Thursday, April 28, 2011

Delicious Foods That Lower Cholesterol

The cholesterol in your body can always be adjusted by your diet, and you should always remember that. In order to adjust your cholesterol level (if you have a high cholesterol level or simply want to keep it under control) you can always check it with low cholesterol diets that have the potential to control the cholesterol.
The number of diets that are low in cholesterol is increasing every day. Still, even if you do not have high cholesterol levels but you are over the age of 4o, it is advisable to take these low cholesterol diets. What does this article cover? Look below:

What are your low cholesterol diet options
What are the low fat foods you should look for
What are the best cholesterol lowering diets for you

Whenever searching for low cholesterol diets, remember that it is there to help people lower their cholesterol. In some cases, your doctor may suggest you take a cholesterol lowering diet if your cholesterol level is too high. A cholesterol lowering diet involves cutting down on certain foods that contribute to high cholesterol and usually include a low fat diet plan.

Low cholesterol diet options

Cholesterol lowering diets are very popular these days so there are a few different types available for you to choose. Because fats have the greatest impact on raising the level of cholesterol in your system, cholesterol lowering diets will involve a smaller fat intake and you to follow a low fat diet plan. Some popular ways to lower cholesterol through diet are listed below:

The Mediterranean diet: This diet consists mainly of eating lots of vegetables fruits and grains. A very small amount of red meat is allowed in this certain diet. Some dairy products and fish and poultry can also be eaten. Wine is recommended to be consumed with every meal.

http://www.italialiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mediterranean-diet-food-pyramid.jpg

Vegetarian diet: This diet mainly consists on not eating any kind of meat, poultry or fish. Milk-based products are not included either. The vegetarian diet mainly consists of lots of fruits, grains and vegetables. Also, soy products and nuts and seed may be eaten.

http://www.a-vegetarian-diet.com/images/Fruitveg2.jpg

Mayo clinic diet: The Mayo Clinic Diet is designed for those who want to lower both their cholesterol level but also their high blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic diet generally involves lots of fruit and vegetables but also healthy servings from all food groups.

http://photos.demandstudios.com/162/182/fotolia_4060952_XS.jpg

This may help you on your wedding food ideas for your guests and for your family.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Really Delicious Vegetarian Wedding Food

http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/wp/wp-content/wedding1.jpg 

Lots of people are vegetarians these days, and even if the bride and groom are serious carnivores, they may well have many wedding guests who abstain from eating meat. If the bride or groom happen to be vegetarians, naturally they will want to plan their wedding menu accordingly, but even if they are not, it is very considerate to include some non-meat options for guests who are vegetarian. Check out these really delicious ideas for vegetarian wedding foods...they are so tasty that you might even find the carnivores choosing them over the steak dinner!

Regional and comfort foods are huge wedding trends these days. The great news is that a lot of them can be easily adapted to suit vegetarians. The bar or station works especially well, as it allows each guest to customize his own food. For a Southern style wedding, set up a grits station. Start with plain grits (not instant!) and offer additions like green onions, cheese, butter, grilled vegetables, shrimp, and bacon. This is a crowd-pleasing idea, and including the shrimp and bacon will also make it appealing to the meat-eaters in your family. A similar idea is a mashed potato bar, featuring sour cream, butter, bacon bits, scallions, cheese, and steamed broccoli.

http://blackweddings.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/vegetarian-vegan-wedding.jpg

Like each bride, no two weddings are exactly alike. One bride might favor a formal handmade silk gown with crystal wedding jewelry, and another bride might favor a simple linen dress and funky handmade wedding jewelry. If your style runs to informal and fun, your wedding food should be too. A really fun idea which will appeal to vegetarians and carnivores alike is a pizza station at the cocktail hour. Start with unbaked miniature individual sized pizzas dressed only with sauce, and allow each guest to choose their toppings. The possibilities are virtually endless. Classic toppings like pepperoni and sausage will please the traditionalists, and then there are gourmet toppings like goat cheese and carmelized onions, fresh and shredded mozzarella, mushrooms, onions, peppers, pineapples, fresh basil, and on and on. Have a chef on hand to pop the pizzas into the oven and bring them back out to guests as they are ready.

A lot of vegetarians like faux meat and tofu, so you may wish to consider some of them for your vegetarian reception options. A tofu stir fry or curry dish would be a great addition to a buffet reception, and would be a true main dish (since a lot of people assume that their vegetarian friends can make do with salad and the vegetable side dishes). For a winter wedding, you could offer vegetarian chili, with or without a meat substitute. Even a mini-taco station at the cocktail hour would be a fun idea and you could include a fake meat cooked with the taco seasoning for guests to build their appetizer with. Although a mini-taco bar may not sound especially elegant, it is likely to be very popular, particularly with the male guests.

http://www.saidaonline.com/en/newsgfx/wedding%20food-saidaonline.jpg

Pasta is always a safe thing to serve vegetarians, and there are so many delicious varieties. In the fall, a hearty squash ravioli would be sure to delight. Then there are the rich cheesy dishes like manicotti or stuffed shells - yum! In the spring, a light angel hair served with fresh seasonal vegetables and drizzled with olive oil would be lovely. And let's not forget about mushrooms, which are a great tasting way to make a meatless meal feel substantial. Wild mushrooms are fantastic in pasta or risotto, they combine beautifully with goat cheese and herbs to create an elegant tart, and a large grilled portobello mushroom in a sauce is as satisfying as a steak (well, almost). With so many truly delicious options, there is no reason why vegetarian wedding guests have to feel like second-class citizens anymore!