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Best Natural Supplements for Daily Intake

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Not everyone is able to eat the right healthy foods ideal for the body on a daily basis. Despite the lessons learned in school and reminders from the experts, it’s a fact that one does not get the complete nutrients he or she needs every day of his life.

Fortunately, there are supplements that provide the vitamins and minerals people need. What’s important is you choose those containing natural ingredients and not those made from synthetic or the not-so-natural ingredients.

herbs-and-supplements

Natural supplements are most ideal being made from the powdered and capsuled form of vegetables and other ingredients available in nature. As such, they are safe and healthy.

Here are some you can add to your daily diet to ensure you get the proper nutrients to your body. [Read more…]

Gingerbread Cupcakes

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Gingerbread is just for kids? Says who!! These are so easy to make, and go with so many drinks and dinners that they’re just too good to pass up on!

Gingerbread Cupcake

Top them with some Candied Orange Peel if you’d like to really make them Extra-Special!

To Make 10 Cupcakes
175g Butter, softened
175g Caster Sugar
4 Eggs
350g Plain Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1/2tsp Allspice
1/2tsp Ground Ginger
1/2tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2tsp Ground Nutmeg
Pinch Salt
100ml Milk
Zest of 1 Orange
1 Drop Vanilla Extract

For the topping you’ll need
150g Butter, softened
100g Icing Sugar
Zest of 1 Orange
Pinch of Ground Ginger
Candied Orange Peel (optional)

1. Preheat an Oven to 160C
2. Cream together the Butter and Sugar. When it’s light and fluffy, start to add the Eggs, one at a time – make sure that you keep the mixture moving whilst adding the Eggs in. The mixture will look like it has split into different layers, but that’s normal, so don’t worry!
3. Sift all the dry ingredients into the mixture, before adding in the Milk, Orange Zest and Vanilla, then stir well and fold the Flour in gently.
4. When everything is combined, spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into individual cupcake cases, which are best sat in cupcake trays or Yorkshire pudding tins. Bake for twelve to fifteen minutes.
5. Remove from the Oven, and leave to cool whilst you make the Butter Icing.
6. Cream the Butter with the Icing Sugar for the Topping with a Wooden Spoon until smooth. Add the Orange Zest, stir in then spread over the top of the cooled cakes. Top each with a pinch of Ground Ginger and some Candied Orange Peel if you wish.

Photo Courtesy of: shimelle

Lebkuchen

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Lebkuchen is a traditional German baked treat, especially popular around Christamas time. It’s similar in taste to Gingerbread, but softer and stickier than you may expect.
Lebkuchen
Brilliant served as an after-dinner treat, or with Coffee as a little snack during the day.

To make 60
3 Eggs
200g Golden Caster Sugar
55g Plain Flour
2tsp Cocoa Powder
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2tsp Ground Cardamom
1/4tsp Ground Cloves
1/4tsp Ground Nutmeg
175g Ground Almonds
55g Chopped Mixed Peel, finely chopped
115g Plain Chocolate
115g White Chocolate
Sugar Crystals

1. Heat the oven to 180C, and line several baking trays with some baking paper.
2. Pug the Eggs and Caster Sugar into a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture until it’s thick and foamy, then remove from over the saucepan and carry on whisking for two more minutes.
3. Sift the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves and Nutmeg into a large bowl, before stirring in the Ground Almonds and Mixed Peel.
4. Mix into the Egg and Sugar mixture, then drop heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the baking trays, shaping into smooth mounds.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for fifteen to twenty minutes, until light brown and slightly soft still when touched. Cool on baking trays for ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
6. Put the Plain Chocolate and White Chocolate into two separate bowls, then set over pans of simmering water, allowing it to gently melt. Dip half of the Lebkuchen balls into the White Chocolate, then the other into the Milk Chocolate. Sprinkle with the Sugar Crystals, and leave to set.

Photo Courtesy of: _rockinfree

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

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According to Wikipedia, Cinnamon was so valuable that it was considered as a gift fit for royalty and even for a god.  Now, it is very common and is used daily, whether as a spice, condiment or flavoring material. Apples on the other hand help bone protection, lower cholesterol and help with weight loss. Here is a healthy recipe you can enjoy for breakfast or as a snack.

Ingredients:

Muffin Batter
1 1/2 cups plus 2 level tablespoons of all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 egg
1/3 cup butter milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large apples – peeled, cored and diced

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (not soft butter or spread)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350(F) degrees. Grease six muffin cups or line them with paper muffin liners.

To make the streusel, combine 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 sugar, butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk the ingredients well. With a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea sized crumbles. Refrigerate it until it is ready to use.

Prepare the muffins by mixing the salt, sugar, flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl put together the oil, apple sauce, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. After, combine the wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. Fold in the apples and make sure that all the ingredients have blended together.

Using a ladle or an ice cream scoop, place the batter into the prepared muffin cups and top with streusel toppings.

Bake the muffins in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick at the center of the muffin to test if it is cooked. It must come out clean, with no batter. Let the muffins rest for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Serve warm or store in an airtight container up to a week.

Photo Courtesy Of:  Jennifer Chernoff

Cinnamon Rolls

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A sweet and delicious bun you can have for breakfast, dessert or snacks. This pastry melts in your mouth while the nuts give it more texture and flavor. You can even add fruits like cherries or peaches to the filling for a tastier treat.

Pastry:

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan

3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting:

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.

Combine milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg in a bowl. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Stir in yeast mixture. Mix in the remaining flour.

Sprinkle flour on your work surface. Knead dough for 5-10 minutes, and then place it on a well greased bowl. Cover and let it rise for 1-2 hours or until its size doubles.

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface and make a rectangle.  Brush the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle it with sugar and cinnamon mixture, then layer with walnuts and raisins. Gently roll up dough.

Cut up the dough into 1- 1 1/2 inch thick pieces. You can use scissors or a piece of string.

Grease the bottom of the baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place the dough slices in the pan and cover.  Let it rise for another 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the cinnamon rolls for 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Make sure not to overcook it.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup butter, vanilla extract and salt. Beat well.

Spread frosting on the warm cinnamon rolls, let it melt before serving.

Photo Courtesy Of: steveandpolo

Moussaka

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This dish is traditional Greek Comfort food. It’s got such a unique taste, that you’ll soon be looking for more of it. The dish is great when served hot or cold, and the flavours improve if left in a refrigerator overnight, and then heated up the next day to have hot.
Greek Mousakka
A traditional Greek Moussaka tends to use Pork mince, but Beef is more than fine – you can also make this a vegetarian dish by using more Aubergines instead of the Minced Meat.

To Serve 4
600g Aubergine, Sliced into 1cm Thick Rounds
1tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, Chopped Roughly
2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped Finely
400g Minced Beef
1tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon (or 2 Cinnamon Sticks)
Small Bunch Parsley, Chopped
1tbsp Clear Honey
470g Jar of White Sauce
100g Cheese
Sea Salt and Pepper

1. Sprinkle the Aubergines with a little Sea Salt, and allow to stand for fifteen minutes, before rinsing and drying off with kitchen paper. Heat a grill up, and grill on each side for two minutes until they are lightly browned and dry.
2. Heat the Oil up in a large pan, and cook the Onion and Garlic until soft and brown – around four minutes. Add the meat (if using it), and cook brown it off for about five minutes.
3. Add the Worcestershire Sauce, Chopped Tomatoes, Cinnamon, Parsley and Honey to the pan, and simmer for fifteen minutes uncovered, before removing the Cinnamon Stick (if you aren’t using Ground Cinnamon). Pre-heat the Oven to 170C
4. In a large Ovenproof dish, layer the Aubergines with the Meat Sauce, then pour the White Sauce over the top and scatter the Cheese over the top. Bake for thirty minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Photo Courtesy of: zrzka2010