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Decoding the Secret Language of Food Expiration Dates

Decoding the Secret Language of Food Expiration Dates
Americans tend to harbor dark suspicions about that forgotten can of beans in the back of the pantry, far past its sell-by date. If you’re like most consumers, you probably just toss expired items on the better-safe-than-sorry principle (unless, perhaps, it’s a Twinkie). But there’s a good chance many aged food remains totally safe to eat, according to a new report (PDF) that blames the flawed food-dating system for tons of perfectly edible food getting wasted each year. While many consumers consider the dates printed on foods a hard deadline, they actually indicate maximum quality or freshness, not safety, explains David Fikes, vice president in charge of consumer affairs at the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), a food trade group. While some of those products are donated to food banks, many end up in the landfill. One of the problems, NRDC scientist Dana Gunders says, is that none of the myriad ways foods are labeled actually tell consumers when they should throw out a product. Related:  Cooking techniques/web goods&products

Why you shouldn’t go to the doctor at 10 a.m. on a Friday This mock appointment book shows the most and least popular times for Americans to schedule a doctor’s visit during the week. Overall, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the most popular times for any kind of appointment; Tuesday is the most popular day; and Friday at 10 a.m. is the most popular time slot of all. If you’re in need of a checkup, steer clear! The data come from ZocDoc, an online service that uses access to scores of appointment books from across the country to help patients schedule visits more efficiently. A user enters her insurance policy, zip code, and the kind of specialist she wants to see, and ZocDoc shoots back a list of available appointments, which she can book from the site. The patterns revealed by ZocDoc’s scheduling data beg for psychological analysis.

How to Make Bone Broth (and Why Is it So Healthy?) With cold and flu season upon us, you might want to learn how to make bone broth so you can stock up on this superliquid. For those, not in the know, bone broth is stock on steroids (not literally, of course). Back before meat and vegetables came already cut up and wrapped in styrofoam and plastic, our grandparents used to make mineral rich bone broth from bones, scraps and other leftover bits. What Is Bone Broth? Everyone knows what stock is, right? Why Is it So Healthy? Bone broth is rich in vitamins, minerals, good fats and tissue-restorative collagen. Don’t take my word for it though; read more about why bone broth is considered a superfood from The Paleo Mom, the Whole 9 and Wellness Mama. How to Make Bone Broth I make two kinds of bone broth–chicken and beef. Ingredients: 2 pounds of good quality beef bones (I usually get knuckles and rib bones from a local butcher. How-to make bone broth: Place bones in a crock pot. Related on Organic Authority 4 Tips for Super Soup Recipes

Cauliflower Soup I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Come closer now…come closer. Lean in. Are you ready? I’m going to whisper. Okay, so I just made a big deal out of nothing. Keep in mind that while this soup may appear to have a lot of steps, there’s nothing difficult about it. Here’s what you’ll need: The Cast of Characters: Cauliflower, Carrot, Onion, Celery, Chicken Broth or Stock, Milk, Half & Half, Butter, Flour, Salt, Pepper, Sour Cream, and Parsley (fresh or dried). Wash 1 to 2 heads of cauliflower, depending on how chunky you’d like the soup to be. Just whack the head in half and get rid of the hard inner core and green parts. Then just roughly chop the cauliflower. You could be meticulous and cut the cauliflower into neat little florets…but why? Next, finely dice one carrot. I do the same to the celery: just cut it into strips, then dice. Same goes with the onion: first cut lines/strips… Then dice away! Then say the following word: Mirepoix, pronounced “mi-reh-pwah.” And cover the pot. Yum.

To wipe deodorant buildup under your arm, use hand sanitizer What's the Difference Between Dutch Process and Natural Cocoa Powder? | Serious Eats [Photographs: Marissa Sertich Velie, unless otherwise noted] There's a kitchen stereotype that bakers are meticulous and measure everything to the gram. They follow directions to the letter, all while savory cooks are throwing food into pots Swedish Chef style. Sometimes I wish I baked like that, but truth be told I often freestyle and substitute. Take, for instance, cocoa powder, which comes in two main varieties, natural and Dutch process. The answer: it depends on what you're baking, but no matter what, the two varieties don't taste the same. So What is Cocoa Powder Exactly? [Photograph: Vicky Wasik] Cocoa powder is the dry solid remains of fermented, dried, and roasted cacao beans. Natural Cocoa Powder If you're making natural cocoa powder, that's the end of the line. Dutch Process Cocoa Powder Disappointingly, this does not mean that it wears tiny wooden shoes. Dutch process cocoa has a smoother, more mellow flavor that's often associated with earthy, woodsy notes. Chocolate Cake

27 Medicinal Plants Worth Your Garden Space Please be sure to Join our email list and receive all our latest and best tutorials daily – free! We’ve discovered a fantastic article listing 27 of the top medicinal plants – together with details of their potential uses. These plants can be really handy to have around if you know their value. One thing I would suggest is to print out the full article (you might need to do a little copy-pasting and tidying up) and then keep the printout together with your first aid kit. If you need one of the remedies, the last thing that you want is to be surfing the web trying to remember the name of that web site that you discovered last year! We’ve summarized the list here with links to our own full length articles on the herbs. To this list I would certainly add Lavender, Rosemary, Garlic and Oregano! Note – articles on herbs-info.com are not medical advice and are not meant to be a substitute for a consultation with a medical professional, nor a recommendation to self-medicate. Is it... a) Abs P.S.

How to sleep in hot weather 20 August 2012Last updated at 12:29 GMT By Tom de Castella BBC News Magazine Southern and eastern Britain has experienced a mini heat-wave. What's the best way to get to sleep on sticky nights? The hot, humid weather across parts of Britain has made for uncomfortable nights. Humidity is a big part of the problem, making it hard for sweat to evaporate. In places like the US, where powerful air conditioning units are reasonably common in houses in hot and humid areas, it's not so much of a concern. But in places like the UK where it's hot and humid less frequently how should people ensure they get a good night's sleep? Weather expert Philip Eden recommends a technique common in Mediterranean countries. Continue reading the main story Sleep strategies "As a species, we are diurnal," says Dr Malcolm von Schantz, a molecular neuroscientist at the University of Surrey's Sleep Centre. "We have evolved to sleep in a consolidated way during the night, when it is cooler and darker.

Meet The 11-Time World Pizza Champion Photo: Sara Remington You'd be hard pressed to find someone more enthusiastic than Tony Gemignani is about pizza. Tony Gemignani has one jealousy-inducing resume. It's full of phrases like "World Champion" and "Best in America." What are a few general tips to keep in mind when making pizza at home? What are some common mistakes that people make at home? What component is most important when making pizza? Tony Gemignani has racked up an impressive number of trophies related to pizza making and tossing. How does one become the world's best pizza tosser? What’s the coolest experience you’ve had/person you’ve met as World Pizza Champ? Reprinted with permission from The Pizza Bible Servings: Enough dough for one pizza Ingredients: Tiga Recipe Tiga is my slightly more hydrated version of a classic biga starter, which is usually between 50 and 60 percent water.

Immune Boosting Herbs Please Share This Page: Top 20 Immune Boosting Herbs - image to repin / shareHerbs background pic © CLIPAREA.com - Fotolia.com Aside from keeping common colds and flu away, the immune system is your body's first and best defense against potentially lethal diseases like H1N1 and even cancer. [1] It is comprised of a network of cells and organs working together to defend the body against infection and sickness by producing secretions and disease-fighting cells. It uses an advanced communications system to respond to immediate threats. [2] The complex efficiency of your immune system and how it works non-stop indeed signify its importance for your health. If the immune system weakens and malfunctions, imagine the host of diseases that can invade your system. More often than not, medications like antibiotics are taken to fight bacteria-causing sickness. Here are ten herbs which may be helpful in supporting your immune system. 10 Immune Boosting Herbs Echinacea Astragalus Panax Ginseng Garlic Ginger

The Minimalistic Gmail Cheat Sheet 79,178views 72faves 72shares Did you know that you can browse through gmail without using the mouse much? This is a cheat sheet that provides you with an in depth view of gmail shortcuts, the description of what they do, and a il... lustration of where the results appear in your monitor. Did you work on this visual? Get a Quote 79,178views 72faves 72shares Did you know that you can browse through gmail without using the mouse much? Did you work on this visual? Get a Quote 79,178views 72faves 72shares Did you know that you can browse through gmail without using the mouse much? Did you work on this visual? Get a Quote NutsOnline | Premium Bulk & Wholesale Nuts, Dried Fruits & Gift Baskets

Perfect Potato Soup I’m Pioneer Woman and I have a confession to make. Are you ready? Here goes. *Ahem.* *Clearing my throat.* *Singing a couple of scales to warm up.* I’m picky about potato soup. It’s true. It can’t be too creamy, with no variance in texture. It can’t be too lumpy. It has to be full of flavor or I’ll die a thousand deaths. And most of all…it has to make me close my eyes, sigh, and feel like everything till the end of time is going to be okay. But other than those things, I’m not the least bit picky about potato soup! Here’s how I make it: The Cast of Characters: Small Russet potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, milk, flour (not pictured, because I’m an airhead), heavy cream, salt, pepper (not pictured, for the same aforementioned reason), Cajun spice (ditto), parsley, and thin bacon. Gosh, I’m thorough with these Cast of Characters set-ups, aren’t I? Not. Start by slicing the bacon into small pieces… This is about six slices. Throw the bacon into a soup pot over medium heat… To dice! Okay, happiness.

The Hidden Way to Zoom in Closer in Google Maps Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe Asian | Steamy Kitchen In Asian culture, soups and broths are part of everyday meals. A traditional Japanese breakfast would include a bowl of Miso Soup to warm the body. Chinese restaurants feature a long list of house soups, from an appetite stimulating Hot and Sour Soup to even a light broth served after dinner to cleanse the palate and complete the meal. Growing up, Mom always had soup simmering on the stove. Every night, without doubt, there was a Chinese style soup on the table. I’ve tried to emulate Mom, but we’ve got such an active lifestyle that a pot simmering for hours on the stove isn’t feasible. What is bone broth? Bone broth is often gently simmered for 24 hours (or more!) Sure, it’s a trendy thing right now, with restaurants offering drive-through bone broth served in a coffee cup for $9, cookbooks dedicated to the art of bone broths (I highly recommend The Nourished Kitchen Cookbook which features bone broth) and even an entire line of bone broth concentrates that you can buy. Don’t stir.

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