to Stay Safe


More than 100,000 people were sickened by food-related illness outbreaks between 2009 and 2015, according to a new analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And the food that made more people sick than any other? Chicken. It was confirmed as the cause of more than 3,000 (about 12%) of those cases.

Pork and seeded vegetables came in second and third for number of illnesses caused, both with more than 2,500 cases or about 10% each. Fish and dairy caused more individual outbreaks than any other food groups, according to the analysis, but those outbreaks were smaller and sickened fewer total people.

The report’s findings may not be surprising for anyone who’s ever taken a cooking class or cut into their chicken dinner to make sure it’s cooked all the way. Just last week, a court case made headlines after a healthy and fit mother of two died after eating uncooked chicken at a hotel in Greece. (A coroner said the woman likely contracted E. coli from the raw poultry.)

But the CDC says that its deep data dive, published in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, is important for the food-safety industry: Only a small percentage of the 9.4 million foodborne illnesses reported each year are associated with recognized outbreaks, the CDC said in its report—but studying those outbreaks can still provide valuable insight into how to keep consumers out of harm's way.

Between 2009 and 2015, according to the report, 5,760 outbreaks were reported to the CDC. (An outbreak is defined as anytime two or more cases of a similar illness result from the ingestion of a common food.) Those outbreaks resulted in 100,939 illnesses, 5,699 hospitalizations, and 145 deaths, and they occurred in all 50 states as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.

About half of those outbreaks were traced back to a single virus, bacterium, or other type of toxin. Norovirus, which can be transmitted when infected people handle and contaminate a food supply, was the leading cause—which highlights the need for food-safety improvements “targeting worker health and hygiene in food service settings,” the CDC’s report states. Specifically, it says, rules that keep sick workers away from food, prohibit bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, and ensure appropriate hand washing need to be better enforced.

Salmonella—a bacteria that’s commonly found in raw chicken, eggs, red meat, and contaminated produce—was the second most common cause of outbreaks. Together, outbreaks caused by Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli were responsible for 82% of all hospitalizations and 82% of deaths.

The report also sheds some light onto where these outbreaks begin. Of the outbreaks that reported a single location of food preparation, 61% cited restaurants as their starting point. Catering and banquet facilities were cited in 14% of those outbreaks, and private homes in 12%. Institutions (such as schools) were responsible for a smaller number of outbreaks but sickened more people per outbreak than any other source.

Foodborne illness outbreaks have been reported voluntarily by state and local health departments since the 1960s, but 2009 was the first year the CDC launched a web-based reporting platform. The report mentioned a few specific outbreaks that occurred during its study period, including ones linked to pine nuts, cucumbers, eggs, cantaloupes, caramel apples, and, yes, chicken.

What this really means for our health

The CDC’s report concludes that, despite recent advances in food safety in the United States, “foodborne disease outbreak remains a serious public health problem.” It also notes an important caveat: Because the agency only looked at illnesses that affected two or more people, it’s unclear how much of a role these specific food sources and outbreak locations play in individual illness that aren’t associated with outbreaks. (In other words, foodborne illnesses can be caused by many different foods in many different settings—not just uncooked chicken at restaurants.)

Byron Chaves-Elizondo, PhD, assistant professor and food safety extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, says it's important to put the CDC's findings in perspective. (He was not involved in the new report.) Yes, he says, the percentage of illnesses in this report attributed to chicken is significant—"but so is the burden attributed to fish, dairy, or produce, for example, so we can't get carried away by the numbers," he adds.

Plus, he points out, many of the outbreaks included in the study were not able to be traced to a specific food. "That is concerning, and public health authorities continue to make great strides to reduce that gap," he says.

The fact that most illnesses in the report were linked to restaurants also isn't surprising, says Chaves-Elizondo, since they serve so many more people than private residences. "We often don't have 100 people at home, and if we do, we typically cater the food from a restaurant," he says. But home cooks "should not get too comfortable," he adds, since contamination can and does occur in all types of kitchens.

How to stay safe when cooking at home

Two ways to protect yourself from foodborne illnesses are to always cook poultry and ground beef thoroughly, the CDC advises, and to refrigerate leftovers promptly after eating. (Cooking poultry to 145 degrees and red meat to 160 degrees will kill most foodborne pathogens.) "Using a food thermometer is the best way to know the internal temperature of the product reached the safety value," says Chaves-Elizondo. "Pink/not pink or chewy/not chewy don’t really cut it."

It’s also smart to avoid recipes that call for raw eggs (including mayonnaise, salad dressings, ice creams, and cake frostings), and if you marinate raw meat or poultry, do so in the fridge—and don't use leftover juices to baste the finished product. "Definitely do not assume that meat marination is an effective antimicrobial intervention," says Chaves-Elizondo.

Watch out for cross-contamination, too—another common way that pathogens can be transmitted. For starters, don't wash raw chicken before cooking it: "The droplets and aerosols can actually spread Salmonella and Campylobacter& to clean surfaces, and they can establish a niche in your sink if you don’t sanitize it often and properly," says Chaves-Elizondo. "Rather, remove any unwanted tissue with shears, discard in the trash, and cook your poultry thoroughly."

If you're worried about the juices that chicken is often packaged in, sanitize the package before opening it and drain it carefully to avoid splashes, says Chaves-Elizondo. Those juices could in fact harbor Salmonella if the chicken itself is infected, he says, "but chances are actually very slim."

Finally, keep uncooked meats and poultry separate from everything else in your kitchen, use separate cutting boards when preparing them, and make sure to wash your hands—and all surfaces and utensils involved—with soap and water after you handle them.

Culinary Diaries:Care For Breakfast? Make Your Own Full English Exploring This Image

📷: by @drkevwe

White toast ; Hash Browns; Bacon; Sausages; Baked Beans with Fried Mushrooms and your  typical English Breakfast is served. Some people will say there's more to the Full English Breakfast. Yes possibly so. The above recipe prepared and served from the Kitchen of a private Hospital in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, United Kingdom however served it's purpose and gastric (stomach wall) cells were left smiling way beyond Lunch time. If you love good food and have a healthy visual appetite for delicious cuisines prepared and served from different parts of the world, then visit the Blog again. We got you covered.

Are Oprah’s New Frozen Cauliflower Crust Pizzas Actually Healthy?


Oprah Winfrey’s line of packaged foods, O, That’s Good!, just dropped four varieties of frozen cauliflower crust pizza, which have 1/3 of the flour in the crust replaced with cauliflower puree. The pizzas are the latest additions to this packaged comfort food line launched by Kraft Heinz and Oprah last year, featuring tasty eats such as mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.



Cauliflower pizza crust has become a superstar food trend over the past few years, driven by consumers who are looking for gluten-free, low-carb, or vegan crust options when they order or pick up a slice or a pie. But are Oprah's cauliflower crust pizzas as healthy they sound? Here's the lowdown.



 The four varieties in Oprah's new line include Supreme, Five Cheese, Fire Roasted Veggie, and Uncured Pepperoni. The most nutritious option is the Fire Roasted Veggie, which comes in at 280 calories per serving (1/5th of the entire pizza), 9 grams of overall fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 4 grams of fiber, and impressive amounts of vitamin C.

While this pizza won’t derail your healthy eating habits, it does pack in 20% of your daily sodium levels, which is consistent with most other frozen meals.


The three other varieties are less impressive. Each racks up 320-330 calories per serving (1/5th of the pie) and are higher in total fat, saturated fat, and sodium. The Five Cheese has 25% of the saturated fat you're supposed to consume in an entire day, while the Uncured Pepperoni has 30% of your daily sodium allotment.

If you want a healthier cauliflower crust pizza, many other options are made with more cauliflower and less flour than Oprah’s pies. You could also easily make your own, or you can buy pre-made cauliflower crusts from Caulipower or The Healthy Crust brands. A serving (half a pie) of Caulipower Veggie Pizza gives you a larger portion at fewer calories, lower levels of saturated fat, and a lower sodium count than the O, That’s Good! slices.

The cauliflower crust trend shows no signs of slowing down, as low-carb eaters use this veggie as a replacement for flour, rice, and other foods to help cut calories and carbs while boosting fiber and essential nutrients. You can even now buy cauliflower-based baking goods and cake mixes.

No wonder cauliflower is so popular. It's a nutritional all-star, providing fiber, vitamin C, potassium, B vitamins, and antioxidants—all at just 25 calories per cup. Using cauliflower in place of grains in a pizza crust or as a substitute for rice helps slash calories while upping the fiber and nutrients of the overall recipe.


What to Know About Pumpkin Spice Lattes, From a Nutritionist Who Loves Them

Pumpkin Spice Latte
As the summer winds to end, I start to get excited about all things fall, including sweater-and-boot weather, Halloween, and yes, pumpkin spice lattes! If you're a PSL fan like me, here's some good news: This season the cozy fall beverage is coming back earlier than ever. Dunkin Donuts is debuting their pumpkin latte on Monday, and the Starbucks PSL returns the following day. Before you know it, the drink will be everywhere...which might lead you to wonder, is one brand's recipe is healthier than the rest?

Well, here's the not-so-great, and not-terribly-surprising news: Most pumpkin spice lattes are high in sugar and processed ingredients. I haven't been able to find any versions that I would recommend from a nutritional standpoint as a daily habit. So my advice: Choose the PSL you like best (whether it's from DD or Mickey D's) and enjoy it as an occasional treat. Below you'll find my notes on three popular PSLs—plus a truly good-for-you recipe you can make at home.

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

The Starbucks website lists the ingredients in its Pumpkin Spice Sauce as sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin puree, 2% or less of fruit and vegetable juice for color, natural flavors, annatto, salt, and potassium sorbate. It's great that the company is using some all natural additives, but the final ingredient is a common preservative.

A tall Starbucks PSL made with whole milk and whipped cream clocks in at 330 calories, 15 grams of fat, 40 grams of carb with 39 from sugar, and 11 grams of protein. To put that in perspective, a Starbucks Cheese Danish is lower in everything, including sugar, with 28 fewer grams than the PSL. So when you order a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, enjoy every sip but just think of it as a dessert rather than a coffee.

Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice Latte

Dunkin Donuts doesn't publish the ingredients for its PSL, but DunkinDonuts.com does offer a customization and nutrition tool that allows you to choose your milk, flavor, and sweetener. It calculates that a small drink made with whole milk, pumpkin swirl flavor, and no additional sweetener provides 230 calories, 6 grams of fat, 36 grams of carb (all as sugar), and 7 grams of protein.

If you're dairy-free or just prefer plant-based milk, almond milk is an option (though there's no nutrition info available). But it's unclear if the pumpkin swirl flavor itself is dairy-free.

McDonald’s Pumpkin Spice Latte

I like that Mickey D’s is transparent about their ingredients, but I'm not a fan of the ingredients themselves. The McCafe Pumpkin Spice flavored syrup contains: fructose, water, nonfat dry milk, propylene glycol, and 2% or less caramel color, natural flavor, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, salt, sucralose, and extracts of annatto. The big red flag here is all the artificial additives, including faux sweetener (sucralose is the generic Splenda).


A small PSL made with whole milk contains 270 calories, 9 grams of fat, 41 grams of carb with 39 as sugar, and 10 grams of protein. That's more calories, carbs, and sugar than their Baked Apple Pie, which is a good reminder to enjoy a McDonald's PSL as a dessert.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

If you want to enjoy pumpkin spice lattes on the regular, trying making healthied-up versions at home! Here's my recipe, which calls for all natural ingredients, packed with nutrients.

2 Tbsp. canned pumpkin puree
½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or ¼ tsp. cinnamon and ⅛ tsp. each ground nutmeg and ground ginger)
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup hot, brewed coffee
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
1Tbsp. almond butter

In a saucepan over low heat, combine pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt, vanilla, and almond milk. Cook, stirring until warm and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Transfer pumpkin mixture to a high-speed blender and add coffee, maple syrup, and almond butter. Blend until well mixed and frothy. Drink immediately.

This version provides 210 calories, 9 grams of plant-based fat, 19 grams of carb with 13 from sugar (primarily from the maple syrup), and 4 grams of protein from the almonds.

While these numbers may not seem terribly impressive, the biggest advantages here are the sugar savings compared to commercial pumpkin spice lattes; and the real food ingredients, which are bundled with bonus nutrition.

Just two tablespoons of canned pumpkin packs nearly a day’s worth of immune-supporting vitamin A. Maple syrup supplies a solid amount of manganese, a mineral that helps produce collagen and promote skin and bone health. And almonds have been shown to help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, and support weight loss. Cheers to that.

Dessert Hummus Is Actually Amazing—Here’s How to Make It in Minutes



When I first heard about the dessert hummus trend, I was skeptical. After all, chocolate is sacred, and chickpeas have other important places to be, like in salads. But when I recently spotted a strategically placed container of brownie batter hummus by the supermarket cash register, I caved. Curiosity (and an unexpectedly straightforward ingredient list) got the best of me.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the brownie batter hummus, made by Delighted By Hummus ($5, walmart.com), contained real ingredients like coconut milk and pure vanilla extract. My excitement intensified when I tasted the hummus at home. I genuinely enjoy healthy sweets (think: sweet potato brownies), but the brownie batter hummus tasted decadent to me, deeply chocolatey and smooth. It wasn’t long before I found myself spooning it straight from the container. No shame.

My store-bought treat quickly convinced me that the dessert hummus trend is actually worth the hype, not to mention that the naturally vegan and gluten-free dessert serves up health benefits as well. A two-tablespoon serving of the brownie batter hummus I tried offered a small hit of plant-based protein and fiber from the chickpeas, plus some satiating fat from coconut oil and coconut milk, all for just 80 calories.

I’m not the only one drooling over dessert hummus; chefs are on board with the better-for-you dessert too. Pamela Salzman, a Los Angeles-based chef, included a recipe for chocolate hummus in her cookbook, Kitchen Matters ($23, amazon.com). Salzman, who is also a holistic health counselor and cooking instructor, says that while she's experimented with legumes in baked goods, she stumbled upon dessert hummus by chance.

“I was tweaking the black bean cookie dough bites recipe for my cookbook and tasted the batter and I thought the texture was similar to hummus,” Salzman tells Health. That’s when the light bulb went off to make a chocolate hummus. Because why not?

Salzman recommends pairing the sweet spread with apple slices and topping them with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Also genius: Remix her dessert hummus recipe (below) using your favorite mix-ins. “There are limitless ways to adapt this hummus,” she says. “You can add a drop of peppermint extract for a chocolate mint hummus, a pinch of cayenne pepper and cinnamon for a Mexican-inspired hummus, instant coffee powder for a mocha version, or top it with mini marshmallows and serve it with graham crackers for a healthier take on s’mores.”

Unlike other legume-based dessert recipes like black bean brownies or chickpea blondies, this one doesn’t require you to turn on the oven, making it the perfect treat for summer. Simply throw a few easy-to-find ingredients into your food processor, hit blend, and you’re done. Just beware you may want to lick the “batter” straight from the blender.

Chocolate Hummus


Makes: about 2 cups

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed (or sub white beans)

2 Medjool dates, pitted

⅓ cup unsweetened, unsalted, raw, or roasted almond butter

¼ cup pure grade A maple syrup

¼ cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup warm water


  1. Place all the ingredients, except the water, in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until smooth.
  2. With the motor running, add the warm water and process until combined.
  3. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

A Man Died From 'Flesh-Eating' Bacteria After Eating an Oyster. Here's What You Need to Know


A 71-year-old man died after eating what many consider a delicacy: raw oysters. The man, whose name has not been released, ate an oyster at a restaurant in Sarasota, Florida that turned out to be contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus bacteria. Said to have been dealing with underlying medical conditions, the man died two days later, USA Today reported.


Vibrio bacteria usually cause gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. But people with medicals issues such as liver disease, diabetes, stomach disorders, or other conditions that weaken the body’s typical immune response are at a higher risk of more serious complications or even death, according to the FDA. Anyone with one of these conditions showing symptoms of a Vibrio infection should get to a doctor ASAP.

Earlier this year, a Texas woman died after eating raw oysters as well. While on vacation in Louisiana, Jeannette LeBlanc, along with friends and family, picked up some shellfish, shucked and ate them, and soon after developed extreme side effects. Over the next couple of days, she had trouble breathing and developed severe sores and rashes. Once at the hospital, she was diagnosed with vibriosis, the name for an infection caused by Vibrio bacteria. LeBlanc fought the illness for three weeks, according to her wife Vicki Bergquist, and then died from the infection.

Due to the nature of the sores caused by Vibrio infections, the bacteria are often dubbed flesh-eating. Vibriosis is separate, however, from necrotizing fasciitis, commonly called a flesh-eating infection, which is caused by bacteria like group A strep, E. coli, and staph, according to the CDC. Still, around 80,000 people get sick with vibriosis every year and around 100 of them die, the CDC says. It’s estimated that around 52,000 of those cases are caused by eating contaminated food, mostly raw or undercooked shellfish.

So why all the finger-pointing at oysters? They feed by filtering water. If the water is contaminated with bad-guy bacteria, oysters can become contaminated too. There are some 12 different species of Vibrio living in salt or brackish water that oysters might come into contact with.

Swimmers are also at risk, but only if contaminated water gets into an open cut or wound. (Last year, a man died from vibriosis after swimming with a new tattoo.) "The words flesh-eating might make you think that if you touch it, it will degrade your skin on contact, and that’s not true," Gabby Barbarite, PhD, a Vibrio researcher at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, told Health in a previous interview. "You have to have a pre-existing cut—or you have to eat raw, contaminated seafood or chug a whole lot of contaminated water—for it to get into your bloodstream; it can’t break down healthy, intact skin."

While that's certainly a relief, it doesn't bode well for the raw bar: There’s little you can do to protect yourself other than eat your oysters cooked. Just because you're dining at a fancy establishment, eating your raw oysters with hot sauce, or chasing them with chardonnay, you're not safe from bacteria, according to the FDA. Heat is the only thing that will fully destroy those buggers, so order oysters fully cooked. (Cook them at home following a few easy FDA-approved safety tips, and make sure to always wash your hands with soap and water after touching raw shellfish.)

A small monk in the Tibetan temple - Digging into the Diet of a Tibetan Monk


Monks are some of the most revered members of society here in Tibet. They are viewed as the ultimate source of spiritual guidance, and—with their radiant beauty, and abundant, youthful energy—the pinnacle of optimal health. For this latter reason, it is often found that even those who do not subscribe to any particular religious faith are longing to emulate these holy men. And since we are what we eat, we’re digging into the details of a traditional Tibetan monks’ diet in an effort to become more like these men we hold in such high esteem.

Lacking fresh produce on the plateau, it's acceptable for Tibetan monks to dine on "clean meat".

First thing’s first, what exactly do they eat?

Tibetan monks are known to eat a diet high in vegetables and fruits, limiting their intake of proteins, fats and starches. Their approach to the consumption of foods such as eggs, butter and cheese? Eat the bare minimum, only enough to meet the body’s needs. For this reason, healthy individuals who have their nutrient requirements met go without these richer foods for periods of time, only returning to consuming them when need be.

The question of whether or not eating meat is acceptable is a perplexing one because there is no clear cut answer. Many Buddhist monks abide by vegetarianism, but then there are some, particularly those of the Yoga Tantric branch, who believe it is acceptable to dine on “clean meat,” especially since some regions of Tibet have sparse availability of fresh produce. For meat to qualify as clean, the individual who is to eat the flesh cannot have seen the animal from which it comes been brought to its death. In this same vein, the eater must be certain that the animal was not sacrificed directly for him- or herself.

Also of note, those who opt to eat meat will only consume cloven-hoofed animals (read: deer, antelopes, goats, sheep, cattle and gazelles), and will only do so when they can purchase them directly from the market.

Typical staples of a Tibetan monk’s diet include salads, beans, lentils, noodle soups, and stir-fried or steamed vegetable dishes. Simple and always seasonal, as they believe that which is presently growing on this earth is the exact food we are meant to be eating at this time of year for optimal nourishment.

The approach to consumption

To really understand a Tibetan monk’s diet, it may be more fruitful to look at how they eat rather than the minute details of the food itself.

Food combining
Keeping starches, fruits and vegetables separate from meat dishes, including fish and fowl, is key. It’s believed that the starchier foods (like bread, rice, and pasta) do not sit well in the stomach when consumed with foods higher in protein because of the difference in the ways these foods get digested.

To break down starchy foods, the body needs an alkaline environment, whereas to break down something like a steak, it requires a very acidic landscape. So, when you introduce two foods that promote opposite conditions in the stomach that cancel each other out, you end up with a neutral, ineffective environment. As a result, nothing gets digested well.

This is also why fruit is to be kept separate from other foods, because of the quicker rate at which it is broken down. The rule of thumb? Always eat fruit thirty to sixty minutes prior to other foods, to prevent internal distress. When your digestion is off, this tends to manifest immediately as pain and bloating of the stomach, and, importantly, the Tibetan monks believe that in the long term this can lead to a shorter lifespan.

Mono-Diet
In line with their beliefs surrounding food combining, the monks often spend chunks of time eating just one type of food as a type of cleansing practice. This utterly simple approach to feeding oneself is found to be easier on the stomach because it ensures there is no clash in terms of digestion. Examples of foods that have been eaten by monks in this style are bread, watermelon, potatoes, squash, carrots, and even meats.

Chew slowly
When you take the time to ensure you thoroughly masticate, you’re giving your body a heads up that food is on its way down to the stomach. This signal starts the process of digestion as those necessary juices that help break down your food become active and promote optimal nutrient absorption. Remember - the more work your teeth do, the less your stomach has to. So for less bloat, chew, chew chew.

Not too late
Because the process of digestion requires energy from the body, the monks are careful not to feed themselves late in the day. Optimal sleep is a priority for them, and this requires a slowing down of the bodily systems, a state of relaxation. This state runs contrary to the one signalled by the body when it receives food. So, ideally, the last meal is consumed prior to sundown, a few hours before laying down to rest.

Eats as a group and in silence
Eating is often done at the same time every day, and always following the practice of meditation. So, when monks come together at mealtime, they are still in this state of prayer and deep relaxation. Although they are eating communally, they take their meals in utter silence, which keeps them focused on their food and their satiation, making sure not to overeat.

No snacking or sneaking
Since it is tradition to come together and treat the feeding of oneself as a sacred act, sneaking food between meals when one is alone is simply not apart of the food philosophy. It is not mindful and therefore not done.

Why do they abide by this style of eating?

Aside from optimal digestion promoted in their food combining and slow, conscious eating style, there are a number of other benefits that come from eating like a monk in Tibet.

Namely, vibrancy and vitality. With pure, whole foods making up the entirety of the diet, that leaves no room for processed junk, which leaves us feeling sluggish, lacklustre and prone to sickness. In place, we’re consuming colourful, live foods that are nutrient-dense and give us back that long sought after youthful vigour.

In addition, we get spiritual benefits from eating in this way. Learning to treat mealtime as a communal, sacred experience makes us thankful for what we are consuming, and promotes sociability. Plus, in reverting to eating such unprocessed dishes as those enjoyed by the monks, we can appreciate the beauty of simple, meek food, coming to understand that we do not need fancy foods to satisfy us. With that mindset shift, we become free from food trends and can find solace in knowing we can survive on poor man’s meals like lentils and beans.

A traditional meal and drink to try

String Beans with Potatoes
This hot dish is comprised of predominantly beans and potatoes, which are cut into small strips so that they match in shape and size with the beans. To enhance taste, the vegetables are fried in oil. The mélange gets its delectable flavour from the onions, herbs and spices the veggies are sautéd in: garlic, paprika, ginger root, and chilli peppers. At the end, boiled tomatoes and chunks of tofu are added, along with a splattering of soy sauce, a dash of red pepper and salt, and a sprinkling of finely chopped green onions.

String beans are fried with potatoes

Yak Butter Tea
Butter is regarded as one of those special ingredients in Tibet, the only that combines nicely with both starches and proteins, and capable of producing the miraculous results it does when added to black tea. Mountain climbers have come to rely on yak butter tea—made traditionally with black Pemagul tea—when they embark on expeditions. They claim it wards off plateau sicknesses and brings them immeasurable energy. You can make your own using any black tea you may have, and adding in butter, milk and a dash of salt.

A Tibetan monk is making yak butter tea

We can’t wait to try incorporating more Tibetan meals into our daily routine and begin experimenting with the monks’ mindful approach to ingesting food. Remember: slowly, thoroughly and in humble quantities. Curious about other areas of a Tibetan monk’s lifestyle we can benefit from? Try meditation, sleeping eight hours, taking baths, and engaging in regular exercise.