Convenient PopCORN

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

Have you ever heard of the Microwave Popcorn Popper?

It’s absolutely amazing and the best $ that I have ever spent!
And Made in AMERICA by Nordic Ware!
Nordic Ware’s famous Bundt pan was profiled by
David Muir at ABC News for his “Made in America” reports!

How fabulous is that?

Traditional grocery store microwave popcorn bags are extremely unhealthy containing man-made chemicals, flavorings and have a very high fat content.
This bowl is a lifesaver for the popcorn lover! 
Not only does it pop right in the container,
it serves as a family serving bowl as well! 
As if that’s not enough, you can create your own flavorful toppings from salty to sweet to a touch of butter too!  Cinnamon and sugar, salt and a drizzle of butter, shredded cheese and parmesan sprinkles, ginger and tumeric
the creative concoctions are endless! 

For GMF Popcorn ~
All you do is add 1/4 cup dry popcorn kernels in the bowl,
cover with the lid and microwave it on the popcorn setting. 
Add desired toppings when done!

Here freshly-grated parmesan cheese is topped on
melting for a hot, gooey crunch!
Another tasty easy-peasy-pleasy God Made Food treasure!
Enjoy and happy GMF popping!

C is for, Grains, Treasures

Convenient CORN

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

“A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine.”
~Anne Bronte

Summertime is the perfect time for sweet corn on the cob!
If you’re anything like me, this is my favorite way to eat corn
as the kernels juice right out as you take a bite!
I like to top it with shredded cheese or spread a cheese wedge
or with a touch of butter on too.
Eating it plain is perfectly fine with me as well!

When corn is in season you can get ears super cheap for as low as 4 for a dollar!
Can’t beat that and they’ll last a few days in the fridge.  Personally I like to shuck it right in the store to keep the strings from making an appearance in my kitchen.  When I’m ready to use one, I just bring a pot of water to boil drop my ear in for about 5-7 minutes and tad-da ~ it’s done!
Easy-Peasy-Pleasy CORN!

So what if it’s the dead of winter and
my mouth is watering for a juicy bite of sweet corn?
What is one to do?


Well, let me share with you that I have tried many brands of frozen corn on the cob.
My favorite by far is Birds Eye Sweet Corn on the Cob little ears.  (Birds Eye Vegetables are all GMO-free as I contacted a representative so therefore Birds Eye is definitely a God Made Food brand).  I buy the package of 12 convenient cut-up little ears.  I’ll make one or two at a time just for me depending how hungry I am.
Birds Eye makes the best corn by far as the ears are not stringy at all
and the frozen kernels cook up plump and juicy.
When I cook frozen ears, I cover them in my pot of cold water and bring to a boil cooking for about 5-6 minutes until cooked through.
Ready to eat to just like that!

Now how is that for an Easy-Peasy-Pleasy God Made Food Corn!

C is for, Treasures

CORN

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

“The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.”
~Psalm 65:13 NIV

Nothing is reminiscent of sweet-summertime then summer-sweet Corn!
So today we will focus on “C is for Corn” -
In its true genuine unaltered organic God Made Food origin.
(Not the man-made varieties or terms that are so prevalent in today’s society -
GMOs, corn sugar aka HFCS – High Fructose Corn Syrup
These by-products are rampant in the majority of man-ufactured food products).

Did you know that Corn is actually a grain?
Yet we perceive this edible plant to be a vegetable albeit a starchy one.
The corn’s tall stalk produces ears housing seeds
known as kernels bursting with sweetness.
Corn is an English term encompassing all cereal crops.
Maize is the genuine word for the plant deriving from a Spanish heritage.
The Mayans farmed it in numerous varieties and
it became prevalent in the Americas.
In the 15th & 16th centuries traders and explorers were introduced to corn
and brought it to Europe introducing it to other cultures.

Today the United States produces 40% of the world’s harvest.
Unfortunately, genetically modified corn makes up 85% of the US harvest.
GM corn was first introduced in 1997 and
immediately has spread like wildfire throughout the fields.
Because of this onslaught infiltration it is essential to choose organic corn since GMO products do not require labeling. When buying food products made with a corn ingredient selecting organic items is the only true way to be sure you are eating God Made Food Corn!

Corn is low in sodium and fat but it high in carbohydrates due to its starchy nature.
It provides a significant amount of folate, thiamin, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and fiber.  Corn comes in many popular forms from the juicy freshness from the sweet cob to popcorn -
a healthy snack that is low in calories and high in fiber.

What GMF version will you partake today?

C is for, Grains, Munchies

BROCCOLI TREASURES

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

Broccoli comes in all forms from bunches to pre-packaged cut florets.
Find it in produce or in the freezer aisle for convenient use anytime.
Ideally, fresh broccoli is best from late summer to autumn in season.

Now if you’re anything like me in the kitchen ~ I’m all about simplicity!
In fact easy-peasy is my middle-name as convenience is essential!
Broccoli Floret bags are fabulous as they are pre-cut and pre-washed!
And to top it all off ~ they can be steamed right in their very own bag!

Now have you ever heard of “Broccoli Slaw?”
It’s basically “Broccoli Florets” shredded into the form of cole slaw
An added bonus, shredded carrots and cabbage is also thrown in!
The more color, the more character, the more copious and clean!

Now interrupting this cooking demo to ~
Excuse my cooking assistant here ~
Miss Kately would like to make an appearance to our GMF readers ~

Easy-Peasy is what Broccoli Slaw is all about!
Microwave it in the bag ~
Toss raw in a salad ~
Mix into soups, casseroles, crockpot meals, stirfrys ~
The creative cooking possibilities and taste combinations are endless!

What I like to do is steam some slaw in a small layer of water in my covered skillet
over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes
depending how tender or crunchy your preference.
The Broccoli Slaw is cooked and
is now ready to join whatever meal you want!

Here I’ve saved some for later and then
tossed some into my egg whites!
And yes my breakfast is vibrant and alive with fresh avocado, vine-ripened tomatoes, shredded cheese then layered on spinach leaves all a top a toasted bagel!

Bon Apetit to God Made Broccoli!

B is for, Treasures, Vegetables

BROCCOLI

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

Last week we looked at
“A is for APPLE” so how about…
“B is for… Broccoli!” Love it or despise it, it is a basic food in our society.
Growing up children are introduced to this vegetable
who can only seem to tolerate it by masquerading it in a cheese disguise.
Raw steamed boiled or pureed it can make an appearance in all sorts of recipes.

So what exactly is “Broccoli”?
Broccoli is an Italian word actually referring to “the flowering top of the cabbage.”
Being first cultivated in the Roman Empire in the 6th century BC,
it is a prized food of the Italians eventually making its way to England in the 1700s.
It made its journey overseas to the Americas by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s.  Therefore, come to think of it, broccoli has only been in this country roughly a 100 years!

Broccoli is high in fiber and has many medicinal and anti-cancer nutritional benefits from its storehouse of phyto-nutrients. It stimulates the body to protect itself from cancer-causing substances and provides nutritional assistance against strokes and prostate cancer.  It contains an abundant amount of Vitamins A, B-complex, C, E and K.  Plus it’s is rich in calcium for bone-strengthening.  In addition it contains valuable lutein and beta carotene which support eye and skin health.  Eye sight difficulties and the development of cataracts have been known to lessen with the habitual eating of broccoli.  Amazingly it also helps ease the symptoms associated with allergies.

To maximize and release these nutrients to their fullest benefit, steaming is recommended for about 3 minutes in the preparation of broccoli.  However, it is important not to overcook and boil their heads to infinity and back as this will only reduce the potential benefit of broccoli’s nutritional powerhouse.

 Studies have also shown that making broccoli a regular part of your diet cleanses your system, reduces inflammation and gives your body the benefit of antioxidants.  In a “broccoli”shell, broccoli is well-known in its unique ability to prevent disease and provide the body with overall health and wellness!

Whew!  After learning about all of this ~ no wonder it’s referred to as a “flower” for it’s the “flower vegetable” of the veggie kingdom in my opinion!
Whether purchasing fresh or frozen, broccoli will deliver
its promise of God Made Food Nutrition to your being!

B is for, Vegetables

APPLE WISDOM

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

In Biblical times, the Greeks who lived in this era believed that the treasured apple healed all illness.  An Arabic author from this historical period wrote,
“Its scent cheers my soul, renews my strength and restores my breath.”

Song of Solomon praises the apple in this way,
“Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest
is my beloved among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.
Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.”
Song of Solomon 2:3-5 NIV

“Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.”
Psalm 17:8 NIV

“Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.”
Proverbs 7:2 NIV

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.”
Proverbs 25:11 NIV

“We are born believing.
A man bears beliefs as a tree bears apples.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.”
~Carl Sagan

“Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits.”
~Henry David Thoreau, Wild Apples

“Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.”
~Bernard M. Baruch

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces,
I would still plant my apple tree.”
~Martin Luther

“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple,
but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.”
~Robert H. Schuller

~ Quite a collection of wise APPLE words ~
“How do you like them apples?”

A is for, Wisdom

APPLE

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Renata 2 Comments

Being this is my very first FOOD post on GMF, what food first comes to mind…
The food that we all envision in the tale of the Garden of Eden…
The food that’s forever convenient and portable…
The food is found virtually everywhere from school lunches to airport terminals…

Of course my very first post shall be on no other than the famous or infamous
“A is For…APPLE.”
And no, I don’t mean the tech kind permanently attached to people today.
(Guilty – myself included)

Love it or hate it… what’s so great about the APPLE?
Hmmm – let’s see – when I first do a Google search on it what first appears to me?
Hmmm – it’s that tech version again – in fact, most – if not all results – are that.
Hmmm – What happened to the most notorious food for all time?
I’ll have to dig a bit deeper than first thought to find it in today’s society!

To make sure the information I’m reading is of the edible nature,
I perform a second search with the specification “apple fruit.”
To my amazement, here is what’s so AWESOME about
God’s AMAZING APPLE ~

There are over 7,500 different varieties of the apple around the world today.
The apple comes in an array of many different colors as well.
Their vibrant hues vividly portray the presence of their
God Made Food health & longevity benefits.

Full of nutritious fiber providing five grahams for an average-sized fruit.
This fiber is composed of both the soluble and insoluble kind.
Soluble fiber such as pectin helps in the prevention of heart disease
by keeping blood cholesterol low in buildup.

Pectin has also been shown to lower the body’s need for insulin
as it provides galacturonic acid.
Insoluble fiber keeps things moving smoothly during the digestive process
thereby combating against colon cancers as well.

The skin contains the most amount of fiber delivering healthy antioxidants
which help combat the effects of cellular damage caused by free radicals over time.
When available, it is important to choose organic apples over conventional
due to the heavy use of pesticides and wax coatings often found on the conventionals.

Whether you like crisp or tender, juicy or crunchy, tart or sweet ~
Red, yellow, green or even pink there’s an option just for you ~
Fuji, MacIntosh, Gala, Honeycrisp,
Red & Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith,  Pink Lady
Just to name a few!

WOW – what an eye-opening epiphany on such a relatively ordinary
God Made Food ~
It is indeed well stated then that an
“APPLE a day does in fact keep the doctor away!”

That sure whet my appetite –
Now what color and flavor of APPLE shall you choose for today?

A is for, Fruit

Happy Earth Day

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Renata Leave a comment

~ Sunday, April 22, 2012 ~
What better day to start www.GodMadeFood.com than on Earth Day!
A special Day to remember and show appreciation to
Our Life Home that sustains and gives us
Air to Breathe, Water to Drink, Food to Eat.

What exactly is Earth Day and how did it come to be?
April 22, 1970 marks the founding of the Earth Day movement after a severe oil spill occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara, California in 1969.
Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin U.S. Senator, took the initiative to begin an environmental teaching movement at colleges nationwide. 
From this humble, attentive beginning of 20 million Americans from all areas of life, Earth Day has spread into an international movement encompassing over 1 billion people from all countries and cultures around the globe.
Earth Day Network

Earth Day highlights and brings awareness on how we – as individuals – can be good stewards of our Life Home.  Being grateful for all the earth provides and showing love in return will reward our lives for generations to come.  Our goal of this one commemorative Day should be to spark a fire to ignite the same Earth Day passion for the remainder 364 days of each year.

~ For let us remember ~
We care for the earth and the earth cares for us.
The earth keeps us alive and we keep the earth alive.
God has given mankind the responsibility to nurture and protect the earth.

The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
Psalm 115:16 NIV

Earth Day, Holidays