What Is In That Hamburger?

Check The Ingredients List Of Your Frozen Hamburgers

When you check the ingredients list of many frozen hamburger patties you might be surprised at what you will learn. Today we were having a family gathering and I was charged with bringing the “Bubba Burgers.” My Dad’s favorite burger is the Bubba Burger!  The store I went to did not have Bubba Burgers, so I grabbed the next best thing… a box of frozen burgers that said 100% beef burgers.

What Is Listed In The Ingredients List Of Your Burgers?

When I was putting them on the grill I thought to myself:  “These do not look like they are 100% beef!” They looked really weird! Actually they look sort of normal in the picture but the color was odd and as they cooked they turned yellowish as opposed to a regular burger cooked color!

Check Your Ingredients List!

When I checked the ingredients list this is what is in the frozen hamburger patties that were labeled 100% beef:

100% Beef (thank goodness!)

texturized vegetable protein (soy)

dextrose (corn sugar hence the caramel color during cooking)

spices

Check The Ingredients List Of Processed Foods!

I cannot believe I fell for that! I usually check the ingredients of processed foods. I must have been thrown for a loop because I was instructed to buy frozen Bubba Burgers! It was certainly out of my norm! Remember that the front of the package is written by the marketing department!

Life is about choices and we must own our choices! I guess I blew it today!!

Active Lives = Kids At The Beach In The Winter

An Inexpensive Active Lifestyle For Children

Looking to add more “active” to your kids’ active lifestyle? When was the last time you took the kids to the beach? You know that it does not have to be Summer to go to the beach. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall the beach is one of the few places these days that doesn’t cost a fortune and has something for everyone.

Pinchot Park On A Warm Winter Day

A trip to the beach can start at home by packing a healthy picnic lunch for the family. By packing your own food, you can give your family healthier options for snacking during the day. Fruits, some cheeses, peanut butter sandwiches, are all foods that need little refrigeration and are quick snacks that the kids can grab while running around. A picnic lunch will also keep your costs low since you won’t be purchasing food from vendors at the beach. (They aren’t there anyway if you go in the Winter.) Get the kids involved in fixing lunch too!

Most of the activity supplies needed for a trip to the beach (buckets, shovels, castle molds) can be found inexpensively at a dollar store or other discount store. For activities, kids will run in and out of the water, make sandcastles on the beach, search for shells or rocks, and play games with the family. The whole family can play a game of Frisbee or beach volleyball while soaking up some much-needed Vitamin D. Or the kids can go on a “creature scavenger hunt” and see how many crustaceans, birds, fish or other small creatures they can find living on the beach.

The beach is also a great place to go on a slightly chilly day. The kids can still make sandcastles, search for shells or rocks, and enjoy the breeze coming off the water. Many people forget that you don’t have to go in the water when you go to the beach. Take a couple of kites and see who can keep their kite up longer.

Some beaches allow visitors to have bonfires in the evening. Ask the kids to help gather driftwood before sunset. Then watch the sun set with the family and enjoy more good, quality time together in front of a driftwood bonfire. Challenge the kids to find as many colors as possible in the flames. We gathered some twigs and made a fire in the grill and roasted some marshmallows at the end of the day.

Active Kids Love The Beach Any Time Of The Year!

The idea is to get the kids outside and keep them active. But adding the beach to your kids’ active lifestyle can be an event the whole family can enjoy. Get your kids out to the beach in the Winter and keep them active.

Make Your Own Fastnacht – Donut Recipe

Celebrate Fastnacht Day With Homemade Donuts

Fat Tuesday, National Pancake Day, Fastnacht Day,  Shrove Tuesday or what ever you want to call the Tuesday before Lent and the last day of Mardi Gras celebrations is a perfect time to make homemade donuts. I shared this recipe at a “healthy” cooking class this week in celebration of the day we all eat donuts!

Whatever you decide to call the day, please enjoy this easy recipe. Donuts are not health food and making a batch of scratch donuts once in a while is a fun way to make a snack and get everyone involved.

Using half wheat and half white flour does bring a bit of nutritional fiber into the recipe.

Pick a good oil like safflower oil to fry your donuts in!

Potato Donut Recipe

Real Pennsylvania Deutch or German Fastnachts are donuts made with mashed potatoes.

2 cups hot mashed potatoes
1 cup milk
3  eggs
2 Tbs. melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. baking powder
3 cups flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2  cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tbs.  cinnamon
Frying oil

How To Make Whole Wheat Donuts:

1. In  large bowl mix the first 6 ingredients together.
2. Mix flour in slowly. Gently knead 2-3 times. Add more flour if sticky just to make it manageable.
3. Divide the dough in half. Roll ½ inch thick. Cut with a cutter or use a knife to cut into triangular (or any) shaped pieces.
4. Place  powdered sugar & cinnamon in brown paper bag.
5. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add doughnuts and fry until golden brown
6. Remove from oil and drain briefly. Then toss in sugar bag to coat.

Fresh donuts or fastnachts are best eaten warm!