Crock Pots - Choose the Best Slow Cooker for Yourself

Slow Cookers - How to Choose the Best Crock Pot for YOU!
As you start to research crock pots, it quickly becomes clear that there are MANY options out there.
Slow cookers vary by capacity or size, shape - round vs oval, and features: programmable, warming mode, food probe, multiple size crocks... the variations seem endless.

Here are some suggestions to help you sort through all of the noise and confusion.
Crock pot capacity (how much food a given crock pot will hold) and the shape of the appliance (round or oval) are both extremely important factors to consider.

Crock Pot Size Does Matter
The crock's capacity is an issue because recipes are specific to each size of pot. In other words, it is difficult to make changes to a recipe if your pot is larger or smaller. In addition, the capacity of the crock pot governs how may people can be fed from it.

Crock pot capacity varies from 1-pint mini pots to extra large 7-quart cookers. In order for maximum efficiency, it is best fill a cooker only half or up to three quarters full.

The small units are good for hot dip recipes, and can also be used for serving. They are also appropriate for cooking a meal for one or two people.

The mid-range cookers -- think 4 quarts, will make a family sized stew, soup, or chili recipe.
The extra large 6 and 7 quart models are good for entertaining or cooking for large groups.

Keep in mind that because the size has such a direct effect on what can be cooked, you may find that you prefer having a couple of different sizes in order to meet your needs. If this is the case, start with the size that you anticipate using most often.

Slow Cooker Shape is Important
The shape of the cooker affects the type of food that can be cooked. In most instances, this will have a direct effect on the type of meat that will fit into the pot itself.

If you expect to do a lot of meat cooking - rib roasts or whole chickens, for example, plan on purchasing an oval shaped cooker, and probably one of the bigger ones.

Access the Slow Cooker Features Carefully
Looking at the different cooking options, you will see everything from a simple and basic model to programmable ones that perform a variety of functions.

The bare bones basic models will have high and low settings. You need to be around to start and stop the cooking manually.

If you won't be around to do this, you can take the next step up and look for one with an automatic timer. Many of these have a simple dial.

A digital display option makes it easy to see at a glance how much time has elapsed. Keep in mind that digital controls are often priced higher, so you'll need to decide if this adds value to the functionality that you are also wiling to pay for.

More sophisticated units allow you to set start and end times for cooking. They can also switch to keep the food warm when the cooking time has ended.

A new option, available on some high end models, will change temperature settings mid-way through the cooking process. If a recipe needs to start cooking on high and then be switched down to low part way though, this can be useful. Like other features however, it may add to the overall price.

Some units have a temperature probe. When inserted into the food, it will gauge the cooking by internal temperature, rather than time elapsed. Once the food (usually a cut of meat) reaches predetermined temperature, the unit stops cooking and switches into the Keep Warm Mode. Again, this feature will be reflected in the price of the slow cooker.

Choosing the Best Crock Pot for You?
So, how to choose?
Consider your special circumstances:

• How may people do you want to feed?
• What types of food do you anticipate cooking?
• Are you home all day?
• If you are working elsewhere, are you often delayed?

Because these appliances are size specific, you may consider buying size with specific features to start and plan on adding other sizes with different features down the road.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tink_Boord-Dill/172898

2 Easy Whole Chicken Crock Pot Recipes

Cooking with a crock pot saves not only time but makes the best and juiciest chicken you can find. Most families love chicken, so choosing whole chicken crock pot recipes is a no-brainer, and they're easy to find online too.

Many times, baking a whole chicken runs the risk of over cooking and dry meat. No one likes that, so why risk it? Slow cook your meals year round and don't sacrifice taste or convenience.

Finding slow cooker recipes is great, but did you know that you can cook a whole chicken without a recipe? Sure can. All you do is put the bird in your slow cooker with about a cup or so of water, your favorite seasonings and veggies and let it cook for eight hours. If you need to cook it for ten hours, that's OK too. Your poultry will be perfect as is, or for shredding and using in casseroles, chicken chili or bbq sandwiches.
Here are a couple of delicious whole chicken crock pot recipes to try as well:

Easy Crock Pot Chicken
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 - 2-3 lb. whole chicken
In a small bowl combine the onion, garlic, soy sauce and vinegar and mix all together. Place chicken in slow cooker and pour mixture over chicken. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Spicy Slow Cooked Chicken
1 (3 to 3-1/2 lb.) whole chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 medium garlic bulb

Rinse chicken; pat dry inside and out with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix salt, paprika, pepper, and oil; mix to form paste. Spread evenly over chicken. Place onion in your slow cooker. Place chicken, breast side up, over onion. Separate garlic into cloves, but don't peel cloves. Arrange garlic cloves around chicken. Cover slow cooker and cook on low 8 to 10 hours.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sherry_Frewerd/4774

Burn Fat With These Great Cardio Routines

Focusing on cardio when you workout is a great way to burn plenty of fat while boosting your endurance levels. Something very few people know about is how inefficient traditional cardio is. This article is going to explain what makes a good cardio routine. The cardio routine you will learn here is far more efficient and will provide better results in less time.

The routine I am going to talk about is called High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT for short. If you spend 20 minutes doing HIIT you will get more out of it than a whole hour of traditional cardio. A significant reason for this is the high levels of fat burning hormones HIIT helps the body create.

Your muscles consist of 3 different fibers:
The First is the Slow Twitch
The Second is the Fast Twitch
The Third is the Super Fast Twitch
You should focus on your super fast twitch muscles if you want to boost the creation of fat burning hormones (HGH). When you undergo HIIT you take advantage of your super fast twitch muscles and therefore your body creates greater levels of these hormones. HIIT can work with almost any cardio you can think of, however when you first start the best cardio to partake in is with a recumbent bike. Also, the best time of the day to do HIIT is in the morning.
These are the benefits you gain from HIIT over traditional cardio workouts:

- When you stop traditional cardio your body will stop burning calories, so if you run for an hour you will only burn calories for an hour. However if you implement HIIT your body will keep burning calories for hours after you finish. Another benefit of HIIT is how quickly you improve your endurance and stamina.

- With the increased fat burning hormones you will burn fat quickly but also slow the aging process. Just 20 minutes of high intensity interval training gives better results than an hour of traditional cardio. Think of it like this, you save yourself 40 minutes each session!

- Have you ever watched the Olympics and wondered how all the sprinters have such amazing abs? It's not from doing countless crunches and sit-ups, it is from the sprint training.

- You feel less hungry when you undertake HIIT. I don't have to remind you that eating less is a big part of losing weight.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jefferey_Morgan/789752

Fat Burning Cardio Workouts

Cardio workouts can be great for fat burning, as a matter of fact they are essential for fat burning but the way you're doing them is all screwed up. For starters, everyone seems to be missing the boat on what cardio really is. It's not a method to burn more fat or get tighter abs, rather it's a method to increase your metabolism and allow your body to better use the calories that you are eating. As a matter of fact, for fat burning cardio workouts to truly be effective you must actually eat more.

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear people talking about how they are training harder, doing more cardio, eating less but still not getting any fat burning effects. Lets think about this for a second. Most everyone agrees that you should eat a meal after you workout right? Most people don't even think this way they actually have no choice but to go home and eat after a hard workout. What if we did two workouts in one day or better yet two workouts back to back? Shouldn't we go and eat more?
Well that's what happens when we work out then go do our cardio workouts. Cardio is just a means to eat more calories and that should come as a very interesting piece of news to anyone who has been dieting with no gains and wants more out of their fat burning cardio workouts. Here's why

-After dieting for a few weeks our body responds by holding onto our fat. It's a means of survival. Our metabolism slows down and that isn't good for losing fat.

-Now our calories have been decreased even further since we are trying to burn fat but can't figure out why. We respond by increasing our cardio or the length of our weight training sessions.

-We continue to struggle dropping fat and add more cardio time.

Does this sound like something you've experienced? Well you are not alone since this is the most common thing that you will see with people who have trouble with their fat burning cardio workouts. So now what do you do from here? Please don't get frustrated or you'll end up saying that you tried but couldn't get that flat stomach.

In The Physique Formula I talk about exactly why you have those stubborn areas of bodyfat but it's important to understand that the best thing you can do is consume more calories.

If you want to enhance your fat burning cardio workouts you should
-Eat more healthy fat since our body will hold onto fat any chance it gets.

-Add some more carbs into your diet in the forms of fruits and vegetables. They'll give you more energy to increase the intensity of your fat burning cardio workouts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jimmy_Smith/88633

Ten Best Foods For Weight Loss and Good Health

Super foods are now becoming recognised worldwide for their health benefits and the ability to help us lose weight. These natural foods go beyond the 'common' variety as they are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants which slow down the ageing process and help your body lose weight.

Here are the ten best foods for weight loss and why they provide everything you need for optimal health.

1. Blueberries
These yummy little berries are rich in antioxidants. Also full of flavonoids and proanthocyandins they help protect memory and cognition. A popular addition to any fat loss program, they taste great whipped up in a low fat smoothie, used in whole-wheat pancakes or muffins or just to add a new dimension to your fruit salad.

2. Broccoli
Broccoli has an abundance of health boosting properties. It contains isothiocyanantes which stimulates the body's production of cancer fighting enzymes. It has as much calcium as a glass of milk and more vitamin C than an orange. In addition, it is one of the richest sources of vitamin A in any fruit or vegetable. The only catch is you do need to eat it raw to benefit from all this goodness. If you cannot handle it raw, then just lightly steam before tossing through a salad or stirring through whole-wheat noodles.

3. Ginger
Used throughout history for medicinal purposes, ginger helps protect against cancer as well as boosting the immune system. It helps fight infection in our body, increases digestive enzyme activity and is one of the natural weight loss foods that speed up the metabolism and burn fat. Ginger is also a popular remedy for nausea, making it a safe natural choice for pregnant women. Sip hot ginger tea with a drizzle of honey, use in Asian stir fries and grate a little through healthy marinades and sauces.

4. Linseeds
Linseeds contain the essential omega 3 fatty acids which reduce cholesterol. Not only do they have anti cancer properties but they also can help manage menopausal symptoms. They are good for bowel health and soothe digestion. Just a tablespoon of linseeds a day will give you the omega 3 fats that you require. Sprinkle them over your cereal or stir through soups and casseroles. Linseeds should be stored in the fridge.

5. Oats
Containing large amount of soluble fibre, oats help lower cholesterol levels and improve bowel health. They have a low GI (glycaemic index) which means they make the perfect breakfast to supercharge your day. Oats are a popular recommendation in most weight loss programs.

6. Salmon
A fantastic source of omega 3 fats, protein and vitamin D. Healthy fat loss programs recommend eating salmon twice a week, as it reduces triglyceride levels. Any leftover calories that your body does not burn are turned into triglycerides, which are a type of fat. Poach or grill salmon, and serve with a leafy salad or steamed vegetables. Combine tinned salmon with mashed sweet potatoes to make healthy patties - kids also love them.

7. Soy
Soy protein contains antioxidant isoflavones which counteract the build up of cholesterol in blood vessels, reducing the risk of heart attack and blood clots. It is also great for bone health and preventing osteoporosis. Make sure you choose soy products that are not genetically modified. Use soy protein or tofu instead of burgers and chicken in recipes. Enjoy soy milk over your cereal or in tasty fruit smoothies.

8. Tea
Numerous studies have shown that the powerful antioxidant polyphenols in tea reduce the risk of cancers and also lower cholesterol levels. In addition, drinking tea helps lower the stress hormone cortisol. Green tea in particular has had much discussion regarding its weight loss benefits. Actually all teas contain polyphenols and therefore all have positive benefits. Ideally drink your tea without milk to receive the most benefit.

9. Tomatoes
Tomatoes, which are low in calories, are a versatile health conscious ingredient for any weight loss program. Just add tomatoes to your pasta sauce to boost your antioxidant intake and to lower your risk of chronic diseases, particularly prostate cancer. They are rich in lycopene, which fights damaging free radicals and also high in vitamin C. There are so many exciting ways you incorporate tomatoes into your meals. Whether it be pureed into sauces, chopped through summer salads or thrown into a whole-wheat tortilla, this fabulous super food is a must.

10. Yogurt
Yogurt is a favourite with many dieters. Not only does it's creamy texture help satisfy cravings, it is a great source of calcium, protein, vitamin B12 and riboflavin. What is more it contains probiotics which promote a healthy gut and protect the immune system. Use sugar free, low fat yogurt as a substitute for cream in sauces, curries, and desserts. It is fantastic as a 'quick snack' on the run and can be cooked in both savoury and sweet recipes.

Make sure you incorporate these ten best foods for weight loss into your weekly weight loss eating plan and enjoy the increased energy and unlimited health benefits.

I am passionate about regular exercise, healthy food and relaxation. Through combining these three things our bodies can become whatever we want them to be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Samantha_Goodman/306357

5 Super Foods For Weight Loss

Many of us are aware of the wide range of health oriented foods available today. Anything from whole grains to fatty fish is beneficial to our daily diet. However, the trick is picking foods that are healthy for your body while at the same time encouraging weight loss.

Some of these super foods include grapefruit, sardines, pumpkin, grass-fed beef, and green tea. Grapefruit has been long known as a fat fighter. Studies show that people who consume half of a grapefruit prior to their meal are more successful with weight loss. Aside from its weight loss prosperities, grapefruit contains cancer fighting compounds including liminoids and lycopene. Furthermore, red grapefruit has been show to lower triglycerides. Sardines on the other hand gain their weight loss properties from protein. Protein has been known to stabilize blood, stimulate metabolism, and make you feel full longer. Sardines are also a great source of omega 3's which promote a healthy cardiovascular system and improve mood.

Grass-fed beef, just as sardines, is very high in protein. Simply make sure that your poultry does not contain any antibiotics, steroids, or hormones. Grass-fed beef will stimulate your metabolism, help you feel full longer and provide you with beneficial omega 3's. Pumpkin is yet another great weight loss food. Since pumpkin is so rich in fiber, it offers numerous health benefits on top of the slimming physique. And lastly, green tea, although it is not a food, it offers several benefits. Green tea is rich in antioxidants which aid in heart health, digestion, blood sugar regulation, and metabolic rate. With raised metabolic rate, we are able to digest food quicker and shed more pounds. So the next time you are looking for a healthy snack or meal, try to incorporate one of these super foods into your diet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lauren_S_Johnson/203461

Super Foods For Weight Loss

Every person has his/her own metabolism rate. Some people simply have a higher rate of metabolism, so they do not gain weight as quickly as others. Other people simply have a slow rate of metabolism, so it seems like everything that they eat turns to fat.

Your body actually does burn fewer calories after you turn 40. Women can actually put on about a pound a year as a result of these changes in metabolism; however, these changes in metabolism do not have to be inevitable. There are certain foods that can help speed up your metabolism and help you to have quicker weight loss. These are super foods for weight loss.

Water can actually help you burn more calories. Every single chemical reaction in your body (which includes your metabolism) depends on water. If you do not drink the right amount of water, you could actually be burning fewer calories. A good tip is to try to drink one glass of water before each meal and each snack during the day in order to stay hydrated.

Hot, spicy foods will help to speed up your metabolism. Capsaicin, which is the substance in chili peppers that make them burn, can speed up your metabolism while also making you feel less hungry. Studies have shown that eating about 1 tablespoon of chopped peppers-either red or green chile peppers-resulted in about a 23% boost in metabolism temporarily. Other studies have shown that if red pepper was given in capsule form or in tomato juice before a meal, individuals reduced their total calorie intake by up to 16% for two days afterwards. If you sprinkle red pepper flakes into sauces, stews and chili, this can help speed up your metabolism and help to achieve quick weight loss.

Protein can also help rev up your metabolism. Protein is more difficult for your body to digest than the fat or carbohydrates. Some studies have shown that you might burn up to twice as many calories trying to digest protein as you would digest the carbohydrates. Most Americans consume about 14% of their calories from protein. If you double that and also do not eat as many carbohydrates, you can actually burn an additional 150 to 200 calories each day. A good rule of thumb is to try and consume between 10 and 20 g of protein at each meal.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stuart_Elcocks/234729