Easy Healthy Recipes

One concern people often have before they set off on a luxury holiday in South Africa is that the food won’t be to their tastes. The truth is that South African food is a melting pot of the best bits from its varied history. There are aspects of European, local and Indian dishes throughout the country’s cuisine, but here are some of the best picks, depending on how daring you’re feeling on your South Africa holiday…

For those who want to stick to what they know…

So you want to head out on a luxury holiday to South Africa, but are terrified that you won’t be able to find anything your taste buds will approve of? Not to worry – assuming you’re staying in one of the big cities, you’ll find a huge range of foods representing the best of international cuisine. Johannesburg alone boasts everything from French and Italian to Brazilian and Korean eateries – and a hamburger is never far away if you need. In addition the majority of luxury hotels in South Africa offer a generous international menu to ensure that their clients are satisfied, so playing it safe and sticking to what you know shouldn’t be difficult, whatever you’re craving.

For those who want a taste of South Africa…

Perhaps the most famous South African export is biltong – a cured dry meat, similar to jerky (only thicker). If you haven’t sampled this flavourful snack, then getting it from a South African butcher is a great place to start – and will give you the choice between ‘wet’, ‘medium’ or ‘dry’.

Outside of the biltong, the best way to sample some traditional cookery is on the braai – the South African barbeque. All kinds of meat, fish, potato and onions are cooked over hot coals outdoors, and you’ll find that every suburban house (and many of South Africa’s luxury hotels) has a braai area (some even have indoor ones, too!). The pick of the grill are the sosaties (kebabs), boerewars (coarsely cut spicy sausages), steaks and ribs. You may find these meats are accompanied by pap (a traditional porridge) or vetkoek (deep fried dough balls). It makes for a very satisfying meal!

Away from the braai, Bobotie is a must – a sort of spicy cottage pie. It generally consists of spiced minced meat (and sometimes fruit) baked with an egg based toping.

For the brave…

If you really want to blend in with the locals’ traditional cuisine on your South Africa holiday, there are some (apparently!) very tasty recipes that may seem a little on the “exotic side” for Western palettes. Two dishes spring to mind – firstly Skop. Skop is the whole head of a sheep, cow or goat, skin, nose, ears and other bits removed and then boiled. Certainly not to everyone’s tastes, but maybe slightly more than Mashonzha, which is Mopani caterpillar cooked with chilli, and usually eaten with peanuts. Don’t worry – most luxury hotels in South Africa will have something more conventional if you’re feeling squeamish!

And to wash it down…

The country’s Winelands are a popular attraction to South Africa’s holiday makers, so why not enjoy some of their fine produce with your meal? The grapes from the Cape area make rather nice pinotage and hanepoort which accompany most meats rather pleasantly. If wine isn’t your thing, then there are a number of international beverages available quite widely. Beer is also very popular, and if you want to enter the spirit, then Castle, Amstel and Black Label are all popular local brands.

If this sounds a bit too intimidating for you, don’t forget that a luxury South Africa holiday will usually take in its fair share of familiar looking restaurants, so no matter what you’re craving, you’ll find it in the bigger cities. It’s worth trying some of the local food to get the full experience and who knows, you may be missing the smoke of the braai on your return to England!

Amanda Wood is a South Africa expert for key2holidays, an online tour operator specialising in South Africa holidays, as well as trips to Australia, Cuba, the Caribbean, Europe, the Far East, the Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles, Egypt and the Arabian Gulf. Key2holidays has a dedicated team of experienced travel consultants to share their knowledge and help you to plan and book your ideal holiday.

Are you a regular morning drinker of Starbucks or any other espresso? There’s a huge amount of people out there who spend thousands on daily espresso shots when simply purchasing an espresso machine will pay for itself many times over in just a few weeks. But what makes a top of the range espresso machine? There are many elements involved in determining the best espresso machine and when you put those elements together you should not only get something that can deliver the perfect shot of espresso but also looks great in your kitchen. The first thing you need to do is set a realistic budget before you even start comparing espresso machines and features. $500 to $1,000 is a realistic budget for the best espresso machine. Before you hit the floor in shock at those figures sit down and do an honest evaluation of how much you really spend each year on espresso from your local coffee shop.

See? If we say an average espresso from a shop is around $3, then you’ll have paid off your machine within 6 months if you stop buying from shops and use your machine. It makes a ton of sense to seriously look at purchasing your very own espresso machine.

When you finally figure out that what you really want in life is a good espresso machine, you are most likely going to want to take a good look around to find the right one for you. These babies aren’t cheap so plan and do your research ahead of time so you know exactly what you are looking for.

Making the right espresso, however, is a combination of science and art. A certain flair is desirable when making this characterful beverage. Making espresso does require a certain amount of talent.

Because of the value attached to the best espresso machine it only makes sense that your espresso machine should reflect not only its value but the savings it represents for years to come. Make sure your best espresso machine is something that you are proud to have and display in front of visitors and friends. The best espresso machine is something that makes a statement about you before you even start brewing the coffee.

Consistency Is Best

Cheaper espresso machines will often use a steam method to make espresso and this can be inconsistent and sometimes pretty terrible. When you are shopping for the best espresso machine always consider machines, and manufacturers, known for their ability to always produce the best shot of espresso possible and for their consistency. It’s probably best to avoid inconsistent machines, unless of course they are beautifully designed and you’re buying it with looks in mind. Also consider whether or not the espresso machine creates a creamy top to the espresso. Above all, enjoy shopping for your best espresso machine because it may be the only one you ever have to buy. And just think of those lifetime coffee shop savings!

Elizabeth T James is a freelance journalist and health & nutrition enthusiast. For more tips on buying an espresso machine go to Espresso Machine Advisor

When it comes to sugar-free or diabetic chocolate there is a warning on the label stating that it has a laxative effect. That is because when people enjoy too much of the chocolate that contains the sugar alcohol Maltitol it can result in digestive upset. The American Dietetic Association ‘advises that more 50 grams of sorbitol or 20 grams of mannitol per day can cause diarrhea.

But the reason that diabetic chocoholics like it so much is that it is slowly absorbed in the intestinal tract so only a small portion is digested and absorbed therefore they don’t need to use little to no insulin. Therefore diabetics really need to read the label to see how many grams of sugar alcohol is in the product. Although there have been chocolates for diabetics for years, once in a while a person will encounter an less then authentic taste with chocolate.

There are newer forms of diabetic chocolates based on maltitol. Maltitol is a natural occurring sugar found in starch. These sugar-free chocolates based on maltitol don’t have the same unpleasant aftertaste that other artificial sweeteners often have. Besides maltitol is very stable and has high melting point making it great for in the of making chocolate.

Maltitol based chocolates tastes almost as sweet as sugar based chocolates except fewer calories and doesn’t cause tooth decay like sugar does. An additional benefit of Maltitol is that unless you eat an excessive amount of the chocolate it shouldn’t cause stomach upset. it also as a replacement of fat and it still gives the chocolate that rich creamy taste.

In the recent past diabetic chocolates were based on saccharin which became popular during the Second World War because the sugar supplies were scarce.

During the sixties sweeteners were blended with saccharin were in attempts to improve texture and flavour. So when in the 80′s when aspartame came into being was like the greatest thing that came along since sliced bread. That was because it could be blended with fruit flavors.However, this has caused some misconceptions about “diabetic” foods among people with diabetes.

Unfortunately people confuse sugar-free from diabetic. Thinking that they can indulge themselves, sugar-free still has carbohydrates.

What people don’t realize is that they can make their own diabetic chocolate.

You start with finding sugar-free nuggets and wafers that can be used in diabetic chocolate. It takes a little research on the internet. Then once that is done then get molds that you like. Then melt the chocolate slowly over a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler then just use a pot over another pot that has the water in it. Just make sure that no water gets into the chocolate otherwise it gets really runny. Stir continually so it doesn’t burn! That is very important I found out myself! Some people try the microwave oven but you have to do it very slowly at 30 second intervals, once again so it doesn’t burns. But on the up side there isn’t any water contamination.

Once the chocolate is properly melted just pour it into the molds and let it harden (this is a cheat, put in the refrigerator.)

So a word to the wise just watch yourself so you don’t eat too much. There are that problem of that would be diarrhea and since so have a high fat contain there maybe a some weight issues. So read the labels before you buy.

Chris loves chocolate and loves to write about it and share his knowledge with others. To find out more about sugar free chocolate visit www.ultimatechocolateshoppe.com

For many years before the scientific discovery of the many and good nutritional values of peanut butter, many diet-conscious people treated and considered peanut butter as a forbidden food for them. Savvy dieter shuddered at the sight of peanut butter in their tables. Most dieters believed that peanut butter is not part of their healthy diet as it has relatively high fat content. But with scientific studies, professional testimonies and approved health benefits of peanut butter to one’s body, peanut butter is now considered a healthy food. People on diet can now infuse peanut butter into their healthful menu.

Peanut butter fudge may now be considered as a health food, but to overindulge on it remains unhealthy. While adding nuts or peanut butter to one’s diet may mean adding some health benefits to one, it must be remembered too that adding peanut or peanut butter will add calories also. Now that eating peanut butter has been scientifically proven to be healthy, there is nothing more to worry about the trans fat contained for it will not do wrong to one’s body for as long as eating peanut butter will done in moderation. Peanut butter fudge may be high in calories, but if you have a moderate intake of peanut butter, then you are still within your diet’s range.

Peanut Butter Can Help Lose Weight

According to research conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, people who do eat foods with high fat content like avocados, olive oil, and peanut butter are more expected to lose weight faster than those people who keep following a strictly controlled diet.

Peanut butter fudge is great-tasting food. Even if a person is on diet, eating peanut butter fudge will not leave him or her feeling deprived of enjoying everyone’s sweet indulgence treats.

Guiltless Peanut Butter Fudge Pleasure

According to studies, a person on diet can still eat peanut butter or the better-tasting peanut butter fudge without feeling diet-guilty. Eating not more than 6 tablespoons of peanut butter a day or consuming peanut butter fudge with less than 2,200 total calories a day can be a healthy habit to make you lose half a pound each day. Remember that a single peanut butter serving is equivalent to two tablespoons, and an ounce of peanuts is equal to one serving. With this information, anyone on a diet can still have lose weight even if he or she on a peanut butter and peanut butter fudge diet. Research and studies conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that women, men, and children who consumed a daily dose of peanut butter or peanuts were able to meet the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for nutrients and vitamins than who did not eat peanut butter or peanut . This therefore gives as a license to indulge in peanut butter or peanut butter fudge but not to overindulge it. Too much of everything can bring danger to one’s health.

Tanner’s Pecan and Candies showcase peanut butter delights for your choosing. Visit now and order the ones that meet your taste bud’s liking.

A little Peanut Butter Fudge never hurt! At Tanners Pecan, we make a delicious Peanut Butter Pecan Fudge.