Earthly Eating

Skip On: Iceberg Lettuce:
It is a near-zero nutritionally and has little flavor.

Load Up: Spinach and Romaine Lettuce:
The darker the greens, the better- you will get iron. B vitamin and other nutrients.

Skip On: Bacon Bits:
Do not consider these salty, fatty bites a protein source.

Load Up: Parmesan:
A little goes a long way in terms of both taste and nutrition. One tablespoon delivers almost 2 grams of protein and 55 milligrams of calcium.

Skip On: Pasta Salad:
Anything mayo-based will be high ion fat. Besides, how long has it been sitting out on that salad bar as well?

Load Up: Beans:
All varieties are good for you, but black and kidney beans are above the highest in protein and fiber, so aim for half a cup. If you have got meat or tofu in the mix, serve up a quarter cup or less.

Skip On: Croutons:
Not worth it; they are loaded with calories and fat.

Load Up: Fresh Bell Peppers or Nuts:
Peppers are crunchy enough to rival croutons by contain vitamins A, C and K instead of fat and calories. Walnuts are a source of omega-3s, but they are calorie-dense. Crush three (78 calories) to sprinkle over salad.

Skip On: Creamy Salad Dressings:
Such as Thousand Island, French, ranch or blue cheese. Two tablespoons can contain as many as 16 of fat. The truth is that most women can eat as big a salad as they want. It’s the dressing that’s the problem.

Load On: Oil-Based Dressings:
Or use it straight olive oil and vinegar. Drizzle, don’t douse. Aim for 2 tablespoons if the dressing is low fat; pour less if it contains oil.

Skip On: Grilled Veggies:
Anything that glistens has been crushed with fat. If you must have them, take a small portion and toss fresh veggies and low fat dressing. You will get the taste with minimal fat.

Load Up: Beets:
Despite their sweetness, these often-overlooked veggies typically have no sugar added. They provide fiber, folate and lots of flavor.
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Earthly Eating Daily Recipe

Salmon Bruschetta
Serves:2
Calories: 434 calories per serving

1 fillet of wild salmon (about 6 oz.), skin on
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (15 oz.) white beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and grated (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil (or tarragon)
1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
16 low fat whole-grain crackers, such as Ryvita

Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat, add salmon and salt and cover. Let stand until salmon is no longer translucent in the center but still dark pink and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove salmon and discard the skin. Transfer to a bowl and break up with a fork (lightly flake). Add the beans, tomato, carrot, garlic, basil, vinegar, oil and pepper. Stir to combine. Separate into 1 small plastic containers (Salmon will keep for up to 2 days). Serve with crackers.

Happy Eating!

A homemade pickle captures the taste of summer-sweet with a hint of tanginess, so you can savor it at any time of the year. You might think that making pickles takes hours in the kitchen or requires knowledge you need to learn from your grandmother. It’s really simple and fun fermenting your homegrown produce right in your own kitchen.

Pickle Particulars:

• 4.2 pounds anuually consumed in the United States.

• Michigan and North Carolina are the top pickle-producing states in the United States.

• Distance you can hear the crunch of a good pickle are 10 steps away from someone.

• Midgets or gherkins are picked from the same plant that produces large cucumbers.

• Elvis Presley likes deep-fried pickles.

• The phrase “” was first introduced in the Shakespeare play The Tempest, with the quote, “How camest thou in this pickle?”

• Amerigo Vespucci, our country’s namesake and Columbus’s ship-stocker, loaded barrels onto the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria to help prevent scurvy outbreaks. Because of their ability to keep without spoiling in brine for as long as two or three years, pickles were also invaluable to early settlers, who made them at the end of summer to eat during the lean winter months.

Here is a list of things that you can pickle:

1. Cucumbers
2. Beets
3. Okra
4. Cauliflower
5. Watermelon Rinds
6. Eggs
7. Cabbage (Sauerkraut)
8. Ginger (Gari served with sushi)

• Piccalilli and Chocho are pickled vegetables relishes.
• In Iceland, shark is buried and left to ferment to make harkarl.
• Kosher means that garlic has been added to the jar during fermentation.

Basic Pickle Brine Recipe
You can adjust this recipe to make larger or smaller quantities; just be sure to keep the proportions of salt to vinegar to water the same.

1 3/4 cups pickling salt (not iodized)
2 1/2 gallons water
2 1/2 cups vinegar
1/2-3/4 cup Pickling Spice Mix (see recipe below)
2-3 bunches whole dill heads or 1 cup dried dill weed (optional for noncucumber pickles)
Garlic cloves to taste (up to 1 head, peeled and separated)

Mix the salt into the water until it is completely dissolved (the water will start out cloudy, then grow clear). Add the vinegar and the cheesecloth bag containing the spices and, if you’re pickling cucumbers, add the dill. You may use our Pickling Spice Mix or one from the grocery store. Include garlic if you wish.

Makes enough brine for about 20 pounds (about 1/2 bushel) of vegetables.
(Source: Organic Gardening 2007)

**Keith Olbermann on MSNBC’s Countdown had named Fox Noise’s John Gibson its Worst Person of the Day last night for Gibson’s tasteless “jokes” about the death of actor Heath Ledger. Read the rest of this story over at TV Chatting, where Todd Epp tells why.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Radicchio & Endive Salad
Serves: 4

1/2 radicchio, finely chopped
1/3 endive, finely chopped
1 firm pear, cored and cubed
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
3 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped
Crumbled goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place walnuts in a dry frying pan and toast over medium heat until slightly brown and aromatic. Remove from heat and cool.

2. Place radicchio, endive and pear into a bowl.

3. In a second small bowl, mix mustard and lemon juice, gradually whisking in the olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.

4. Combine dressing with vegetables, sprinkle walnuts and goat cheese on top and serve.

Happy Eating!

Although you can add mâche to mixed salads, you will best appreciate the delicate flavor of its tender leaves when it is served as the only green. Sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil, leafy mâche bouquests also make lovely garnishes. Here is some salad recipes to try the next time you are feeling the rabbit-greens need coming onto you. These recipes will give you flavor and healthy options to try that are low-calorie as well.

• Mâche salad with red grapes and port wine vinaigrette: Reduce 1/3 cup port over medium heat. Cool and combine with 2 tablspoons sherry vinegar and 5 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with a big bowl of mâche combines with about 2 cups halved red or purple grapes.

• Mâche salad with roasted beets and walnut vinaigrette: Oven-roast 2 medium beets. Peel, cube and combine while still warm with a vinagrette of 2 tablspoons sherry vinegar, and 2 tablspoons minced shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with a large bowl of mâche and a couple of handfuls of lightly toasted walnuts plus shome chopped chervil.

• Mâche salad with rose vinaigrette: Begin 3 days in advance. Heat 3 cups white wine vinegar to barely a simmer and pour over 2 cups organic rose petals in a ceramic bowl or glass bowl. Make sure the petals are ones that have a lot of fragrance to them. Cover and marinate at room teperature for 3 dats. Stain into a jar or bottle. Dress a bowl of mâche with a vinaigrette of 2 tablespoons rose vinegar and 5 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with a garnish of more of the organic rose petals.

**Is your neighborbood ready for emergencies? Over at Renton, WA blog, Lynn Glessner has the latest on Renton and their up-to-speed Emergency Preparedness Neighborhood Training. Read more about it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Homemade Pancakes
Serves: 3 (Making 3 medium-sized pancakes each)

1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cups baking mix
Optional: Frozen blueberries or cherries or chunks of peaches or even bananas

In a pint-sized measuring cup, beat together the egg, milk and oil. Add to the baking mix and stir until just moistened. Pour one-half cup at a time onto a hot, oiled griddle to make one medium pancake. If desired, add the furit.

Flip when golden brown or when small bubbles form around the edges of the cake.

Happy Eating!

Like other cabbage crops, kohlrabi is loaded with good nutrition. Just 1 cup of raw kohlrabi contains nearly 100 precent of the daily requirement for vitamin C, plus it’s a good source of fiber, and has less than 40 calories. Cole crops such as kohlrabi also contain glucosinolates, which breaks down into compounds that researchers think may help protect against many kinds of cancer.

You can use either purple or white kohlrabi in the following recipes-the interior of both types is white, and both have the same milk, tangy-sweet flavor.

Kohl Slaw
2 to 3 kohlrabu bulbs
2 carrots
1 to 2 broccoli stems (optional)
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbs. rice vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
Large pinch of dill or fennel leaves, chopped

Clean and peel the kohlrabi. Cut the kohlrabi, carrots and broccoli into small, thin strips (julienne), or shred with a grater. Toss the vegetables with salt, and let them sit for a few minutes to marinate. Rinse with water then pat dry.

In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then add vegetables. Chill before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

You can also make Kohlrabi Fries, here’s how:
Peel and slice raw kohlrabi into thin matchstick-sized strips. Spread out the strips in a single layer on a bakinbg sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper if desired. Bake 20 to 30 minutes at 400°F until the kohlrabi softens slightly, but still has a light crunch. (Source: M.E.N. 2007)
**Donald Trump and Vinc McMahon have something in common and it’s not the fact they both have bad hair. Over at WWE Daily, Scooter has what the similar “something” is. Read it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Mango-Cabbage Roll
Serves: 1

1/2 mango
7 ounces cabbage
3 tbs. hot soy sauce
1 tbs. Fish sauce
2 pieces of rice paper
1 1/2 ounces red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 1/2 ounces Tomaine lettuce

1. Paint the rice paper with hot soy sauce to soften it.

2. Slice mango into sticks and cabbage very thickly.

3. Julienne the bell peppers.

4. Marinate the cabbage in hot soy sauce and fish sauce.

5. Place the cabbage portion of the red bell pepper, red onion and Romaine lettuce on extended rice paper.

6. Roll the paper.

7. Wait three minutes to allow all of the infredients to matinate then cut in half.

8. Serve with sliced lettuce, red onion sna dbell peppers on top. Serve it along side a small dish of the hot soy sauce.

Happy Eating!

I did a posting on your bodies pH level a few days back. Click here to read that posting. The most through benefit you can give your body and to a healthy heart is to keep your pH level in balance. When the pH level in your body is in check the rest of your body is in check and works as a team to continue to keep you healthy. Once you know what foods tend to be acidic or alkaline, you can make smarter choices on whether you should be dining in or can splurge for a night and dine out. Here is a great guide to help you get on the right path to eating healthier.

° ACIDIC FOODS:

• Vegetables: Cucumber, eggplant, string beans, sauerkraut.

• Fruits: Pineapple, quince, kiwi, kumquat, citrus, berries, apples, apricots.

• Grains: White flour.

• Legumes: Baked beans in a sweet sauce or tomatoe sauce.

• Dairy Foods: Yogurt.

• Animal Products: Dry sausage, beef, pork.

• Sweetness: White sugar.

• Condiments: Vinegar, mayonnaise, pickles.

• Beverages: Colas, wines, juices such as citrus, apple, and tomato.

• Chinese: Sweet an sour soup, deep fried pork in sweet sauce.

• Italian: Green salad with vinigrette dressing, pasta bolognese.

• Mexican: Ceviche, carne asada with refried beans.

° ALKALINE FOODS:

• Vegtables: Mushrooms, cauliflower, corn, broccoli, peas, onions, sweet potatoes, squash, asparagus, carrots, spinach, sweet peas.

• Fruits: Melon, papaya, avocado, dates, figs, persimmons.

• Grains: Whole grains, buckwheat, hominy, millet.

• Legumes: Soybeans, lima beans.

• Dairy Foods: Most cheese, milk, butter.

• Animal Products: Seafood, eggs, duck.

• Sweetness: Maple syrup, brown rice syrup, honey.

• Condiments: Dutch processed chocolate, garlic, hot peppers.

• Beverages: Mineral water, tea, beer.

• Chinese: Egg drop soup, stir-fried vegetables with tofu.

• Italian: Prosciutto and melon, linguine with clam sauce.

• Mexican: Guacamole, chicken mole with stewed beans.

Knowing what is alkaline and what is more acidic will keep your body and health in check. If you feel you are more alkaline then eat more acidic foods, and visa-versa.

**The kids of Kid Nation are getting bored. In the latest episode they all laid down in the road out of borem. I hope this means the audience doesn’t get bored as well. Over at TV Bender, Eliza Ferree talks about how bored the kids are getting. Read the rest of the story by clicking here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Day 4 of Low-Fat Eating

Low-Fat Dieting

Forget flip-flpping with diets, stick with these eight basic principles for a healthy, low-fat diet plan.

1. Replace bad fats with good fats.

2. Use meat sparingly.

3. Learn to love beans, grains and nuts.

4. Eat fish at least twice a week.

5. Load up on greens and veggies.

6. Kick the potato habit.

7. Go for the whole grains.

8. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fruits and try to stay way from refined sugars.
(Source: Health Journal 2006)
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Braised Eggplant with Chickpeas
Serves: 6

2 tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, diced ( about 1 1/2 cups)
6 medium Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup marinara sauce
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 15-oz. can chickpease, rinsed and drained
2 large mint springs, plus 2 tbs. chopped mint additionally

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-heat. Add onion, and sauté 7 minutes, or until soft. Stir in eggplant, and cook 5 minutes or until beginning to brown. Add garlic, allspice, and cumin, and cook 1 minute more.

2. Stir in marinara sauce, vinegar, and 2/3 cup water, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes. Removed from heat, and stiry in chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Lay mint springs on top of eggplant mixture, cover, and transfer pot to the oven. Cook 45 to 50 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Remove mint sprigs, and stir in chpped mint. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Happy Eating!

Most of us look to calcium and vitamin D to protect our bones and teeth, but the benefits of these nutrients are more than just that. Taking calcium in preganancy may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure in your children.

Premenopausal women with higher intakes of vitamin D and calcium also have lower risk for more aggressive forms of breast cancer. WIth calcium and almost three times the recommended daily amount of vitamin D3 of their age group are 60 precent lower risk factors for common cancers.

Most women should take a calcium supplement with vitamin D when they hit the ages of 18-21 and continue to take these supplements the rest of their lives. Taking a calcium supplemts with vitamon D in it helps promote the effective absorption of calcium. Beyond that, get your bone building necessities from vegetables, fruits and whole grains as well.

Calcium can also help cut your blood pressure, sheild you from colon cancer and ease or end PMS symptoms. It can also help keep you slim. Lots of food, from beans to sardines, are rich in calcium. But, few people eat enough to hit their daily goal.

Caffeine can rip away at the calcium storages of women who are already running short. One of every two American women will at some time in her life suffer and osteoporosis-related bone fracture without the caffeine taking away what every women needs already.

How Much Calcium Do You Get?

Food:

• Yogurt, low-fat (1 cup): 447 mg
• Orange juice, calcium-fortified (1 cup): 350 mg
• Sardines, canned (3 ounces): 325 mg
• Milk, 1 precent (1 cup): 300 mg
• Cheese, Swiss (1 slice): 272 mg
• Spinach, cooked (1 cup): 245 mg
• Tofu, firn (1/2 cup): 204 mg
• White beans, cooked (1 cup): 161 mg
• Figs, dried (1/2 cup, or about 5): 143 mg
• Parmesan cheese (2 tbs.): 138 mg
• Frozen yogurt (1/2 cup): 103 mg
• Breakfast cereal, calcium-fortified: 100 mg
• English muffin, toasted: 98 mg
• Broccoli, cooked (1 cup): 72 mg
• Almonds (1 ounce, or about 24 nuts): 70 mg
• Green beans, boiled (1 cup): 58 mg

**Over at Joss Stone-Fan, KiKi writes about the recent breast cancer charity event Joss Stone participated in. Frosted Pink Benefit, Joss sang “Bruised but not Broken”. Read and watch the video of Joss Stone here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Day 2 of Low-Fat Eating

Low-Fat Diet

With so many diets out now and the pressure to be thin by the media, what diet will work best for you?
The Atkins Diet?
The Zone?
Weight Watchers?
Or do you even need a diet plan at all? Give yourself point for each of the following questions that you answer yes to. If you score six or more, you may want to reevaluate your eating habits. Talk to a nutritionist if you need additional diet help.

1. Do you spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food and planning or shipping for your meals?

2. Do you often dwell on tomorrow’s menu today?

3. Do you care more about the virtue of what you eat than the pleasure you receive from eating it?

4. Has the quality of your life decreased as the quality of your diet has increased?

5. Do you keep getting stricter with yourself?

6. Do you sacrifice experieces you once enjoyed to eat the food you believe is right?

7. Do you feel an increased sense of self-esteem when you are eating healthy food?

8. Do you look down on others you don’t?

9. Do you feel guilt or self-loathing when you stray from your diet?

10. Does your diet isolate your socially?
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Herb Pesto At Home
Makes 3 cups

1 cup watercress leaves
1 cup Italian parsley leaves
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup thyme leaves
1/2 cup oregani leaves
1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts or pine nuts)
4 garlic cloves, rouhgly chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup olive oil
Black pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until combines but still fairly coarse. Use with breads, high-end crackers, or even. Keep in the freezer for about six months to enjoy pesto anytime of the year.

Happy Eating!

The best way to buy and store milk is a no brainer, but for those of you who don’t know the particulars, here’s a quick lesson on milk.

• Choose a carton over a clear plastic jug: The more light milk is exposed to, the more nutrients it may lose, espeically riboflavin and vitamin A. And the greater the chance it will develop an off flavor. So the paper carton does help in filtering out harmful light, other flavors, etc.

• Check the date: Milk generally stays good, unopened, until two or three days after the “sell by” date. On average, it takes milk three to five days to go from the cow to your grocers cooler. At the store, it has a shelf life of about two weeks. Ultrapasteurized milk, unopened, may be good for 50 to 90 days. Milk in aseptic cartons, which need not be refrigerated until opened, is good for up to a year unopened.

• Keep it cold: Pick up refrigerated milk just before you check out at the grocery store. At home, set your fridge at 40°F or below to prevent milk from spoiling faster than it should normally. Keep it on the middle to lower shelf at the very back of your refirgerator, which is the coldest spot in your fridge.

• Don’t contaminate it: After pouring milk, return the container to the fridge right away. Never pour unused milk back into the carton, it may contain bacteria.

• Use it or lose it: Once it’s opened, milk spoils in a week to 10 days. Go by the old standby and smell it, “the sniff test”. If it smells bad, throw it out.

**Looking for a way to blog successfully? Then check out what Lynn Little over at SEO Dance has as far as using Twitter for a website blogging choice. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes (Day 5)

Mexican Layered Salmon Dip
Severs: 5 cups dip or 40 servings

1 pkg. (8-oz.) Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 less fat than cream cheese
1 tbs. Taco seasoning mix
1 cup Salsa (thick and chunky style)
1 cup drained canned black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce or spinach leaves
3 pkg. (13 oz. each) baked tortilla chips
2-3 salmon filletts

1. Poach slamon fillets by placed fish in a large saucepan, and add water to cover. Set pan over high heat. Bring to a boil; immediately remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes; drain. Add to a large bowl and break salmon into small peices with a fork, drain any water that the fish may still have around it.

2. Beat Neufchatel cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add seasoning mix; beat until well blended. Add poached salmon fillets after breaking into small pieces. Stir till combined very well. Spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.

3. Layer reminaing ingreidents over Neufchatel cheese mixture, and cover.

4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Happy Eating!

Althought typically thought of as a root, ginger is actually a rhizome that possess buds and nodes. Native to India and China, it has been a crucial element in Chinese medicine for centuries and is referenced in the writings of Confusious. It also is mentioned in the Koran and was one of the earliest known Western European spices, used since the ninth century.

In cooking, ginger is enjoyed in many ways, whole raw and fresh roots, dried roots, powdered, preserved, crystallized and pickled. It can be sliced and eaten as a salad, but more commonly it is used in Asian pickles, chutneys and curry pastes, as well as in cakes, cookies, jams, ginger beer, wine and tea, such as ginger, lemon and honey in hot water. Another drink known to use ginger as one of the main ingredients is a smoothie that combines ginger and orange. It is sort of a wake-up drink that can be enjoyed in the morning hours instead of coffee. In Scotland, “ginger” means any carbonated soft drink.

Shaving ginger on a cheese grater and wrapping the shavings into cheese cloth is a great way to rid your body of toxins when combined with your hot bath. Or you could incorporate ginger when cooking chicken to give your chicken an added kick. Crystalized ginger has been used for many years to be an all-natural cure for nausea or motion sickness.

For the skin, ginger is known mainly for its anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxing properties, as well as its calming aromatherapeutic qualities. Its spicy scent uplifts, stimulates, helps relieve mental fatigue and improves memory. In the United Kingdom “ginger” is common slang for a red-haired individual and South Park® cartoon did a skit portraying this a few years back.

Ginger takes its name from the Sanskrit word string-vera, which means “with a body like a horn.” It also became so popular in Europe in earlier centuried that it was included in every table setting, just like salt and pepper are today. English pubs in the 19th century put out small containers of ground ginger for people to sprinkle on their beers, hince the origin of Ginger Ale. Ginger has long been considered an aphrodisiac. It is also known as a diaphoretic meaning it causes people to sweat.

Ginger was mentioned in the Kama Sutra and has been employed in the Melanesian Islands of the South Pacfic to gain the affection of women. In the Philippines, ginger is chewed to expel eveil spirits. Henry VIII instructed the mayor of London to use ginger’s diaphoretic qualities as a medicine for the plague as well.

Use the aromatherapeutic values of ginger to relieve stress, tension, muscle cramps, etc. Wheather through treatments, in cusine or as a fragrance. Feel the warm feelings that gingers aroma will evoke into your own life. You won’t soon forget your experience, especially when you smell calming gingers qualities. It will enhance your beauty regimen and will most certainly end in a memorable experience with Ginger.

**Ever wonder what’s been happening to Rachel (aka: Jennifer Aniston) off Friends? Over at Jennifer Aniston Watch, Erin catches you up on a few things as well as talks about the season nine episode and how the new image of “Rachel” really set with audiences. Read the rest of the story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes (Day 4)

Grilled Salmon Steajs with Cilantro Peasto and Cumin-Dusted Toasts
Serves: 4

Cilantro Pesto:
2 cups fresh colantro leaves
4 tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tbs. water
2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Grilled Salmon and Cumin-Dusted Toasts:
4 (5-ounce_ salmon steaks, about 1-inch-thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive-oil cooking spray
1 baguette, sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds
1 bunch fresh asparagus (about 1/2 pound), woody ends trimmed
1 tsp. ground cumin, or more to taste

1. Preheat grill.

2. To prepare pesto, in a blender combine cilantro, lime juice, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Purée until smooth. Set aside.

3. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Spray baguette rounds and asparagus with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of bread slices with cumin, and salt to taste. Place salmon on hot grill, and arrange bread and asparagus around the outside, where to grill is not as hot. Grill salmon, bread, ans asparagus 5 to 7 minutes then turn fish and bread halfway through cooking, while turning asparagus frequently. Cook until fish is fork-tender, bread is golden brown and the asparagus is crisp-tender.

Happy Eating!

You should maintain your acid-alkaline balance to curtail colds and keep inflammation in check. Paying attention to the acid-alkaline balance is one if the most crucial ways you can affect your health status. It inpacts immunity, digestoion, bone strength, symptoms of joint disease, hormones, and the function of essential internal organs. What’s more, a spoonful of alkalinity can also lessen the severity of colds, sore throats, and other winter illnesses.

First of all, what is pH? It is a measure of acidity and alkalinity. The word comes from the French pouvoir hydrogène, pH describes hydrogen ion activity. A pH of 1 is more acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is the most alkaline. The balance of aciity and alkalinity in your body allows essential chemical reactions to take place in cells and tissues. The stomach, with all its fluctuation digestive juices, is more acid than the brain or blodd, which are slightly alkaline (at about 7.1 and 7.4). The balances are maintained via various proteins, minerals, and kidney and lung functions. Everything you eat or drink affects PH balance. Breathing regulates PH as well.

Cells need to be slightly alkaline; most Americans, however, suffer from an abundance of acidity. Stress, medications, illness, and highly strenuous exercise promot acid production; so do many of the foods favored in the typical Western diet. Fatty, high-protein fast foods like cheeseburgers and french fries trigger the stomach to secrete extra amounts of acidic digestive juices. Refined flour and sugar, reduce the acid compounds once they’re metabolized. Considering that too much acidity is associated with many degenerative disease, from colitis to rheumatoid arthritis, this “value meal” isn’t such a bargin after all huh?

Age is also a contributing factor. Acid-alkaline balance is relatively easy to maintain whne we are young and out regulating mechanisms are in good working order. But, each passing decaed, starting in our 40s or even earlier, the efficiency of our buffering systems begins to decline rapidly.

Take for instance the following the following foods and where the are on the pH scale. Most foods range between 2 and 8 on the pH scale:

•Blackberries: 3.8-4.5

•Tomato: 4.3-4.9

•Banana: 4.5-5.2

•Whole-Wheat Bread: 5.4-5.8

•Potato: 5.4-5.9

•Artichoke: 5.5-6.0

•Cantaloupe: 6.1-6.6

•Brown Rice: 6.2-6.8

•Sea Bass: 6.5-6.8

•Tofu: 7.2

•Tea: 7.2

•Camembert Cheese: 7.4

Here are 10 ways to Alkaline:

1. For Breakfast: Instead of orange juice, coffee, and a bagel, have a slioce of melon, herbal tea or a garin-bases coffee substitute, and whole-grain toast.

2. At Lunch: Opt for bean or vegetable soup rather than tomato soup.

3. Add Crunch And Color To Your Salad: With celery and sweet red peppers rather than tart cucumber and tomatoes. And instead of an acidic vinaigrette, prepare a dressing using tahini and soy sauce: In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste), 1/4 cup water, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce, beating together with a fork. Stir in 1 tablespoon finely ground parsley, and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

4. If You Feel Like A Burger: Stick tyo soy meats.

5. Choose Fish: It’s more alkalizing than red meat.

6. Iced Ginger Tea: Has the pleasing bite of a cola drink wihtou the high acidity.

7. For A Calcium Fix: Choose a small wedge of cheese (typically 5.0 to 6.1 pH) over yogurt (3.8 to 4.2). Ypgurt with sugar-sweetened fruit may be even more acidic; once sugar is metabolized, it ends up as acid in your system.

8. To Make A Less Acidic Fruit Salad: Use guava, papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe, pear, banana, figs, and dates.

9. Raise A Glass: Filled with a favorite beer insead of a tart wine to make a toast.

10. Avoid Acidity Triggers: Food sensitivities can bring about symptoms of over-acidity. Some common culprits include wheat, dairy, bus, and seafood.

Do you think you are unbalanced? To find out wheather your syustem is generally alkaline or overly acid, you can have some fun running informal tests at home. The following yes/no questionaire will give you an idea of how much you should change your pH level. And if you are luck, you won’t need to change a thing:

1. After consuming fried foods, red meat, fast food, colas, or desserts, I don’t feel my best.

2. I eat refined foods like white flour and sugar regularly.

3. I regularly take asprin, antibiotics, or unbuffered vitamin C.

4. Vigorous exercise often leaves me feeling exhausted.

5. After an hour of work at my desk, I’m mentally and physically tired.

6. My muscles often feel stiff and sore.

7. I have a history of osteoporosis, arthritis, or gout.

8. I frequently get sick with colds.

9. I am susceptible to sore throats, canker sores, or food allergies.

10. I am over the age of 50.

(If you answered yes to five o more of these questions, you are more than likely to be over acidic. Even one yes could be an indicator. Talk to your doctor to get a more accurate test and to find out how to change it.)

(Source: Some information pulled from NH 2007)

**Do you think the image of Santa is too fat? Do you think the American public should have a thinner role model for Christmas time? Over at Get Incensed, Mark Jabo writes about how thinner Santas are wanted over heavier ones. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes Day 2

Creamy Salmon Caesar Salad With Sourdough Croutons
Serves: 4

2 cups cubed sourdough bread
Olive oil cooking spray
1 pound slamon fillet
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup nonfat reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups tomaine lettuce, rinsed well and patted dry, torn

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. To prepare croutons, arrange sourdough cubes on a large baking sheet. Spray cubes with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

3. Place slamon in a shallow, microwave-safe baking dish. Cover dish with plastic wrap, and microwave, on HIGH for 3 minutes or until fish is fork-tender, rotating dish halfway through cooking.

4. Transfer salmon to a cutting board, and using two forks, break up fish into 2-inch pieces. Discard skin, and set salmon pieces aside.

5. In a blender combione sour cream, chicken broth, 2 tbs. Parmesan. lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Purée until smooth.

6. Place lettuce in a large bowl, and add salmon and croutons. Drizzle dressing over top of salad, and gently toss to coat. Transfer mixture to 4 individual serving bowls, and sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top.

Happy Eating!

What can be frozen without worry and what can’t? Here’s a little information to help you get in the know.

• Which can be stored longer: Ground beef or fresh shrimp?

Fresh shrimp. Fresh shrimp can be kept up to 12 months when ground beef can only be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. A lot and I mean A LOT of people eat ground beef from the freezer after 3 months and with that they “could” be eating past-prime meat. To benefit from the maximum shelf life, your freezer should be kept at 0°F.

• How long will frozen food last is there’s a power outage?

Two days, if the freezer is full. Reasoning: The frozen food will keep itself and other frozen items around it frozen for a maximum of two days. Longer if it is cold weather and the freezer is outside and able to take advantage of the cold climate. If not, better start making meals that work around your frozen food items.

• Is it OK to store ice cream in the freezer door?

NO. Ice cream is best when stored between -5 and 0°F.; it will be firm enough to hold its shape, but easy to dip between 6 and 10°F, the ideal serving temperature range. Store ice cream in the main part of the freezer, not in the door where it is subject to more fluctuating temperatures. (Souce: Easyhomemeals)

12 Reasons Why Frozen Foods are Best for your Household

Availability

Frozen, eliminates losses experienced from spoilage and shrinkage. Frozen at the peak of perfection, there is presently no better method of food preservation. Seasonal limitations are a part of the past.

Convenience

Frozen foods are so convenient. The cleaning, picking, dicing, chopping and squeezing has been done. It’s all prepared, ready to take from your freezer, heat and serve.

Economy

Frozen foods are economical. You do not pay for stalks, pits, skins, rinds or damaged food. They cost less than their fresh counterparts.

Food Safety

Frozen foods offer explicit cooking directions. And because the preparation (dicing, chopping, etc.) has already been done, all you have to do is heat and serve—less chance for contamination in the preparation process.

Freshness

Freezing foods seal in freshness. Foods designed for the freezer are selected at their peak of nutrition and flavor, quickly processed and frozen within hours, before there has been any deterioration in quality.

Labeling

Frozen food packages tell you what you’re eating. Packages have ingredient and nutrition labeling. If you’re health conscious, counting calories or on doctor’s orders, frozen foods can help.

Longer Storage

Frozen foods have a longer storage time than fresh, offering maximum flexibility. Frozen broccoli, for example, stays fresh in the freezer for up to eight months, whereas fresh broccoli usually must be consumed within a week.

No Waste

With frozen foods you have food that is 100 percent edible. You don’t pay for waste such as the pits of fruits, the shells, peels and outer leaves of vegetables, bones in fish or the fat on the meat. In addition, frozen foods in poly bags (vegetables, fruits, pasta) offer easy portion control. Just pour out the amount needed and return the rest to the freezer for future use.

Nutrition

There’s no better known means of preserving food than by freezing. Commercial rapid-freezing processes maintain nutritional quality of products without chemical preservatives. And food quick-frozen and properly stored keep their high nutritional value.

Quality

Frozen foods are consistent in quality. Only the best ingredients are used. That’s because of industry quality control procedures that begin on the farm.

Taste

Frozen foods can pass the most discriminating taste tests. An entree which has been correctly formulated, maintained at 0°F. and heated according to manufacturer’s specifications, should taste identical to an on-premise prepared item.

Value

Because frozen foods fit the way people live and eat today, they offer incomparable value in a number of ways: dollar savings, nutrition and quality, time savings.

**Having trouble adjusting to the time-change? Well, over at Current Events Watch, Doug Robertson writes “After clocks are turned back this weekend, pedestrians walking during the evening rush hour are nearly three times more likely to be struck and killed by cars than before the time change, two scientists calculate.” So given that information, it’s a valid escuse to linger. Read the rest of the story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes

Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon With Noodles
Serves 4

Cooking Spray
2 tbs. water
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbs. rice vinegar
2 tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground dried ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 (5-oz) salmon fillets
8 ounces uncooked vermicelli or somen noodles
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh scallions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. (Salmon may also be grilled or broiled 3 minutes per side until fork-tender.)

2. Coat a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

3. To prepare teriyaki glaze, in a shallow dish, whisk together water, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

4. Add salmon, and turn to coat. (Salmon can marinate, covered, in the refrigerator up to 1 hour.)

5. Transfer salmon to prepared roasting pan, and pour teriyaki mixture over it. Roast 15 minutes or until fork-tender.

6. Cook noodles in a meidum-sized pot of rapidly boiling water according to package directions. Drain and trasfer to a large bowl. Add sesame oil, and toss to coat.

7. Transfer noodles to four individual plates, and top each with a salmon fillet. Spoon any teriyaki glaze remaining in pan over salmon, and sprinkle chopped scallions on top.

Happy Eating!

Even though it’s Halloween, that doesn’t mean the kids get to partake on the festivities alone. Here are some Halloween recipes to put anyone and everyone in the mood of Boo!

Spooky Spider:
Serves 1

Black licorice
Chocolate chips
Marshmallow or other chocolate sandwich cookie
Microwave oven

Bend four 3 1/2 inch-long pieces of black licorice lace into semicircles. Spread some chocolate from 1 tbs. chocolate chips, melted in the microwave, on bottom of 1 chocolate-covered marshmallow cookie. Press licorice into chocolate for 8 spider legs. Dip 2 chocolate chips in melted chocolate; atache for eyes. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

Marshmallow Ghost:
Serves 12

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
1 tbs. cornstarch
2 tbs. confectioners’ sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 ts. vanilla extract

1. In cup, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water; let stand to soften gelatin. Onto waxed paper, sift conrstarcj and 1 tbs. confectioners’ sugar. Spray 9″ by 9″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; coat with cornstarch mixture.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat granulated sugar, corn starch, and 1/4 cup water to boiling, stirring. Boil 1 minute. Add gelatin mixture; cook over low heat to dissolve, stirring.

3. In a large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat gelatin mixture and vanilla 15 minutes or until very thick and glossy. Spread in pan; sift 1 tbs. confectioners’ sugar over top. Cover with waxed paper; let set at room temperature 2 hours or until firm enough to cut.

4. With 30inch ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut mixture into ghost. Serve on a platter.

Eyeball Mash
Serves: Many

In a food processor with a knife-blade, blend 12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 can (4 1/2 ounces) chopped mild green chiles, 1/3 cup light mayonnaise, 1 tbs. vinegar, and 1 tsp. mustard. Transfer to bowl; stir in 1/2 cup sliced ripe black olives.

Pumpkin Tortilla Chips
Serves: about 20 chips

Prehat oven to 400°F. From 2 burrito-size roasted red pepper and/or jalapeno-cilantro flour tortillas, with 2 1/2-inch pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut out pumpkins. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 5 minutes, or until crisp. Cool on rack.

Monster Crispy Treats
Serves: 12

2 tbs. butter or margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups “pebble” cereal (you can use chocolate ones for a different effect as well.)
12 lollipop sticks or wooden pop sticks
12 cups ready-to-spread frosting, tinted as desired
Assorted Candies

Microwave butter in a 2-qt. microwaveable bowl on high 30 seconds, or until melted. Microwwave times will vary, so be sure not to burn the butter. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave 1 minute or until marshmallows are completely melted, stiurring about every 30 seconds. Add cereal, and mix well.

Shape into 12″ monsters, using about 1/3 cup cereal mixture for each one. Insert stick into each. Decorate with frosting and candies as desired. Let stand until firm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. (You can also flatten out the cereal mixture onto a cookie sheet and press out designs with a cookie cutter. Be sure and add waxpaper under cereal mixture to make it easier to lift shapes. Once shape is out of cookie sheet insert stick in bottom and decorate.

**Looking for last minute costume ideas for Halloween? Summer M. over at Creative Mom Cafe has some great ideas for the costume in a hurry. Read some of the ideas here, but hurry “Trick-or-Treating” is tonight.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Taco Bowls
Serves: 8

8 flour tortillas
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup 2% Milk shredded Cheddar cheese
5 lettuce leaves
1 large tomatoe
1/4 Ranch dressing

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Microwave tortillas on high 30 seconds, or until soft.

2. Press 1 tortilla into each 8 medium muffin cups to form a bowl. Carefully fold edges of tortilla back to keep an opening foe the filling. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, brown meat in a large skillet on medium heat; drain. Stir in slsa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Cut lettuse with clean kitchen shears (about 2 cups chopped.)

5. Chop tomato into 1/4-inch pieces with knife (about 1 cup chopped).

6. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture into each tortilla bowl.

7. Top evenly with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing.

Happy Eating!

Hardly an exotic vegetables, carrots are a favorite in th U.S. Whether your experience is limited to easy open packaged of baby carrots for a quick snack or includes digging in the dirt and grabbing a green top to unearth this orange find, almost everyone has enjoyed a carrot at one time or another. Nutritionally rich, this form of Queen Anne’s lace wildflower also is incredibly beneficial for the body.

Although all the carrot’s componenets including the greens and seeds, are edible, it’s the root that is the traditional favorite, due to its sweet taste and crunchy texture. It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways; raw, whole, chopped, grated, in salads, soups, and stews, broiled, fried, steamed, and in cakes and puddings as well. The carrots richness in vitamin A is joy to health because the nutrient is required for developing and maintaining cells. The vegetable also contains high levels of antioxidants, which help prevent free radical damage, as well as fiber, biotin, potassium, thiamine, and vitamins B-6, C and K.

One product that features the benefits for carrots as in a skin care form is Aubrey Organics. The surprisingly extraordianary carrot offers a rich variety of benefits, both through your stomach and on your skin. Boy, that will make you think twice when bitting into the next orange delight in your fridge.

Some fact about the carrot:

•The world’s largest carrot was grown in Plamer, Alaska, by John Evans in 1998, and it weighed 19 pounds.

•The average person consumes 10,866 in their lifetime overall.

•The voice of Bugs Bunny (Mel Blanc) didn’t like carrots at all and would chew them for sound effect then spit them out when the scene was over.

•The last meal on the Titanic was a carrot dish that was creamed.

•The Carrot Capitol of the World is Holtsville, California.

**If you’re a country music fan and are keeping up with the latest from the stars, then check out Heather Scoville’s Country Music Herald here at 451 Press. There is a new album out by Josh Turner ‘Everything Is Fine.’ Read more about it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Wishing For Summer Elxir
Serves 4 (8-oz. servings)

4 cups lemongrass tea
4 cups watermelon chunks
Juice of 5 lemons
Juice of 5 limes
2-4 tablespoons agave nectar (or 1 tbs. stevia) to taste

Prepare the tea using 4 lemongrass tea bags and 4 cups boiling water. Allow tea to cool. Blend with remaining ingredients until smooth, and enjoy. (The tea has also been know to awaken the third eye.)

Happy Eating!

1. IN A HEALTHY SOUP: Stir 2 cups of rinsed and dried chopped kale into your favorite potato soup recipe, along with a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest. Serve topped with garlic croutons.

2. IN A FALL COLESLAW: Follow a basic recipe for cabbage coleslaw, adding 1 cup of finely slivered kale and a small, firm Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and slices into thin pieces.

3. ON PIZZA: Steam kale and squeeze out liquid in a colander or with paper towels. Arrange on pizza dough with sautéed garlic and dollops of fresh ricotta. Bake until crust is golden brown.

4. SIR-FRIED: Cook kale with an equal amount of spinach, one or two cloves of garlic. and a tablespoon of chopped sultana raisins.

5. AS A WRAP: Roll up cooked spicy ground chicken or sautéed wild mushrooms in kale leaves and secure with toothpicks. Brush lightly with oil and broil, turning once, until leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.

**Don’t think crank calls can come back to haunt you? Well, they did for one friend os Mike McNeils over at Men’s Interest. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Black Kale Bruchetta
Serves: 4

1 1/2 pounds black kale (or other kale), long stems removed
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
Large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic (3 thinly sliced and 2 whole)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 loaf crusty Italian bread, cut into 8-1/2 inch thick slices

1. Slice kale leaves in half crosswise. In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and slices garlic; cook, stirring, about 30 seconds (do not brown), Add kale, in batches if necessary, and sauté until just tender (but not completely limp). Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and keep warm.

2. Toast bread or grill it until slightly crusty. Lightly brush with olive oil. Cut whole garlic cloves in half, rub over toasts, and discard. Top toasts with cooked kale and serve.

Happy Eating!

1. In Tacos: Wrap the chicken, lettuse, cherry tomatoes, chredded pepper Jack cheese, and your favorite salsa in a soft tortilla.

2. In A Sandwich: Make a new-wave Reuben with rye bread, Canadian beacon, sliced chciken, red onion, and Swiss cheese.

3. In A Salad: Toss chicken with sliced pears, toasted walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, and baby green with a mustard vinaigrette.

4. In Barbecue: Heat shredded chicken in your favorite barbecue sauce; serve on a bun with coleslaw.

5. In Hash: Sauté shredded chicken with scallions, cooked potatoes, lemon zest and juice, and lots of freshly ground pepper.

**Summer is getting crafty,

with 30 gifts in 30 days. Read all about it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Apple-Berry Pomegranate Freezer Jam
Serves: about 5 *8 oz.) half pints

1 package (1.59 oz.) freezer jam fruit pectin
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 cups peeled, cored, chopped apples (about 4 large)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup crushed raspberries (about 2 6-oz containers)

1. Stir sugar and contents of package in a bowl until well belnded. Set aside.

2. Combine apples, pomegranate juice and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

3. Crush apples with a potato masher. Allow to cool, about 15 minutes.

4. Add apples and raspberries to pectin mixture, stirring just to combine. Continue stirring for 3 minutes.

5. Ladle jam into clean plastic 8 oz. freezer jars to the fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, and refrigerate up ti three weeks or freeze up to one year.thly Eating Recipe:

Happy Eating!

Variety, speed and ease are all important to a successful breakfast. These quick-menu ideas provide plenty of carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats to help you stay fueled through the entire day.

• Multigrain bagel with low-fat cream cheese, sliced melon, a glass of skim milk, and 100 precent fruit juice or sports drinks with low-sugar content.

• One to two cups of ready-to-eat, low-sugar cereal with skim milk, 1/2 cup of berries or one small banana, and juice.

• Fresh fruit salad, two slices of whole-whear toast spread with alond butter, a glass of milk, and furit juice.

• One cup of granola or muesli topped with nofat or low-fat yogurt and berries, and fruit juice.

• One or two whole-grain English muffins spread with whole-fruit jam, a handful of whole alomnds or trail mix without sugary additions (such as M&Ms) and a bottled low-fat smoothies.

**Sandy shares her skeletons in her closet and invites you to share yours as well over at Dating Outlook. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Tropical Dessert Pizza:
Serves: 12 slices

1 package (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough rounds
1 package (1.59 oz.) Freezer jam fruit pectin
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups peeled, cored, crushed pineapple (about 1 medium)
1-1/2 cups peeled, seeded, crushed papaya (about 2 medium)
1 cup peeled, finely chopped mango (about 1 large)
1 cup whipped topping
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons flaked coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan. Place cookie dough rounds in a circle in middle of greased pan. Press rounds to form a 9-inch circle. 2. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool, about 15 minutes. 3. Stir pectin and sugar in a bowl until well blended. Add pineapple, papya and mango. Continue stirring for 3 minutes. reserve 1 cup jam. Set aside. 4. Ladle remaining jam into clean plastic 8 oz. freezer jars to fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to three weeks of freeze up to one year. 5. Spread whipped topping over cooled cookie. refrigerate additional 5 minutes, just to set. Spread reserved tropical jam on top of whipped topping. Sprinkle ith macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips and cocnut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Happy Eating!