Thursday, August 11, 2011

Foods For Effective Colon Cleansing

Problems with the digestive system are among the greatest and the most dangerous, but are often the most commonly ignored. One of the most prevalent causes of digestive problems starts with a problem in the colon. The colon serves as the waste disposal unit of the body. This is where waste and toxic substances are deposited before they are passed from the body.

Colon Cleansing - What Is This,Visit To Know

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A properly functioning colon needs to be able to absorb nutrients and then remove the waste materials before they can poison the body. If waste materials are not properly removed autointoxication occurs or re-absorption of the toxic waste. It is really very easy for putrefied waste to be absorbed through the colon wall into the bloodstream and then start damaging other organs of the body. A person may be considered having a healthy colon if he or she is having bowel movements two to three times per day.


Picking the Right Tomato for your Garden


Could you imagine where the pizza industry would be today without tomato sauce? The top two condiments in the United States, ketchup and salsa, are tomato-based. It is safe to say that the tomato is an all-American culinary entity, a piece of Americana sharing ranks with apple pie, maple syrup, and that staple of staples, good ole corn. We've become very familiar with the pale, mild-flavored hybrid tomatoes in the supermarkets, the thick canned pastes, and those cute little cherries at your local salad bar. But, for those of us who really love tomatoes, and are looking for something a little more unique or very specific, we grow our own. I am going to attempt to briefly cover the basics of tomato varieties that gardeners should be familiar with.

Determinate vs. Indeterminate

Many growers have heard these terms applied to a few different fruits. These words refer to the specific plant's fruit production habit.

Determinate tomato varieties produce one large crop and then produce little or no fruit for the rest of the season. They are usually shorter than indeterminate varieties and have a fixed height. So, there is no need to stake them. These are often paste or plum tomato varieties.

Indeterminate or the vining varieties are going to be the most common variety for home gardening. They produce a continuous crop all summer until frost, and then they will start to die back.

Tomato Varieties

Your standard or slicing tomatoes are the common medium-sized round tomatoes. These will most often be used in soups or sliced for salads. You've seen these in six-pack trays at your local supermarket.

Beef Steak are big tomatoes, some up to 2 pounds. These are the ones that, when sliced, fit sandwiches and burgers very nicely. Beef Steak varieties are also great for stuffing and baking. They are rarely found in supermarkets because their size and tenderness makes them more trouble than they are worth for big retailers. However, they are a home garden dream, a big tasty return on the simple investment in a tiny packet of seeds. Some popular cultivars of this variety are 'Better Boy', 'Big Beef', and 'Park's Whopper'.

Cherry tomatoes are very small tomatoes, ranging from barely bigger than your finger tip to the size of a golf ball. They are often very sweet and perfect by themselves just as a snack. They are the sublime salad tomato because they add lots of flavor, and you don't have to slice them. The elongated smaller and sweeter grape tomatoes are also a tasty variation of the cherry tomato. Cherry tomato plants produce a large amount of fruit, so you don't have to plant many to get plenty of tomatoes.

Paste or plum tomatoes are, as the name suggests, often used for canning and sauces. They work well for this because they are less juicy than other varieties, they don't have a core, and they have far less seeds than other varieties. They are usually small and slightly elongated or €pear-shaped.€ They are often lumped together as €Roma€ tomatoes, which is actually just one cultivar of this tomato variety.

Choose Your Tomato Wisely

Breeders have had fun with this popular garden plant. They come in all sizes and colors, from pink and striped to almost black. But, the best way to pick your tomato is to grow for your needs. If you want sandwich tomatoes, grow Beef Steaks. If you love tomatoes in your salad, try some different cherry varieties. If your garden is the source for most of your canned goods, you should probably try to grow a few paste tomatoes. Growing your own tomatoes will give you power over selection and power over growing methods. It is cheaper than than buying them at the supermarket, and it can be much more rewarding. Have a good time in your garden, and grow the tomato that's just right for you.


Did You Know? Facts About Tomatoes


Tomatoes have been grown and used in the world throughout the ages. They can be used raw in salads and garnishing, they can be processed into pastes, ketchups, and sauces. Green unripe tomatoes can also be fried, pickled, or used to make salsa.

Tomatoes can also be squeezed into juices, and used in alcoholic drinks like the bloody mary. Botanically, a tomato is a berry which is a subset of fruit but it has often, for culinary reasons, been called a vegetable, due to its savory flavor. I hope that settles the argument.

Tomatoes form a large part of Euro Mediterranean cuisine. This is most visible in Middle Eastern and Italian food. Pizza is incomplete without a shred of tomato while pasta sauces are predominantly made from this heavenly fruit. Both Spanish and Catalan cuisine have been noted for their love of tomatoes in their food.

Tomatoes have a high level of acidity and this makes them ideal for preservation by canning. They can be canned either wholly, in parts or even as pastes or sauces. The tomato fruit can also be preserved by sun drying. It is often sold in bags or soaked in jars of specifically olive oil.


The Two Types of Tasty Tomatoes


The tomato is the most popular plant in gardens around the world. Originally a tropical fruit, they can now be grown by nearly everyone, just about anywhere. Store-bought tomatoes can only dream of having the fresh, sweet taste of a ripe tomato from your own garden. There are two major types of tomato plants € determinate and indeterminate. Which one is better for you depends on your growing conditions and what kinds of tomatoes you want from your garden.

Determinate tomato plants are sometimes called "bush" tomatoes. The typically grow to approximately four feet in height and don't necessarily require caging or staking, though it can help. The plants stop growing with the fruit sets on the top or terminal bud and the tomatoes will ripen at approximately the same time, usually within a two week period, then they will die off.

Since all the fruits ripen around the same time, determinate tomatoes are popular for those making and canning tomato sauce, salsa and other tomato-based foods. It's much easier to cook up all your tomatoes at once rather than spread the process out over the entire season.


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Health Benefits of Juicing - What are They?


There are many health benefits of juicing fresh fruits and vegetables that will make just about anyone a believer in the power of a juicing diet. Aside from the unique and delicious tastes you will experience through juicing fresh produce, what are some of these benefits? This article answers that question.

First, let's define juicing. Juicing is the process of extracting or separating the juice of fruits and vegetables from the pulp. A masticating juicer is recommended to get the most juice out of many types of produce. This type of juicer releases the juice from the pulp by literally tearing and breaking down the fruit's fiber.

Cooking vegetables and fruits or eating processed and canned fruits often fall short in providing sufficient nutrition for good health. The process by which the food items are prepared, i.e., heating, cooking, canning, etc., causes essential micro-nutrients to be destroyed. To get the most out of fresh produce, it is best to eat them raw or turn them into juice.

One of the best health benefits of juicing is the rich nutritional value that it adds to your diet. Fresh vegetables and fruits are rich in enzymes, vitamins, antioxidants, and essential minerals that are often destroyed during the canning process. Juicing produce provides maximum benefits compared to eating cooked or processed food.

Nutrition and health specialists recommend eating a specific amount of fruit and vegetables every day. However, many people fail to eat the required amount, due to factors such as lack of time, dislike of vegetables, eating other foods, and so forth. Juicing makes it easy to meet nutritional requirements because you can combine several different kinds of fruits and/or vegetables in one juicing process - which consequently provides more nutrients in one sitting.

If you get tired of juicing the same fruits and vegetables, you can add some variety by preparing a new juice mix every day. There are numerous healthy juice recipes that are available on many online websites. Be adventurous, try out some different recipes and enjoy a delicious glass of juice for good health.


How To Make Homemade Relish For Canning


When I first started making relish, I thought it would be a hard and tedious task. Once I made my first batch, I realized that it was a lot easier than what I thought it would be.

Relishes make a great accompaniment for hot dogs, hamburgers, poultry and fish. You can also use it on crackers or your favorite party bread.

To get started, you will need a few supplies:

water bath canner
canning jars, rings and seals (I used pint-sized jars)
ladle (for spooning the hot mixture into the jars)
funnel
jar lifter (to lift the jars out of the hot water)
2 oven mitts (I like using mitts to prevent any accidental burns to my hands)
clean cotton drying cloth or kitchen towel

You will want to follow the instructions that came with your water bath canner for sterilizing and processing your jars. Always inspect your jars for defects before using them.

Honey Raisin-berry Relish

5 cups raisins5 cups water
1 1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup walnuts, chopped

In a large saucepan, combine raisins, water, honey and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until honey melts and ingredients are blended. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cranberries and lemon peel, return to a boil and then lower heat to simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until liquid barely covers raisins and cranberries. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped walnuts. Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/2" head space, wipe rims clean, seal and process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes. Makes 8 cups.

Green Tomato Relish

2 quarts green tomatoes
3 red sweet peppers
3 green sweet peppers
3 large onions
3 tablespoons salt
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons celery seed
2 tablespoo ns turmeric seed

Finely chop the tomatoes, peppers and onions and add to a large bowl with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse. In a large stockpot combine vegetable mixture with the remaining ingredients. Boil mixture for 5-7 minutes. Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/2" head space, wipe rims clean, seal and process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes.


Canning - How To Make Homemade Pear Chutney Recipe


During the fall, we enjoy making some homemade pear chutney. This recipe is very easy to prepare because it uses canned pears instead of fresh ones.

You can preserve your chutney for up to 2 weeks by refrigerating it or you can seal your jars in a water bath canner to preserve it for up to 1 year. I usually double my recipe and keep one jar in the refrigerator and can the rest.

Pear Chutney Recipe

29 oz. can of diced pears with syrup (juice)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup cider vinegar