Chic-Shuk Secrets

Ever since I was a little girl, I remember my grandmother used to say: ”Olive oil is the best”. I never knew exactly why at that time, however became aware of its benefits later on. I used to add olive oil to everything, even when I deep fried food. Then one day, I read in a cooking magazine that deep frying using olive oil can be not less then- health risky. Many recipes call for cooking and salad oils, however selecting the best kind for various uses can confuse even seasoned cooks. 

In this post, I will explain how to choose the best oil for each purpose, keeping in mind flavor, health benefits, and cooking secrets.

A little about OILS :

Oils are mostly liquid at room temperature. They come from plants such as seeds like Grape or Sun-flower, fruits like Olives, nuts like Peanuts and legumes like Soybeans. Oils are %100 percent fat, however their fat is made up of various pro-portions of few fatty acids:

• The “GOOD” Fats: Poly-unsaturated and Mono-unsaturated. Those can help improve blood cholesterol profiles, ease arterial inflammation and stabilize heart rhythms, which result in a healthier cardiovascular system. 

• And, the “BAD” Fat: Saturated, which can elevate harmful cholesterol. Another “bad” fat in oils is: Trans fat, which is created by manufactures by altering the chemical structure of oil in order to increase its shelf life.

An Ideal all purpose oil will be, of course- low in Trans fat and Saturated fat and high in Mono/Poly-saturated fat. In addition, look for a “Cold-Pressed” processed since it means- preserving antioxidants and vitamins, therefore worth the extra cost.

It is very important knowing what is the Smoke Point of each oil you consume since the smoke point is the temperature at which oil burns, becomes health-risky and can easily start a fire. That is the main reason why certain oils are better for high heat cooking then other.

A number of factors can impact the smoke point of any fat: presence of sodium, number of times oil is used, length of time oil is heated or storage of oil (exposure to oxygen, light, temperature). Fats that have gone past their smoke points contain a large quantity of free radicals which contribute to risk of cancer.

Oils such as: extra virgin Olive, Peanut, Grapseeds and Seseme have mid-low Smoke-Point at approximately 320F / 160C degrees, therefore recommended for dressing, low-heat cooking or beauty products. However, oils like Canola and Sunflower or Soybean can be used for high-temperature cooking as deep-frying. 

Olive Oil

Canola Oil

 

Blueberries are one of the most nutritious and powerful fruit in the world. It has been proven to have certain health benefits such as help regulate blood sugar levels- Important for those who want to slow down their aging process and preventing diabetes, reduce obesity, wrinkles and a host of degenerative diseases. Blueberries are chock-full of antioxidants as well, because of their dark color (most foods with dark colors in them have some of these really protecting antioxidant chemicals.

Click here to learn more about Blueberries: 

Blueberries: Natural Beauty

With all eyes watching for a long time, Oprah Winfrey  had to battle her weight for years. However, according to celebrity blogs, she has found a diet that is successful and works for her the best. With the help of trainer Bob Greene, Oprah consumes a diet rich in lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables and also limits her alcohol consumption, refined carbohydrates and sugar. She is a beautiful woman that has managed to loose weight and keep it off.

One of Oprah`s major Diet Secret is not to eat close to bedtime, and another secret is including BLUEBERRIES in her everyday diet routine since they are favorite and most nutritious, anti-aging fruits. 

Discover more about the Secrets Of Blueberries:

Is Salt Really Bad for our Diet?

There is no doubt that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle diet we should all eat low fat food and drink a lot of water on a regular daily base, right?!  It is also known that baked is better then fried, that sweets normally contain too many carbs and “empty calories” and that cholesterol is bad. We do remember that whole grain is much better then white and that fruits and vegetables are always the best preferable snacks.  When it comes to a diet, there are many well known “roles” as some of the above and one important rule is less sodium. However, many of you must have asked yourself at some point- Why Salt? Is Salt Really Bad for us? What is there to Sodium that is restricted to weight watchers and many diet programs?  True, for years we were told that salt can higher our blood pressure, though new and recent studies claims that salt by itself is not enough to higher blood pressure and does not necessarily raise the risk of heart disease. Sodium is naturally being balanced by another mineral- Potassium. Banana, for example, is high in potassium.  Make sure you get enough of that mineral.  

However, what is there to salt and loosing weight?

Everybody loves to sprinkle a dash of salt on their meals so then why is Sodium being restricted? Salt does not cause your body to gain or lose fat. In fact, salt has no calories. Basically, high consumption of salt can results in temporary weight gain as it causes your body to retain water. Conversely, low consumption of salt can result in temporary weight loss as it causes your body to expel water. You would find many crash diets which boast quick weight loss rely on foods with little or no salt content. The weight loss achieved by these diets is mostly water, and as soon as you eat foods containing salt again you regain the weight.

Sodium darkest secret is that high levels of salt in our diets usually come from calorie dense and fiber poor. You may be surprised to find that what you think are healthy food products may be high in sodium. Did you know that a bowl of Cheerios has more sodium than a serving of Ruffles potato chips? Processed and manufactured foods like those found in fast food restaurants or on supermarket shelves such as tomato sauce, soups, condiments, canned foods and prepared mixes are high in sodium and bad for our diet.  Therefore, as a result, if you adhere to a low salt diet, it will likely consist of the lower calorie, healthier foods associated with weight loss.

Fresh figs are well known for their high fiber, calcium, potassium and iron more then most other common fruits. Unfortunately they only have a short window of availability, during mid- to late summer and are incredibly delicate as well, with a shelf life of three days or less. Figs are not only healthy and contain disease-fighting antioxidants, but versatile in recipes. Even though they are nearly perfect eaten out of hand, fresh figs make delightful addition to salads, pan sauces, meat and desserts.

My Endless-Summer Fresh Figs Salad :

This Mediterranean style, contrasting tastes and texture salad, creates an amazingly main course for all of you weight watchers out there, or for anyone who can enjoy a fun, fresh taste of summer salad, all year round. The secret is simple: if you cant find fresh figs: use dried ones!

 Salad ingredients:

5 fresh figs- washed, and cut into quarters.

½ cantaloupe melon, peeled, seeded and diced.

300g washed salad mixed green

200g low fat feta cheese, cut into small pieces.

For the dressing, separately mix:

 ½ red onion, diced

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of honey

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:   Place all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl and add dressing mix just before serving.  Toss all delicately and serve!