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As you read this, I am attending Kosherfest in the NYC area! Did I ever mention to you that I am a foodie!! Can you tell? Not many people love to hang out in a supermarket, health food store, housewares/kitchen store or gourmet market for hours, but I do!
I feel like a kid in a candy store, yes, even at the supermarket. I am also pretty fanatic about things being top quality and unique. My family always called me the princess from the "Princess and the Pea." I am very sensitive and need fine quality and can sense when something is not.
I will scout out only the best for my family and for yours at Kosherfest and always on my website for us to enjoy life, just a little bit more.
I will be reporting to you about all of the exciting updates and new products within the next two weeks.
Make it a great day!
Warm regards,
Karen
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| The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15
The True Cost of Eating Organic Foods
The old saying "you get what you pay for" applies perfectly to the food supply in your 21st century stores and supermarkets.
Processed foods are full of sugar, white flour, trans fats and hydrogenated oils, artificial flavor enhancers, MSG, chemical colors and preservatives - none of which will improve your health.
Your grocery bill might be less if you purchase only these foods, along with conventionally grown vegetables coated in pesticide residue with an artificially high nitrogen content, and corn-fed beef, or irradiated chicken filled with growth hormones.
But although they may cost you less at the checkout, are these foods really less expensive over time?
What about the cost to your health and quality of life from eating these foods?
What about the medical costs and complications related to diseases these foods have been linked to, such diseases as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's?
These costs don't show up on your food bill. But they show up in medical bills and in your quality of life.
I encourage you to educate yourself further on the true costs of NOT eating an organic diet.
Once you do the research for yourself I think you will agree with me that the best way to take control of your health and your family's health is to choose foods that promote your good health, not foods that have been shown in study after study to poison you.
Fruits and vegetables are clearly critical to good health. They contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that help protect again chronic diseases. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), "...people who eat more generous amounts of fruit and vegetables as part of a healthful diet are likely to have a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers."
But, there's a caveat... certain conventionally grown fruits and vegetables carry unsafe levels of pesticide residues. To address this, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment, created a list of the 12 most contaminated plant foods that they call the "Dirty Dozen."
Making the List
Analysts from the EWG combed through the results of 89,000 sample tests conducted by the USDA and the FDA for pesticide residues on conventionally grown produce. The produce had been power-washed before the tests. Contamination was measured in 6 different ways:
Percent of samples tested with detectable pesticides
Percent of samples with two or more pesticides
Average number of pesticides found on a single sample
Average amount of all pesticides found
Maximum number of pesticides found on a single sample
Total number of pesticides found on the commodity
Produce was ranked based on their individual USDA test results for each metric.
The Dirty Dozen
The fruits and vegetables on the Dirty Dozen list are contaminated with an average of 10 different pesticides. They may be difficult to wash, are usually eaten unpeeled, or pesticides migrate through the roots. The EWG recommends buying the organic versions of the Dirty Dozen to reduce your exposure to chemicals in produce by 80 percent.
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce
The fruits and vegetables on the Clean 15 list are less contaminated, each with an average of only two different pesticides. In addition, they are often peeled and their outer layers are disposed of and they are easier to wash.
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions
You should do everything in your power to protect yourself and your loved ones from whatever could be potentially toxic and harmful. With the inevitable amount of toxins that we are bombarded by on a daily basis. it is critical to fight back! Isagenix International offers a total body nutritional cleansing program that does just that. Go to www.FitBodyCleanse.com for more information on how you can impact the quality of your health with nutritional cleansing.
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Q: "I know that I should be drinking a lot of water each day, but I don't like the taste of water. Do you have any tips on how to make it taste better?"
A: Water consumption is critical for good health. You should be drinking a minimum of 8-10, 8 ounce glasses per day. You need a good amount more if you exercise or are pregnant or nursing. I love adding citrus fruit slices, such as lemon, lime, orange and even grapefruit to my water. Make sure that your water is purified, the more the better. I use a reverse osmosis filter in our home. Cucumber slices and even mint sprigs, or a mixture of any of the above, are great natural water flavor enhancers. Lastly, you can make you own ice cubes with fresh or frozen berries. Occasionally have a nice glass of sparking water, such as San Pellegrino flavored with the above suggestions, and occasionally a splash of Ceres brand fruit juices for special nights or festive occasions.
Q: "What is the best way to freeze lasagna?"
A: Prepare the lasagna as you normally would, but before baking wrap it well, covering the top with a sheet of parchment or wax paper (this prevents the acid in the tomato sauce from reacting with the aluminum foil.) Wrap well with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze until ready to serve. Defrost fully and bake uncovered as usual.
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Save Money and Time While Enjoying Delicious Meals With Your Family and Friends
This website is your kosher treasure map that will teach the beginner to advanced home cook how to plan and cook meals that your family and friends will cherish for years to come.
That burning question that each of us and our kids ask each day, "What's for dinner,?" will now finally be answered in a stress-free way that will bring your family closer together and save you a lot of time and money.
Karen's recipes are focused on fresh foods that are much healthier for you while being tasty and satisfying, without deprivation. Of course, that includes occasional treats and authentic dishes.
The tips and tricks that you will learn will be invaluable .
Karen will be creating videos and recipes that invite you into her kitchen to learn and have fun together! |
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Karen is a stay- at- home mother of five and an entrepreneur who has had a passion for cooking since childhood. For Karen cooking is like a sixth sense, much like those with an ear for music can pick up and play an instrument without knowing the notes. The inspiration of her mother's and grandparents' creative and talented cooking helped form the foundation for her passion for cooking. |
From the first falafel she tasted from an Israeli cook, to the lessons from gourmet Italian home cooks and restaurant chefs, to days spent learning from her friend's mom about Hong Kong cuisine, to trips to Chinatown and living in Israel, to mastering the art of Persian cooking after marrying her Iranian husband, to lessons from gourmet Moroccan friends in Boca Raton, Karen lives and learns from every culture and is excited to share that wisdom with you.
Karen and her family decided to live an observant modern orthodox Jewish lifestyle 15 years ago. She now transforms her favorite American and international non-kosher dishes into delicious kosher fare.
After college she served in the Israel Defense Forces, married, and now devotes her life to her family, friends, faith, and love of cooking while running a thriving health and wellness business from home. Karen has taught kosher cooking classes for the past 10 years in Boca Raton with her friends, Lauren Bakst, a gourmet cook, and Lowil Stoller, a pastry chef.
Karen's recipes were featured at a dinner honoring the best chefs of the capital district hosted by the Marriot Hotel in Albany, New York. She has catered affairs up to 350 people, including the Maimonides Medical Society annual dinner for over 100 Physicians at the Albany Medical Center Hospital.
She is presently working on her upcoming book, "Delicious and Kosher," and is founder of the Delicious and Kosher website. |
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For a quick and easy shortcut even gourmet cooks who love to make most things from scratch use ready made items that can help save time in the kitchen.
I usually opt for a healthier alternative even when it is a convenience item like boxed cake mix. Stay away from boxed cake mixes that are loaded with artificial ingredients and toxic trans fats. I love Dr. Oatker's organic vanilla cake mix or Naturally Nora yellow cake mixes. Buy them at whole foods or in the D&K Amazon store. Click here for more info.
http://astore.amazon.com/deliandkosh-20/detail/B001KUUNJ2
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Isagenix Gets Couple off "Hampster Wheel"
No matter how hard Madeleine and her husband Eddy pushed their careers the couple could never seem to get ahead.
"We were both running like a 'hamster on a wheel' and could not upgrade our life no matter how hard we pushed," remembers Eddy.
Neither would have guessed that Isagenix? would be their ticket out of a cramped 1,300 square-foot house in Southern California into a spacious 5,600 square-foot dream home in Colorado.
After seeing a close friend experience incredible health and weight-loss results with Isagenix, Madeleine was gung-ho to try the products, but quickly turned a deaf ear to the business side. A previous experience with another network marketing company had left her with negative feelings about the industry and she wasn't ready to go through the same thing again.
Her attitude soon changed after she lost 20 pounds* and Eddy lost 40 pounds* with the products. People began flooding them with inquiries about Isagenix. "Everyone wanted to know about it. It was a little rough at first as I would see Madeleine for fleeting moments before she would go into her office," says Eddy. "I took care of the kids, but we also shared with them what our dream was and got them on board."
Those sacrifices paid off, as their success came quickly. Within eight months, Madeleine had doubled Eddy's salary and a few months later, even quadrupled it. She retired Eddy from his teaching career and he joined Madeleine in the business full time. Eddy has especially been wowed by the concept of residual income.
Successful Urologist Boosts Patients' Health, Well-Being
Dr. Nelson of New York has been a successful urologist for two decades, even creating a ground-breaking procedure to treat prostate cancer. However, he couldn't find lasting weight-loss success for himself and over time grew more disappointed with all of the products and systems available. It wasn't until he was introduced to Isagenix that his world changed--and his patients' as well.
"I've lost 45 pounds" and gained renewed energy and vitality. It's convenient and I feel so good," says Dr. Nelson. After my success, I thought Isagenix would be ideal for my patients to help improve their health and well-being, and Isagenix exceeded those expectations."
*The weight loss and earnings of these two individuals cannot be guaranteed, and should not be considered typical.
For more info on Isagenix click here
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Quick Lemony Pineapple Rum Cake*
This is a great way to take a boxed cake mix and turn it into a brightly flavored practically home-made dessert that will get you lots of oohs and ahhs......from all ages! This has become a favorite Shabbat and holiday dessert in our home, as it will in yours. I make healthier choices in this cake by staying away from traditional box mixes, which are loaded with lots of bad stuff! I also never bake with margarine (trans fats) anymore because there are good alternatives that are much better for your health. Exceptionally delicious when served warm!
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1 cored fresh pineapple, juice reserved, and cut into medium chunks
2/3 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar or raw sugar
2 tablespoons Earth Balance brand butter stick, spread or unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided, one for the cake and one for the pineapple mixture
1/3 cup dark rum (not extract, the real stuff!)
3 eggs, preferably Omega 3 free range variety
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (18.25-ounce) box organic yellow or vanilla cake mix (Dr. Oetker or Naturally Nora brands recommended.) Do not use most of the mixes that you will find in the supermarket such as Duncan Hines, etc., as they are loaded with unhealthy partially hydrogenated oil and artificial dyes. Note: Do not follow the cake mix instructions; follow this recipe instead.
powdered sugar or coarse turbinadao sugar and lemon zest for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and lightly dust with flour a rectangular baking dish or a bundt pan.
For the Cake: Place the pineapple in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. In a medium size saucepan, combine the chopped pineapple, sugar, rum, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and Earth Balance buttery spread or butter over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the mixture begins to caramelize and turn a deep golden color, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool until warm.
Spoon half the pineapple mixture into the prepared pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, water, vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cake mix, and 2/3 cup pineapple juice. Using an electric mixer beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth. Pour half the batter over the cooked pineapple. Then pour the rest of the pineapple mixture on top, spreading evenly, covering with the remaining cake batter.
Bake in center of oven for 30 -35 minutes until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and the top is golden.
Skip this step if you are baking the cake in a rectangular baking dish:
Allow the cake to cool completely while still in the bundt pan, about 1 hour. When the cake has cooled to room temperature, flip the cake onto a cake plate or serving platter.
Warm the cake slightly, if desired, before serving and garnish with lemon zest and powdered or turbinado sugar.
*Parve, non-dairy
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PO Box 7050 West Palmetto Park Road # 15-120
Boca Raton, FL 33433
 2010 Delicious and Kosher LLC. All Rights Reserved. |
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Newsletter and Delicious and Kosher.com are written by Karen Abir and the staff of Delicious and Kosher.com. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to: 
