Foods for Healthy Hearts

Raisins
You might think that because raisins are sweet and sticky, they’re not good for your oral health. But research has shown that antioxidants in raisins fight the growth of a type of bacteria that can cause inflammation and gum disease.
Green tea
Scientists reported in 2009 that Japanese men who drank a daily cup of green tea significantly lowered their risk of developing gum disease — the more the tea, the lower the risk. The researchers believe antioxidants called catechins in green tea are the key. Catechins hamper the body’s inflammatory response to the bacteria that cause gum disease.
Whole grains
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that men who ate four or more servings of whole grains a day reduced their risk of periodontal disease by 23 percent. Compared to refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice), whole grains (oatmeal, brown rice) are digested more slowly, causing a steadier rise in blood glucose, says study author Anwar Merchant, D.M.D., Sc.D., an epidemiologist at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Avoiding spikes in blood sugar tempers the body’s production of inflammatory proteins — and lowers the risk of both gum and heart disease.

January 8th, 2010 by admin
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Lemon Cake

o 11/3 cups (2 sticks plus 51/3 Tbsp) butter, softened
o 11/3 cups granulated sugar
o 2 Tbsp finely grated lemon peel
o 2 tsp baking powder
o 3/4 tsp salt
o 4 large eggs, at room temperature
o 1/3 cup lemon juice
o 2 tsp vanilla extract
o 13/4 cups all-purpose flour
o Frosting
o 3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) butter, softened
o 6 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
o 1 cup s) plus 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
o 1 tsp vanilla extract
o bag s, 1 decorating bag fitted with a large star tip and sliced natural (with skin) almonds

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8- or 9-in. round cake pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax paper; grease paper.

Beat butter, sugar, lemon peel, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with mixer on high speed 2 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla until well blended (mixture will look curdled). Reduce speed to low; beat in flour just until blended. Spread batter in prepared pans.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges, invert cakes on rack and remove wax paper; cool completely.

Frosting: Beat ingredients in a large bowl with mixer on low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.

Spoon 1/4 cup frosting into a plastic bag; set aside. Using food color, tint 1/3 cup frosting light orange; spoon 1 tsp into the other plastic bag and scrape the rest into the decorating bag. Set bags aside.

To assemble: Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread top with 2/3 cup frosting. Top with remaining layer, bottom side up. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting.

Snip tip off corner of bag with plain frosting and pipe lines of frosting on top of cake and dots around base as shown (see larger photo, pages 118-–119). Using decorating bag, pipe rosettes on top and sides, then pipe a dot of plain frosting in center of each. Insert almonds in frosting to simulate butterflies. Snip tip off corner of bag with orange frosting and pipe a body down middle of each butterfly.

February 6th, 2012 by admin
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