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Take a look at our large selection of
Hanukkah Gifts
and Hanukkah
Gift Baskets
filled with Kosher Chocolate, Nuts,
Chanukah Gelt and
Hanukkah Candy.
XL Hanukkah Celebration Basket
Hanukkah Gourmet Truffle Basket
Hanukkah Chocolate & Nut Wicker
LG Hanukkah Chocolate & Nut Basket
Here's a health tip in a nutshell: Eating a handful of nuts a day for a year, along with a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables and fish - may help undo a collection of risk factors for heart disease.
Spanish researchers found that adding nuts worked better than boosting the olive oil in a typical Mediterranean diet. Both regimens cut the heart risks known as metabolic syndrome in more people than a low-fat diet did.
What's most surprising is they found substantial metabolic benefits in the absence of calorie reduction or weight loss," said Dr. Jo Ann Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard's Brigham and Woman's Hospital. In the study, appearing Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the people who improved most were told to eat about three whole walnuts, seven or eight whole hazelnuts and seven or eight whole almonds. They didn't lose weight, on average, but more of them succeeded in reducing belly fat and improving their cholesterol and blood pressure.
Manson, who wasn't involved in the study, cautioned that adding nuts to a Western diet - one packed with too many calories and junk food - could lead to weight gain and more health risks. "But using nuts to replace a snack of chips or crackers is a very favorable change to make in your diet," Manson said.
The American Heart Association says 50 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, a combination of health risks, such as high blood pressure and abdominal obesity. Finding a way to reverse it with a diet people find easy and satisfying would mean huge health improvements for many Americans, Manson said.
Nuts help people feel full while also increasing the body's ability to burn fat, said lead author Dr. Jordi Salas-Salvado of the University of Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain.
Nuts could have an effect on metabolic syndrome by multiple mechanisms," Salas- Salvado said in an e-mail. Nuts are rich in anti-inflammatory substances, such as fiber, and antioxidants, such as vitamin E. They are high in unsaturated fat, a healthier fat known to lower blood triglycerides and increase good cholesterol.
More than 1,200 Spaniards, ranging in age from 55 to 80, were randomly assigned to follow one of three diets. They were followed for a year. The participants had no prior history of heart disease, but some had risk factors including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and dominal obesity.
At the start, 751 people had metabolic syndrome, about 61 percent, distributed evenly among the three groups. Metabolic syndrome was defined as having three or more of the following conditions: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL),
high blood sugar and high blood pressure.
The low-fat group was given basic advice about reducing all fat in their diets. Another group ate a Mediterranean diet with extra nuts. The third group ate a Mediterranean diet and was told to make sure they ate more than four tablespoons of olive oil a day.
Dietitians advised the two groups on the Mediterranean diet to use olive oil for cooking; increase fruit, vegetable and fish consumption; eat white meat instead of beef or processed meat; and prepare homemade tomato sauce with garlic, onions and herbs. Drinkers were told to stick with red wine.
After one year, all three groups had fewer people with metabolic syndrome, but the group eating nuts led the improvement, now with 52 percent having those heart risk factors. In the olive oil group, 57 percent had the syndrome. In the low-fat group, there was very little difference after a year in the percentage of people with the syndrome.
The diet didn't do much to improve high blood sugar, but the large number of people with Type 2 diabetes - about 46 percent of participants - could be the reason, Salas-Salvado said. It's difficult to get diabetics' blood sugar down with lifestyle changes alone, he said.
To verify that study volunteers ate their nuts, researchers gave some of them a blood test for alpha-linolenic acid found in walnuts
The study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Health and the government
of Valencia, Spain. Salas-Salvado and another co-author disclosed in the publication that they are unpaid advisers to nut industry groups. Salas-Salvado said all of their research "has been conducted under standard ethical and scientific rules" and that peer-review journal editors determined the study results were not influenced by food industry ties.
Hanukkah is fast approaching, hopefully you are done with the Hanukah Gift shopping, you also may have your Chanukah Gelt ready.
Now its time for some Latkes.
Latkes are small, fried cakes that are usually made from grated potatoes, eggs, and onions. Latkes are a traditional Jewish and Eastern European food, and are commonly eaten during Hanukkah.
Here are some How To videos on Latkes.
Latkes (Potato Pancakes) Recipe
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 30 mins
Active: 30 mins
Makes: About 24 pancakes
Adapted from Marlene Sorosky
INGREDIENTS
1 vitamin C tablet
2 tablespoons hot water
2 1/2 pounds peeled russet potatoes
1 peeled onion
2 tablespoons matzo meal
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil, for frying
Applesauce and/or sour cream, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place vitamin C tablet in a small bowl with hot water and stir to dissolve. Shred potatoes first using the shredding blade and then the metal blade of a food processor (or use a hand shredder). Add to vitamin C mixture.
2. Shred onion in the food processor just as you shredded the potatos; add to potatoes. Add matzo meal, eggs, salt, and baking powder and stir until incorporated.
3. Pour 1/4 to 1/2 inch of oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Once oil is to temperature (you can check by sticking a wooden utensil into the oil and seeing if bubbles form), spoon 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Flatten latkes slightly with the back of the spoon.
4. Fry pancakes until golden on both sides, turning once. When you reach the end of the batter, pat the mixture with a paper towel to remove excess liquid.
After frying, remove the pancakes to paper towels to drain. Season with additional salt and serve with applesauce and/or sour cream, if desired.
Jelly doughnut are fried yeast dough, shaped as a circle, and is filled or injected with jelly, jam or custerd. Some recipes call for adding the jelly between two layers of the uncooked dough and then baking the doughnuts and jelly at the same time.
A how to make jelly doughnut Video
Jelly Doughnut Recipe
INGREDIENTS
• 2 packets active dry yeast (1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon)
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water (105°F to 115°F)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon grated Lemon:Lemon:lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk (105°F to 115°F)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup jelly, thick jam, or marmalade
• 6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) vegetable oil, for frying
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, and stir to dissolve. Stir in sugar and let stand until foaming, about 5 minutes. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and grated lemon zest in a separate medium bowl.
2.Fit the dough hook onto the electric stand mixer, add yolks and milk to the yeast mixture, and mix on medium low until evenly incorporated. Add the flour mixture and room-temperature butter, and mix until it comes together. Mix on medium high for an additional 5 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.)
3.Put dough in a large, clean, lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat in oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
4.Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. (Use just enough flour so that the dough doesn’t stick to the rolling pin.)
5.Using a 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, glass, or mug, cut rounds out of the dough; reserve remaining dough. Place rounds on a lightly floured baking sheet; set aside. Gather remaining dough into a ball and roll out again; do this until you have 60 rounds.
6.Place 1 scant teaspoon jelly in the centers of half, or 30, of the rounds. Brush the edges of the jelly rounds with the reserved egg whites, and top with another dough circle. Pinch the edges to seal the doughnuts. Cover with a towel, put in a warm place, and let rise another 30 minutes.
7.Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches 350°F. Drop the doughnuts in the oil, four or five at a time, and turn when they are golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
8.Repeat with remaining doughnuts. When cool enough to handle, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Source
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10818
Sides Import Company gets rights to market leading American jelly bean brand in Israel, opens first concept store in Cinema City in central Israel
The Sides Import and Marketing Company of food brands such as Mars, Lindt, Bahlsen, Milka, Toblerone and more, has received rights to market Jelly Belly, the original American jelly bean, in Israel.
Sides opened its first store marketing only Jelly Belly products in the Cinema City compound in central Israel, and offers a variety of flavors of jelly beans and candy sold in cones of different sizes.
Jelly Belly has been one of the leading jelly bean brands in the United States for the past 30 years, and is famous for over 50 flavors including cherry, watermelon, mandarin, kiwi, prune and pomegranate.
Unique flavors such as cappuccino, root beer jelly beans, roasted marshmallows, tutti frutti, cinnamon, chocolate pudding, buttered popcorn and more can also be found under the Jelly Belly brand name.
The company's logo can be found on the back of each piece of candy.
The Sides' Jelly Belly concept store offers a 100 gram (3.5 ounces) cone of jelly beans for the price of NIS 10 ($2.5), and a 200 gram (7 ounces) cone for the price of NIS 20 ($5).
In February 2009, Sides plans to introduce Jelly Belly products into the general market.
Source: http://www.ynetnews.com
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