Milk has a long history of being associated with human health. It has been consumed by every human being who was born in this world and will continue to be an important source of energy for the generations to come. Though dairy products have been criticized for a long time, no one can deny the incredible benefits of milk for the human body. The most commonly consumed milk types come from sheep, cows, and goats. In the western part of the world, much emphasis is placed on milk and the intake of a lot of dairy products. The nutrition world features milk as a very important source of energy so you must know its multiple benefits, some of which are:

1.      Milk is rich in nutrients

You will be intrigued to know, milk is rich in multiple nutrients. If you are a fitness enthusiast and have to eat multiple foodstuffs to suffice for the body’s need for several nutrients, milk alone can fulfill those requirements. The nutritional portfolio of milk is very important and impressive. It is rich in protein, fats, potassium, vitamin D, calories, vitamin B12, selenium, etc. So if you want to stay healthy, you must carve a habit of drinking milk as a part of your routine.

2.      Milk is crucial for bone health

Every TV commercial projects a strong relationship between bones and milk which is true. The main reason why milk is associated with bone health is because of its strong relationship with several nutrients such as protein, calcium and vitamin K2, all of which are very crucial for bones. When combined, these nutrients can provide many benefits to the body and especially to the bones. You will be intrigued to know; bones store 99% of calcium. A lot of milk manufacturers use the goats milk formula for their customers.

3.      Milk can be consumed in different ways

Milk is a versatile ingredient, and so can be consumed in multiple ways. If you don’t like to drink raw milk you can incorporate it in different beverages and desserts. A lot of people drink tea and coffee, both of which feature milk as an important ingredient. You can make delicious milk smoothies and enjoy it in several desserts. There are multiple ways to consume milk in this day and age. People in different cultures have creative ways to incorporate it into their foodstuffs.

4.      Milk is a good source of protein

People who work out in the gym need to consume hefty amounts of protein every day to pump their muscles. Milk is the only source that has the finest quality protein in it. Protein is very crucial for muscle growth, cellular repair and for strengthening the immune system of the body. Experts acknowledge milk as a complete protein package because it encapsulates all of the nine amino acids, which are crucial for the body to function properly.

5.      Milk helps in fighting obesity

If you have a habit of drinking milk every day, you won’t get obese in future. Several studies have proved, milk curtails obesity and helps in keeping the body fit. An interesting study conducted with 145 young Latino kids concluded that toddlers who drank whole milk had a lesser chance of developing obesity during childhood. Milk has a vast array of component which helps in breaking down the excessive fats in the body. If you drink a full glass of milk in the morning, you will feel bloated for the rest of the day.

So next time somebody stops you from drinking milk, tell them about the incredible benefits of this beverage, which has served humankind for a long time. 

While wine and beer have their times and places, there are certain occasions that call for a classic cocktail. Some classic cocktails appear deceptively simple, but purists and aficionados look for the details that signify the cocktail is the real deal. 

It should come as no surprise that top-shelf liquors make for a quality cocktail. However, details like the garnish and the glassware the drinks are served in can really set them apart.

Martinis

The martini glass is probably one of the most recognizable specialty cocktail glasses. Before the martini glass came to be, there was a similar-looking glass called a cocktail glass. Many people today still confuse the two, but they do have a slightly different design. With the appearance of martini glasses in popular culture, it seems like their main function is to make the drink appear classy. 

However, they serve several functions that include keeping the drink frosty and exposing the gin to air. Over the years, there have been infinite variations of martinis to satisfy any palette, and the history of the first martini is a bit murky.

 There is still some debate as to whether a vodka martini is considered a “real” martini. A good deal of people still insist a classic martini is simply gin, vermouth, and a garnish of olive or lemon.

Hurricane

Another well-known cocktail glass is the hurricane glass. It got its name from its resemblance to a hurricane lantern. Not surprisingly, the most popular drink served in it is the hurricane. This cocktail is a mix of light rum, dark rum, passion fruit juice, lime juice, orange juice, simple syrup, grenadine, and topped with a maraschino cherry. 

It is usually garnished with an orange slice. The drink also has debatable origins, but the most well-known version is definitely from New Orleans’ famous Pat O’ Briens. This glass is often used for blended and frozen cocktails with a tropical theme where rum is the liquor of choice. 

Margarita

Anyone who has been to a chain restaurant that serves margaritas knows they are not always served in the unique margarita glass. However, there are advantages to serving a margarita in a welled margarita glass. 

In addition to holding more drink, and having more of a rim for salt or sugar, the glass is designed to be held easily. With the variety of margarita flavors and textures, it could be hard to forget the classic recipe. The simple combination of tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, ice, and salt is still as refreshing as ever. 

Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is a cocktail that started making a comeback in recent years. While this drink has common cocktail ingredients like lime and vodka, the ginger beer in it really provides a nice zing. The Moscow Mule mug is part of the appeal of the drink, too. There are legends surrounding the drink and the reason the copper mug was used. These days, the mugs may not be real copper, but they at least have a shiny copper appearance. 

Mint Julep

One final classic cocktail with a signature cup is the mint julep. The pewter mint julep cup is intended to be held from the top or the bottom so the cup itself can stay frosty. This cocktail is made of bourbon, sugar, water, and shaved ice. It became the official drink of the Kentucky Derby in 1938 and is still as popular as ever in the Bluegrass state.

There are some who would say as long as a cocktail has the right ingredients, what does the glass the matter? It’s true you can enjoy a drink out of any glass, but these unique cocktail glasses are designed to enhance the quality of the drink.

 It doesn’t hurt that the design of the cups helps create a certain atmosphere for the drinker. The elegant mint julep cup of the Kentucky Derby, the tropical hurricane glass – these are cocktail glasses that help create memories. 

If you love enjoying the warm sun or a cool evening breeze as you cook a delicious meal, then consider the installation of an outdoor kitchen. While having an outdoor kitchen can increase the value of your property, it definitely has other benefits as well. Here are some of the best benefits of having an outdoor kitchen at your home. 

1. Enhance the Flavor of Foods

To enhance the flavors of foods, you can cook outside over wood pellets or charcoal. These grilling options will give meats and veggies a smoky flavor that adds to the overall taste of the food. So you get a better flavor without having to do much work in the kitchen. The combination of that smoky flavor with herbs and spices is irresistible. 

2. Have a Fun Place for Family Get-togethers

When you love having family get-togethers, it is essential create space for meals and other activities that they will enjoy. An outdoor kitchen is an excellent place for your relatives to congregate, cook, or to sit while playing board games. 

3. Healthy Cooking Options

Cooking outside is a healthy option because you don’t need to use a variety of oils that have no nutritional value. Grilling food doesn’t require the application of high-fat ingredients like butter or animal/plant-based frying oils. The liquefied fats from meats will drip through the metal grill to create a food that is less greasy and healthier for you to eat. 

4. Enjoying Nature While You Eat a Meal

Getting outside into nature is vital for your mental and physical well-being. With an outdoor kitchen, you can sit outside to look at the birds, listen to the breeze blow through the trees, or watch your kids/grandkids play in the grass. This is an excellent way to avoid developing a condition that is referred to as nature deficit disorder. 

5. Reduction in the Cost of Utilities 

The cost of cooking outside in a special kitchen is less than cooking inside your home. You can have propane gas tanks for a grill or a stove, but there are also cooking devices for outdoor kitchens that use electricity or charcoal. If you want to save money while cooking, then you can install a larger stove that has multiple burners, making it possible to cook several types of foods at one time. 

6. Keep Cooking Odors Outside Your Home 

To avoid the smell from foods like fish and seafood inside your home, you can cook in your outdoor kitchen. This can keep odors from seeping into a home’s carpet fibers or draperies. The cool breezes that are outside will blow away the foul odors so that your home’s interior still smells fresh. 

7. More Space for Parties 

If you have a small home, chances are, you don’t have enough space for parties with many friends. With an outdoor kitchen, you can increase your available space for guests. An outdoor kitchen is a suitable area for a child’s birthday party or for your teenager to have a cookout with schoolmates. 

With the party outside your home, you won’t need to worry as much about having dirt carried into your home on your guests’ shoes, and in addition, your guests will feel more comfortable mingling in an open space.

8. Easy to Keep Clean

When you are cooking inside your home, grease and other food debris can filter onto the cabinets, walls, floors and countertops, which could require a major cleaning process. An outdoor kitchen is simple to keep clean each day. 

In some cases, you can use a garden hose to wash the floor of the space, and also, you can splash water on the plastic tables and chairs. Most outdoor kitchen builders use high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for the cabinets in the space. This HDPE material resists the damages caused by snow and rain, so you can keep the cabinets cleaner without worrying about the exposure to moisture. 

9. Boosting Your Mood

Going outside to cook a meal in an outdoor kitchen will lead to additional exposure to natural light. This helps your body to manufacture vitamin D, which can help you to feel better mentally. Lack of sunlight can cause fatigue and grumpiness, so it is essential to go outside several times a week to increase the vitamin D levels in your body. 

How Can You Learn to Cook Outside? 

When you want to learn more about cooking outside, you can find cookbooks and DVDs at your local public library that can teach you more about the process. When all else fails, there’s always plenty of information about grilling, brining, dry rubs, perfect temperatures to grill at, and what kinds of wood chips or charcoal to use. 

Approximately 80% of American households own a grill. This data shows how far the American population is ready to embrace developments in the kitchen and cooking department. As far as outdoor cooking is concerned, gas and charcoal grills are the two prominent types of grills.

The continued conservation campaigns have reduced the number of charcoal grills in our homes since they are associated with deforestation. Gas grills make use of a natural resource that is readily available. However, gas grills have mixed fortunes.

Below are some insights into the advantages and disadvantages of a gas grill.

Begin by Getting the Right Grill

One of the significant problems associated with this equipment is the high probability of becoming faulty. This is primarily brought about by individual tendencies of buying substandard equipment.

There are set standards for gas grills that you have to check before taking it home. Be sure that your pick is equal to the task to avoid future inconveniences. At the same time, be sure that you can use it efficiently when no one else is around.

If you are not familiar with it, take time and go through the menu. If doing so doesn’t help, talk to the technician, and get assistance where necessary. Don’t buy it because you only have a limited amount of funds.

Advantages

Food Cooks Faster

It becomes hard to compare gas grills with other cooking equipment. These grills consume less time in cooking which saves you much for other activities. They only take a fraction of the time consumed by other cooking methods.

It also saves you cash that you would have used to rush to a hotel to get some bites. Grills allow the accumulation of heat, thus the rapid cooking process. It has a quicker ignition and heating rate as compared to the rest.

It Is Cheap

When it comes to the cost, gas grills may have a high initial cost. However, you will get to realize that it was the cheapest option in town. Other forms of the grill are characterized by low prices which later become a problem due to the high cost of fuel.

On the flip side, gas grills will be cheap in the long run since gas has low prices. You will generally have enough cash to get more grilling foods for the family.

Easy Control of Temperature

While grilling, it will reach a point where either the heat is too low or too much. In the case of gas grills, it becomes easy to regulate the temperature which is done through the adjustment of a specified knob.

Charcoal grills are directly the opposite in that controlling the temperature requires sufficient airflow. While this may be not difficult, you cannot compare it to the convenience of a knob.

Temperature is a critical component of your grilling experience. Ensure the knobs are functioning even before you take the griller home. In case they fail after a short time, use the warranty policy to get another machine.

Gas Grills are Safe

Unlike charcoal grills, gas rarely emits fumes of carbon that may end up bringing instances of breathing complications. It also lacks wastes, like ash, that may be blown by winds to other apartments.

While there isn’t as much waste, gas grills do demand your attention just in case of a technical hitch.

Are Comfortable to Use

Charcoal grills come in with a series of labor demands beginning with the purchasing of fuel igniting it. Interestingly, most of the population, especially the younger generation, has not interacted with the charcoal system.

It, therefore, becomes difficult to convince such people on the essence of such grills. However much pressure you get from others, go for makes that are comfortable with you and avoid carbon at all costs.

Don’t be fooled by a cheap price that may end up costing you a fortune in the long run. After all, gas grills are convenient, easy, and comfortable to operate. You don’t have to do it from the outside like in the case of charcoal grillers.

Gas Grills Cook Almost Everything

The secret to effective cooking is regulating heat and temperature. This is something that gas grills have meaning it is more than possible to cook every meal to personal tastes.

In charcoal grills, it takes effort to lower the temperature, which may lead to the burning of some foods. The wide range of temperatures gives room for slow cooking which leads to better meals.

Grilling Has Health Benefits

Foods prepared on gas grillers are said to be low in calories and fat. Unlike grilled foods, fried food poses several health risks among them obesity and cardiovascular disorders. Interestingly, even foods that have low-fat content tend to rise when fried.

The good thing with gas grillers is that they suck excess fat, especially when slow-cooking. This eventually leads to lower calories, thus manageable weight.

Drawbacks

Takes Away the Flavor

Gas grilling is good, but when it comes to the original flavor, it is beaten by charcoal grills. This is brought about by the lack of much-needed smoke that adds a natural flavor.

There is hardly any smoke in a gas grill, and once you notice it, it is a red flag.

Health Risks

Grilled foods are suitable for the body, but the interaction between the food and heat may be dangerous. In most cases, meals that are grilled are proteins. High heat reacts with protein bonds, forming heterocyclic amines which are known carcinogens.

Additionally, it produces glycation products which in the long run cause conditions such as diabetes.

There is Limited Mobility

When families are grilling using charcoal, you will find them chat around the grill. This case doesn’t play out in gas grills since they do not generate enough heat for them.

Gas grills are, in most cases, fixed in one position meaning the grilling activities cannot be transferred outdoors. Gas is dangerous to deal with and will require minimal exposure.

Grilling is one of the cooking approaches that society is adopting at a high rate. Charcoal grills are no longer as common as they were initially and are being replaced by gas grills. Even as you use these gas grills, be cautious to avoid cases of fire and explosion.

Resources – The Spruce, Huffington Post, Hunker

While it may sound like fun to invite enough people to fill a house, there are many elements involved in the planning of such an event. Not everyone is aware enough to acknowledge all of the logistics of entertaining a crowd, here is a useful list of things to consider. Keep reading as the experts at Food Service Company explain more. 

Acknowledge Your Strengths

Unless you are willing to stress yourself out with preparing a second entree, only cook dishes that you know and are confident you can make without a problem. Save the innovative eatery for appetizers and dessert.

Know Your Audience

Unless you can easily accommodate the individual dietary requirements of each of your guests, focus on foods that you know your guests already like.

Stick to Foods that Keep Well

Do not stress yourself with cooking everything on the day of the event. A smart host will prepare batches of the party food in advance, preferring dishes that can be put into storage and easily be reheated hours before the time on the invitations rolls around.

Make Sure You Make Enough

While it can be hard to figure out the exact amount of food per person, there are some basics to this calculation.

• Entrees: half a pound of protein or 5 ounces of pasta.
• Side Dishes: 4 ounces of vegetables and 1.5 ounces of grains.
• Dessert: Two cookies or brownies.

It’s Okay to Cheat a Bit

There is nothing wrong with picking up a premade food item, like a crudité or charcuterie platter. This extends to buying a time-demanding side dish instead of spending the time and effort to make it yourself. The less you have to exert yourself, the better your mood will be for entertaining guests.

Consider Going Buffet-Style

While plated meals are normal for a formal dinner, they also demand you be in host most for the entire time. Since buffets are self-serving affairs, you can spend less time worrying about keeping your guests fed and more time entertaining and being a good host, only intervening when a particular item runs low or goes away. Consider desserts that require little effort to prepare, like handheld baked goods.

Get Organized

Make a list of every task and every step toward completing that task. Once your guest list is confirmed, ensure that you will have enough dishes and cutlery for those guests for the entire night, plus a few extra in case of accidents or surprise company. If your fridge has sufficient space, consider storing dishes in clusters themed around the course they will be served for.

Your Oven Only Holds So Much

While you might be tempted to insert multiple dishes, each with their own goal temperature, into an oven and averaging out the temperature to save yourself some time, this can lead to unevenly cooked meals. Furthermore, recipes tend to be written with the one dish having exclusive use of the oven-adding multiple dishes actually requires even higher temperatures for the oven to properly do its job of cooking two or more dishes simultaneously. Limit your baking and feel free to include some dishes that can be prepared on other appliances like a cooktop or even a toaster oven.

Remember Food Safety

Use a separate chopping board for your meat than you use for vegetables and bread. Know the safe temperatures for each type of protein.

• Pork and red meat: 145ºF.
• Ground meat: 160ºF.
• Poultry and anything reheated: 165ºF.

Food should be tossed once it has remained at room temperature for over two hours; track this amount of time by abstaining from refilling half-empty platters. 

Nachos are quite famous everywhere, and they are perfect for every meal. If you eat it with liquid cheese sauce – one of my favorite nacho cheese sauce in Australia. It will, with no doubt, be a great snack. Mix it with chicken and burger cheese slices – quite famous as American cheese in Australia then it’s an amazing dinner.

Off days are incomplete without Chicken Nachos being cooked, this dish is a big hit at my home. It is super delicious and cheesy and surprisingly easy to cook. One of the keys to this amazing dish is the super tasty Mexican Shredded Cheese.

Lots of juicy shredded chicken, tons of mandatory shredded cheese, and the nachos together will satisfy all your favourite people like my husband and children. Try recreating restaurant quality loaded chicken nachos for your kid’s birthday party, or any special occasion, it will bring fun to every occasion.

Also, the ingredients can be modified with your own taste; now it’s time to show some creativity.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients

Tortilla Chips 1 large bag 

Shredded Chicken 2 cups

American cheese 8-9 slices

Mexican Shredded Cheese 1 Cup

Corn ½ Cup

Tomato 2 (diced)

Olive 1/3 Cup

Green Onion ½ Cup (thinly sliced)

Jalapeno ¼ Cup (sliced)

Salsa ¼ Cup

Sour Cream ¼ Cup

Coriander ¼ Cup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a baking dish with a cooking spray, or you can brush some olive oil.
3. Layer the tortilla chips in the baking dish, making it a single layer.
4. Then, cover the tortilla chips with shredded chicken.
5. Place the cheese slices above the shredded chicken, make sure the cheese slices don’t overlap each other.
6. Add another layer of tortilla chips.
7. Place corn, tomatoes, green onion, and olives
8. And finally, sprinkle some or a lot of shredded cheese on top.
9. Bake the dish for about 15 minutes.
10. Garnish it with Jalapeno slices, salsa, sour cream, and coriander.
11. Serve immediately.

Quick tips

• You can use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery if you don’t have time to make oven-roasted chicken.
• You can make this recipe lighter, weight your ingredients using a food scale instead of measuring cups. You will get a more accurate measurement. The amount of shredded chicken can vary on how you pack the cup.
• Create a single serving on quarter sheet pans. It will take the guesswork out of serving size and avoids fighting over the last nacho.

About the Author:

Rosemary Kobe is a homemaker who loves to play with her two little twin-toddlers at her homes in Sydney & Melbourne. She is one of the greatest foodies in Australia experimenting with a lot of dishes at home and occasionally heads out in search of the best burgers in Gold Coast. If you know one – let her know in the comments below or mail me at [rosemariikobe@gmail.com]

Eating healthy doesn’t mean following an extreme dietary plan, or denying yourself your favorite food. Rather, it’s more about eating foods that boost energy, improve your health, and balance the hormones. Chances are you’ve read countless articles on nutrition or tried a bunch of diets without success – which is why we won’t try to sell you another magic diet.

Our mission is to promote healthy living by way of eating nutritious whole meals and minimizing junk food. We’ve found that the simplest and most effective approach to dieting is to reduce the number of processed foods we eat and instead, eat more real food.

A good, healthy diet often times involves very specific foods and nutrients that are known to be vital to our health; but still, the overall dietary plan is what matters more and what determines your health. It is absolutely important that you substitute instant, processed foods with home-made meals whenever possible – because when we eat natural food it has an amazing impact on the way we look, think and feel.

Do I need to avoid some foods?

Your body needs a balance of vitamins, proteins, carbs, fat, fiber, and minerals, to function properly. Now, some of the more extreme dietary experts may disagree, but there’s no need to eliminate entire food categories from your diet, it makes more sense to eat the healthiest foods from each category. Let’s go through the basics of healthy eating:

Debunking food categories

Carbs: These are an important source of energy and should be part of your daily nutrition. The best carbs are complex, and unrefined; such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. Avoid eating white bread, starches, pastries, and sugar to prevent fluctuations in blood sugar, mood, and energy.

Fat: Some fats are healthy and some aren’t. Healthy fats (such as omega 3s) are vital to our health and play a major role in keeping our physical and mental health in check. Eating more natural fat (such as nuts, avocado) can also make it easier to lose weight.

Fiber: We need more fruit, vegetables, grains, beans, and nuts in our diet. Some of the benefits include a healthy heart, reduced risk of diabetes, and healthy skin.

Protein: Aside from animal products, you can get good amounts of high-quality protein from a variety of plants and seeds and this is important because without sufficient protein you won’t have the energy to go about your day.

How to make healthy meals

If possible, prepare your own meals. Cooking forces you to be more aware of what you put in your body, and as a result, you will consume less sugar, fat, calories, and other foods that leave you bloated and irritable.

Drink more water. This helps your body get rid of waste and toxins that cause tiredness, low energy, and headaches. You can also reduce food intake by drinking enough water.

Always read the labels. You need to be aware of what you’re purchasing and what those food labels say. Keep in mind that some manufacturers will pack huge amounts of sugar and processed fat and still label the food healthy.

Eat in moderation. Don’t stuff your body with large amounts of healthy food – this will interfere with the digestive process and leave you feeling sick. Moderate your food intake and reduce the portion sizes of “bad” food so that instead of craving them more, you eat just enough to keep the balance and follow it up with plenty of whole foods including greens and vegetables.

Plan your meals ahead. Healthy eating requires good planning. Start by stockpiling your kitchen with high-quality fruits, vegetables, cereal, meats, dairy, fish, oils, spices, whole grains, healthy snacks, and simple recipes. A good way to do that is by getting your groceries delivered by mercato.com. Pick a few recipes that you like and build your meal schedule around them.

The microwave oven is ubiquitous in most home across America. When Americans get hungry and want a quick, hot, meal, they no longer turn on the stove or oven — they pop something in a plastic container into the microwave, and in a matter of minutes they’re ready to eat a steaming bowl or plate of whatever suits their fancy. Twenty years ago the microwave seemed a miracle of modern technology. Today, it’s taken for granted like cell phones and big screen TVs.

But there’s always been a nagging question in the back of people’s minds when it comes to microwave cooking — how much, if any, of the basic nutrients are disabled when a dish is microwaved, as compared to baking, frying, or boiling? Of course, it’s always been obvious to food scientists, and then to the general public, that the best way to preserve and consume nutrient is in their raw and natural state. But who wants to eat a raw potato? Heat will always diminish the nutrient factor in any kind of food, according to nutritionists. And compared with other and more traditional methods of heating and cooking food, the damage to nutrients with microwave cooking is usually minimal.

Scientists have shown that the major nutrient influences in cooking are, first of all, the amount of time an item is actually cooked. The longer it remains heated the more vital nutrients are destroyed or disabled. Secondly, food loses a significant amount of nutrients when it is cooked with excess liquids, such as water or tomato puree — vitamins and mineral have a tendency to leach out faster and in more abundance when more liquid is used. That is why cooks are encouraged to incorporate their cooking liquids in their recipes — it helps retain minerals and vitamins that would otherwise simply be poured down the drain.

The way a microwave oven works is basically simply physics. The machine sends out waves on a micro frequency that are picked up by molecules of water in the food item; these molecules then generate a large quantity of heat as they vibrate with the micro wavelengths inside the food. The uniqueness of this style of cooking comes from the fact that cooking food in a microwave requires little or no liquid, whereas when a food item like carrots are boiled in water the water will turn slightly orange — indicating that some of the important nutrients have leaked away from the vegetable itself and are now contained in the liquid medium.

When baking and roasting food, the problem lies in the fact that the exterior of the food item is heated quickly while the interior of the item, such as a roast or a baking potato, takes longer to reach the proper temperature. This creates carbonization of the outside of the food, which is what chefs strive for in restaurants for flavor, but which actually destroys a good deal of the nutritional value of the food and has been linked to possible carcinogens.

The bottom line is that while not all the facts and figures are in about microwave cooking yet, scientists believe it to be one of the best ways to prepare food in today’s busy, time-starved world.