Breakfast is a really important meal, no matter how you try to justify it. Eating a meal in the beginning of the day will make you less hungry at the other mealtimes, and will also set your metabolism straight for the day.Try the following muffin recipe, its really nutritious and easy to make:Breakfast Muffins1. Preheat the oven to 190?C, gas mark 5. Lightly oil a non-stick muffin pan with 12 large cups. Combine the first nine ingredients (300g plain wholemeal flour, 50g rolled porridge oats, 3 heaped tsp baking powder, ? tsp mixed spice, ? tsp ground cinnamon, 100g raisins, 100g chopped dried apricots, 50g chopped pecans, 50g caster sugar) and set aside. 2. In another bowl, mix the remaining wet ingredients well (100ml sunflower oil, 150ml natural yogurt, 150ml milk, 1 medium beaten egg, 2 medium mashed bananas, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 small grated apples, 1 medium grated carrot). 3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pans. Sprinkle with a few extra oats and some sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and bake for 20 minutes or till a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave in the ... 

Soul food recipes continue to have a reputation as a health concern for many people. Especially if your family has a history of high blood pressure, diabetes or strokes. The traditional way of preparing this tasty food is slowly fading away into the sunset of history because of the growing concern of consumers today.Our current health care system is unpredictable at best and financially crippling at worst. As a result more people have started taking their health care as a personal responsibility more than ever, and that includes diet or what they eat. To meet this growing demand for tastier food without the health hazards, here's a checklist to guide you to cooking & eating healthier soul food. By using this list you'll find you don't have to give up all of your favorite southern dishes. But you'll have to change your cooking and preparation habits as well as cutting back or eliminating those health threatening ingredients for healthier substitutions.You're fortunate because most of these suggestions have had time to go through the testing phase, This is where not only health officials have tested them but more importantly consumes who have taste tested them. Most have found these alternatives not ... 

I confess. I am a confirmed smoothie junkie. What's more, I am actually proud of it.When I began experimenting with truly healthy smoothie recipes a few years ago, I noticed that my near obsessive desire for sweets began to subside. And my energy level began to soar.Now, I actually prefer the taste of a freshly-made smoothie to that of a sugar-filled milkshake or malt any day. The key to curbing those refined sugar cravings is to feed your body an abundance of vitamins and minerals, along with several servings of naturally sweet foods daily.Yes, kicking the sugar habit will take commitment. And a little work. But it's definitely doable. Here are a few healthy smoothie recipes to help you get started:GINGER TROPICAL SMOOTHIE1/2 cup orange juice1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks1/2 banana1/4 to 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root; peeled1/2 cup crushed iceAdd all ingredients to blender and process until smooth. Serves 1Ginger is a powerful root that helps to soothe the stomach. I have used it myself many times to help keep nausea at bay. Some experts also claim that ginger can help to ease the symptoms of arthritis.HAWAIIAN SMOOTHIE1 cup cubed peeled pineapple2 cups cubed ripe mango; peeled1 ripe ...