Tag: Shelves

Cooking Up Good Scents

Aromatherapy is a wonderful natural alternative to modern medicine when it comes to treating common ailments and mood swings. In aromatherapy, there is no risk of ingesting blends of herbs that may have harmful or adverse effects on us. Aromatherapy uses essential oils that benefit us in two ways: through the connection of our olfactory sense with the brain and as well as through the direct application of essential oils to the skin.

The use of essential oils for aromatherapy can be easy. All you need is to gather the right resources to increase your knowledge on the different types of essential oils and their benefits. You can go down to your local bookstore and browse the shelves for information on essential oils and aromatherapy. You can also choose to go online and browse the web’s resources and tips from various aromatherapy practitioners and experts.

To get you started on your quest, below you will find aromatherapy recipes for treatment of some common problems.

Aromatherapy recipe for the skin

Aromatherapy for the skin is beneficial because the essential oils provide much needed moisture and healing to skin layers. It also helps invigorate your skin cells to promote new skin cell regeneration. Certain essential oils are also extremely useful for treating bacteria and fungal infection as well as inflammations.

If you have dry skin, you can use rose, sandalwood, lavender and myrrh. If you have sensitive skin, try this aromatherapy recipe: combine 2 drops of chamomile with a drop each of myrrh and rose plus 2 ounces of jojoba or almond oil. You must store this mixture in an airtight dark glass container which should be kept in a cool and dark place. You can then use this aromatherapy recipe to treat sensitive skin.

If your problem is mature skin, you can revive the youthful properties of your skin using a simple aromatherapy recipe. All you have to do is combine 2 drops each of frankincense and myrrh with 2 ounces of jojoba or almond oil. This easy rejuvenating treatment is the most natural way to a more youthful skin. Remember to store this aromatherapy recipe accordingly.

Acne can also be treated by a simple aromatherapy recipe, which involves combining 15 drops of tea tree oil with 10 drops of lavender along with 2 ounces of jojoba or almond oil. For a whole body treatment however, you can try the simple aromatherapy recipe of combining 1 cup of milk with 1 teaspoon each of honey, olive oil and vinegar with 2 drops each of spearmint and lavender. You can use this wonderful aromatherapy recipe with mixing it in a warm tub of water for a relaxing and invigorating bath.

Aromatherapy for the hair

Don’t neglect your crowning glory! Simple aromatherapy recipes can help you get your mane in tip top shape. For instance, if you suffer from dry hair, try this aromatherapy recipe to give life back to your parched hair: combine 1 drop of rosemary with 1 tablespoon orris root powder. Simply sprinkle the mixture on to your hair and scalp and brush off thoroughly after 5 minutes.

If coaxing your hair to grow is what you want, a simple aromatherapy recipe can do the trick. Simply combine 10 drops rosemary with 8 drops of bay along with 7 drops cedarwood and 50 ml of jojoba oil. Apply this aromatic mixture of essential oil to your scalp and cover with a shower cap or towel. Leave it like this overnight and rinse thoroughly when you wake up.

A Rundown on the Kinds of Artificial Sweeteners

Because of the sudden need of America to suddenly go dieting, a lot of low calorie artificial sweeteners have been flooding the market. There have been a lot of speculations as to how safe these artificial sweeteners are. All of those being sold legally in the market has of course been tested and approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration.

Despite this, there are still some doubts on the safety of the products and a lot of misconceptions on how these products can affect the body. For instance, pregnant women can use artificial sweeteners unless of course they are warned or asked by their doctor not to for some reasons; Yet a lot of expectant mothers still feel that they have to avoid taking in these kinds of artificial sweeteners for fear of harming their babies.

Below are some of the low-calorie artificial sweeteners in the market. Read on and find out something about each of them.

Aspartame
This artificial sweetener has been in the market for quite sometime, being sold in brand names like NutraSweet, Sugar Twin, Canderel and Equal. Aspartame was actually discovered way back in 1965 and has already been in the shelves since the 1980s. Aspartame is created when two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, are combined. This sweetener is actually 200 times sweeter than ordinary table sugar without the calories that go with it. In fact, one small packet of this sweetener is equivalent to the taste of two teaspoons of sugar.

Although it has already been evaluated as safe by agencies, there has been a lot of talk of how aspartame is linked to headaches, epilepsy and even cancer. One indication though that people should remember is that people afflicted with phenylketonuria (PKU) should not use this because they are unable to metabolize phenylalanine.

Saccharin, another form of artificial sweetener under the brandnames SweetN Low, Sweet Twin, and Necta Sweet. It is a non-caloric sweetener that is not metabolized by the body. Produced from an organic compound, it is 375 times sweeter than table sugar. In fact, this can be used in moderation by diabetics because of the non-existent caloric content.

Acesulfame K, which is being sold under the product names, Sunett and Sweet One, Sweet and Safe is another sugar substitute that is not metabolized by the body and is actually excreted by the body through the kidneys. In addition to being used by diabetics, Acesulfame K is also used in cooking and baking.

Meat On The Outdoor Grill

Meat-A Classic On The Grill

When it comes to outdoor grilling, the first thing most likely that would come to most peoples minds are the nice and tender prime rib cuts, steaks, rack of ribs and many other cuts of meat that are undoubtedly good tasting when grilled. Considering this, an outdoor grilling party with family or friends would never be complete without a few slices of these.

So for you to enjoy grilling meat outdoors, you could use a few tips and guidelines when it comes to choosing, preparing and grilling them. So to help you with that matter, here are some seemingly helpful tips and guidelines to turn your favorite cuts of meat into something that would make outdoor barbecues much more enjoyable for you and everyone else.

Choosing The Perfect Cut

The perfect grilled meats start of by choosing a good cut. The better the quality you would get the better tasting the meat is. By saying good quality, that means that the meat should have a good marble of fat in it. The marble of fat must not be too much or too little but just a good amount. If you are wondering why it is so, the fat makes the meat tender and adds a good flavor. Too little of it could make the beef tough and too much of it would make it good either.

Also make sure that the meat that you will be choosing is quite red in color. The redder it is, the better. This is a good sign that the meat is freshly cut. Never pick one that is pale since it might have been on the shelves for days. The quality of the food you will grill will rely heavily on how good the meat is so make sure that you choose carefully.

Preparing The Meat

When you get home from where you bought the meat, you can keep the meat in room temperature as long as you will grill it that very same day. The very common misconception people would have on this is that you should put the meat straight into the refrigerator right after you get home from the market. This however is not true since meat does not spoil that easily and if you put it in the refrigerator the very same day you grill it, it could even lose some of its flavor.

Before grilling, the meat should be completely thawed and ready for grilling. Try to cut off amounts of fat that can be seen on the side. Depending on what you are planning to make, you can also season the cuts with marinade although a lot of people would prepare having the meat unseasoned or a la pobre.

Grilling The Meat

Now that everything is ready, the meat is all suited up to be tossed on top of your grill and get cooked. In grilling meat, you can have it rare, medium-rare, medium-well or well done and never have it overcooked. Overcooked meat is very tough and is practically tasteless so be careful not to burn it. For steaks, the best way to have it is to have it directly on top of fire.

If you do this right, you will have steaks that are very tasty, tender with all the juices right in it. Serve the meats with some nice side dishes and some red wine and you are sure to have another pleasant outdoor grilling memory.

Magical Fresh Flavor From Coffee Bean Roaster

The coffee bean roaster is quickly becoming a must have in every kitchen, because the flavor and the freshness of coffee is always at its best when it is roasted in small batches at a time in the comfort of your own home. Roasted coffee tends to be very susceptible to oxidation or damage from oxygen when sitting on the shelves in stores or in the bins at your local caf for days or even weeks at a time. This spells disaster for specialty coffee beans, because it creates coffee that is flavorless and stale.

Today the home coffee bean roaster is an absolute dream for any coffee enthusiast that wants to get the most out of what fresh, delicious coffee has to offer. The home coffee bean roaster brings quality and freshness home by allowing you to roast and brew your own fresh, gourmet coffee at home any time you want it. This handy appliance is the beginning of a completely new era when it comes to coffee and coffee history, because it is allowing everyone to take major steps to produce higher quality, fresher cups of coffee at any hour of the day, anytime they like.

You may be pleasantly surprised to know how simple and how quick it is to roast your own specialty coffee in your home. Once you experience the incredible flavor that is fresh gourmet coffee, you will want to share the experience with everyone that you know. There are basically two different home coffee bean roasters that you can use. There is a fluid bed roaster, and there is an electric radiant heat drum roaster.

Fluid Bed Roasters – These roasters work like hot air popcorn poppers, with a glass roasting chamber that allows you to watch as the coffee beans are roasted, which means that you can stop when you are happy with the roasting. These are excellent for beginners, and are an excellent way for you to get started if you are interested in home roasting.

Radiant Heat Drum Roasters – This is more like the roaster that a professional would use. They do not allow you to watch as the beans are roasted, but rather require that you roast by sound and smell.

Home roasting can be a lot of fun, not only for you but also friends and families and even house guests. Consider having a roasting party with the people in your life, trying out different coffees from all over the world and allowing everyone to roast their coffee just the way they like it. You and your friends and family members to create their own custom blends, mixing different coffee beans from around the world and roasting them together for unique blends.

If you have not already tried home roasting, then you should get ready for an enjoyable and amazing treat. You can rest assured that your coffee drinking experience will never be the same again once you realize what amazing coffee can be produced when you roast your own beans fresh; with a coffee bean roaster.