Health for life

Made this  Egg Free French Toast  for our breakfast today using pandan (screw pine leaves) flavored bread, which was perfect.

My family was super impressed, cant really tell that it was eggless. We loved it! I served them with brown sugar and banana slices. Actually the syrup was a left over from my Monkey Bread, diluted with few spoons of milk.

For other variation, you can add besan (chickpea flour) instead of cornflour and seasoned with ground black pepper and chopped cilantro for a savory  version.

To obtain a nice golden color, use low medium heat when frying the toast.  If you are allergic to dairy product,  replace it with  almond or soy milk instead.

EGG FREE FRENCH TOAST
Yield     :     1 serving

3 slices white/wholemeal bread
1/2 cup fresh milk
1.5 tablespoon cornflour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp  ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 tsp butter

METHOD
Combine milk, corn flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in  shallow bowl, whisk  until  smooth.

Dip both sides of each bread slice into milk mixture.

Heat a non stick pan, melt a teaspoon of butter, place bread on heated pan, cook each slice to a golden brown.

Serve with your favorite fruit or syrup.
_http://treatntrick.blogspot.com/2013/01/egg-free-french-toast.html

Rite Aid is teaming up with the American Diabetes Association to raise awareness and funds for its national Stop Diabetes campaign, offer incentives for patients to take Diabetes Risk Tests, distribute diabetes guides at every pharmacy counter, and host more than 1,200 free diabetes clinics during American Diabetes Month in November.

Heres their press release:
Rite Aid Joins American Diabetes Association in Fight to Stop Diabetes®

"In November 1,200 Rite Aid stores will host Diabetes Solutions Days offering free blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure screenings and Body Mass Index (BMI) readings. Visitors to these annual clinics also can try free samples of over-the-counter medications and other diabetes products, discuss diabetes management with a Rite Aid pharmacist, and get a potentially life-saving flu shot."

Visit their site to locate Rite Aid stores near you that offer flu shots.
________

A couple weeks ago, I was waiting for CB at Cowsheds & Stately before seeing a movie at the nearby cinemall. I tried to resist the magnetic pull of the New Cookbooks table, but its power was too strong. I drooled over one in particular: Terry Hope Romero’s Viva Vegan, an animal-free tribute to Latin food (and what I’ve been craving mucho lately).

The book was gorgeous, and it took all my strength to leave it there on the table. But I did (though I’m still thinking about it two weeks later) because I have too many cookbooks I never use.

You would never know that I have over 30 cookbooks. My weekly cooking repertoire revolves around a few well-honed favorites, Internet inspirations, and whatever Mark Bittman or Madhur Jaffrey tell me to make by closing my eyes, letting one their books fall open, and putting my finger down on a recipe.

Among the cookbooks on my kitchen shelf, at least a dozen of which I have never used, are odes to nutrition I purchased with hopes of eating healthier or adding some variety to my cooking. A couple of prettier books (and their novelty cousins) were presented to me as gifts. But much of my collection was left behind by former roommates, and a smattering are pamphlet-length tracts or user manuals with recipes.

However, I can’t bear to let them go, no matter how ridiculous or out-dated. What if lurking inside the Matoon (Illinois) United Methodist Women cookbook is a glowing gem of a casserole that will change my life? What if I can revamp a Mrs. Fields cookie recipe into something healthy and delicious? But that’s just silly; my kitchen square-footage is at a premium.

Over the next few months, I plan to plumb my Neglected Cookbook Library for its hidden jewels. Along the way, I will feature recipes from my quarry. You’ll still hear from Mark Bittman and Madhur Jaffrey; you’ll just get a taste of other visionaries too, like Isa Chandra Moskowitz, the Moosewood Collective, and George Foreman.

If a book doesn’t earn its shelf-space, I will cast it off to the thrifty to make room for others more worthy… like Viva Vegan. Let’s get it on.

Title: Babycakes: Vegan, Gluten-Free and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked-About Bakery by Erin McKenna
Acquisition Info: Received as birthday gift, 2009 from the lovely Miss T
Recipe: Carrot Cupcakes and Vanilla Frosting/Vanilla Sauce
Reason for neglect: Specialty ingredients
Treasure Rating: 3 out of 4 Fistsful of Jewels

Babycakes’ reputation preceded my experience with this book. I have several friends with various dairy, gluten, and sugar sensitivities who all sing the praises of Ms. McKenna’s downtown bakery. My expectations were high and met.

Since first trying the vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free carrot cake recipe about a month ago, I’ve made it twice more for potlucks, and it’s been met with wild accolades—rare for “alternative” baked goods. Seriously, this is one of the best things I’ve ever shoved in my mouth.

A caveat at the beginning of Babycakes instructs against ingredient substitutions, and for the most part, the warning should be heeded. Ingredients like coconut oil and xanthan gum are often crucial to gluten-free baking. But of course, I am me.

Take one: I replaced the (expensive!) coconut oil with canola oil in the cake recipe, upped some of the spice amounts, and made my own vegan (but not sugar-free) frosting. It was phenomenal. The cake was moist and light, and hardly needed frosting. (I ate it without for breakfast a couple of times.) CB, the roommate, and I could not get enough. I had to make it again.

Take two: Emboldened, I made the carrot cake with canola oil again and attempted the book’s vanilla frosting recipe with the same substitution. Oh Nell Carter, no! After leaving it overnight in the fridge to set, I had vanilla soymilk—oily vanilla soymilk. The frosting recipe must have coconut oil.

I slapped together my own agave-based frosting for that evening’s potluck, and everyone was nice enough to say it was good. The cupcakes were delicious, but my sugar-free frosting was a drippy, gritty, sticky mess. I have the best friends.

Take three: Another potluck on the calendar, and I finally went by the book. I plunked down the cash for the coconut oil (on sale!) and it was worth it. The carrot cake was just good as before, but the frosting was SO much better. It’s smooth and creamy—definitely more like a cream than a traditional frosting, but delicious and sweet without being cloying. Every single person went back for a second slice.

Babycakes stays.

~~~~

If you dug this article, you may dig

• Rx: Snickerdoodles
• Birdseed Granola Bars
• Vegan Rice Pudding

~~~~

Super-free Carrot Cake
Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna
Yields 24 pieces


3 cups gluten-free baking flour (Note: I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour per cookbook recommendation.)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cinnamon, grated
3 tbsp ginger, powdered
1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated
2/3 cup canola oil or coconut oil (melted)
1 cup agave nectar
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup hot water
3 cups carrots, shredded

1) Preheat oven to 325°. Grease 9” × 13” baking pan with oil or cooking spray.

2) Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

3) Mix in oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla. You will have a thick batter. Gently stir in hot water. Fold in carrots.

4) Pour batter into 9” × 13” baking pan or fill cupcake cups with 1/3 cup of batter. Bake cake for 35–45 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Bake cupcakes for 20–30 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may want to turn the pan and/or cover with foil halfway through baking. The former prevents uneven cooking; the latter keeps the top from burning before the insides are good and done.

5) Allow cake to cool before frosting with Agave Vanilla Frosting or Vegan Buttercream.

6) Serve to the adoration of all who encounter your genius.

Agave Vanilla Frosting
Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna
Yield: 3/4 recipe will frost 9”x13” cake; whole recipe will frost 24 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup dry soy milk powder
1 tbsp almond flour
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups coconut oil (melted)
2 tbsp lemon juice (Note: Use exact measurement rather than a whole lemon, which is likely too much.)

1) In the blender or food processor, combine almond milk, soy milk powder, almond flour, agave nectar, and vanilla extract. Zap it for two minutes.

2) Drizzle in coconut oil and lemon, alternately, until fully incorporated into mixture.

3) Pour into sealable container and chill for at least 6 hours to achieve a spreadable consistency.

4) Your cake should be cool by then too: frost, eat, enjoy the rapture.

Alternate frosting—vegan and gluten-free, but not sugar-free

Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup (5 tbsp) nonhydrogenated vegan margarine or shortening (softened)
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla

1) Combine sugar and shortening in medium mixing bowl.

2) Cream together with spatula, adding almond milk to help it along. Add vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. Add another splash of almond milk if necessary.

3) Spread on cooled cake and serve to adoring throng.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
Carrot cake with canola oil: 148.5 calories, 6.8g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.34
Carrot cake with coconut oil: 145.7 calories, 6.6g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.39
Agave frosting: 109 calories, 11g fat, .6g fiber, .9g protein, $.27
Buttercream frosting: 83 calories, 2.7g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.10

Calculations

Super-free Carrot Cake
3 cups gluten-free baking flour: 1200 calories, 12g fat, 36g fiber, 36g protein, $2.15
1 tbsp baking powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1 tbsp baking soda: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1 tsp xanthan gum: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1 1/2 tsp salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
2 tbsp cinnamon: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
3 tbsp ginger: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1/2 tsp nutmeg: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
2/3 cup canola oil: 1320 calories, 149g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $1.28
[or 2/3 cup coconut oil: 1253 calories, 145g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $2.52]
1 cup agave nectar: 960 cal, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $2.56
1 cup almond milk: 40 calories, 3g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $.50
1 tbsp vanilla extract: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $1.00
3 cups carrots: 45 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber, 1g protein, $.33
TOTALS WITH CANOLA OIL: 3565 calories, 164g fat, 40g fiber, 38g protein, $8.06
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24) with canola oil: 148.5 calories, 6.8g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.34
TOTALS WITH COCONUT OIL: 3498 calories, 160g fat, 40g fiber, 38g protein, $9.30
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24) with coconut oil: 145.7 calories, 6.6g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.39

Agave Vanilla Frosting
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk: 60 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g fiber, 1.5g protein, $.75
3/4 cup soy milk powder: 330 calories, 15g fat, 18g fiber, 27g protein, $.48
1 tbsp almond flour: 40 calories, 3.5g fat, .75g fiber, 1.5g protein, $.00
1/4 cup agave nectar: 240 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.64
1 tbsp vanilla extract: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $1.00
1 1/2 cups coconut oil: 2818. 5 calories, 327g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $5.68
2 tbsp lemon juice: 10 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.20
Totals: 3498.5 calories, 350g fat, 20.25g fiber, 30g protein, $8.75
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24): 145 calories, 14.6g fat, .8g fiber, 1.25g protein, $.36
PER SERVING (TOTALS/32): 109 calories, 11g fat, .6g fiber, .9g protein, $.27

Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
3 cups confectioner’s sugar: 1440 cal, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.96
1/3 cup (5 tbsp) nonhydrogenated vegan margarine or shortening: 550 cal, 65g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.39
2 tbsp almond milk: 5 calories, .4g fat, .13g fiber, .13g protein, $.13
1 tbsp vanilla extract: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $1.00
TOTALS: 1995 calories, 65.4g fat, .13g fiber, .13g protein, $2.48
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24): 83 calories, 2.7g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.10

If you follow six simple steps -- some obvious, others often overlooked -- chances are good youll sail through life with comfortable, pain-free feet.

1. Pay Attention to Hygiene and Pedicures

Feet are easy to ignore, especially in cooler months when theyre often in closed-toe shoes or boots. But a little attention can go a long way toward comfort, Frisch says.
Make sure you cut toenails straight across" to avoid ingrown nails, Frisch says.
Moisturize dry skin on the foot when its cracked to keep feet comfortable, Frisch says, and to help ward off infections when bacteria enter through cracked skin.  
"If you go to a pedicurist, be sure the shop is clean and take your own tools," Frisch says. Pedicure tools are widely sold at beauty supply stores and at some nail salons.
If a shop recommends you bring your own tools, thats a good sign, he says, indicating they are aware of the importance of good hygiene standards.

2. Be Alert to Age-Related Changes

Expect your foot to change as the years go by, Frisch says. Although the timing varies from person to person, changes in the 40s and 50s are typical, he says.
"With age, we lose some of our fat pads [on the bottom of the foot] and cushioning," Frisch says. That might mean wearing sturdier shoes, he says.
Arthritic changes can set in, Frisch says. The toes may bend or contract more, and the nails may be thicker, making you more prone to ingrown toenails.
Be alert for problems such as hammertoes, in which the middle joint bends down and the toes begin to look deformed; or for bunions, bony bumps at the base of the big toe that can be painful. These conditions may appear or worsen with age.
"Foot size can change as you get older," Frisch says. Generally feet get longer and wider as the tendons loosen, he says. Dont be surprised if your shoe size changes, and be sure to get feet measured when you buy shoes.

3. Wear Shoes That Fit -- and Match Your Activity

When trying on shoes, be sure they are not too tight in the toe box, Ross says. Otherwise your feet will be squeezed and uncomfortable.

"Measure your feet every time you get shoes," Frisch says. Buy shoes at the end of the day, because your feet tend to swell as the day progresses.
If you are buying athletic shoes for walking, running, or other workouts,  buy the appropriate shoe for the activity, Ross says. Walking shoes, for instance, have different features than do running shoes.
Next, pick the shoe thats best for any foot problem you have. For instance, if you are an overpronator -- your feet roll inward too much -- you should consider motion control shoes, Ross says.
If you read the marketing information that accompanies athletic shoes, Ross says, you can educate yourself about features the shoe has that you may need.

4. Give Your Arches the Support They Deserve

Foot specialists talk about the importance of proper arch support, but how can you tell, besides eyeballing your foot and guessing whether your arch is flat, high, or normal?
You can ask your foot doctor to take a look, or you can evaluate your arches at home, Frisch says.
Take a brown paper bag, wet your foot, and put your foot [down] on it," Frisch says. "If you see just [mostly] the heel and the toes and a big gap, you have a high arch."
If you see a wide footprint, all filled in, your foot is probably flat, and needs more support than other types of arches.
"A flat foot needs the most [support]," Frisch says. If yours is flat, you might consider over-the-counter orthotic arch supports, he says. If those dont keep your feet comfortable, ask a foot doctor about custom orthotics, Frisch says. Theyre made to fit just your foot, and sometimes give better results.

5. Reconsider the Stilettos and Flip-Flops continued...

Ross, too, concedes that very occasional high heel wear is probably OK, but only up to a two-inch heel.
If you notice friction points, areas that become irritated when you wear high-heeled shoes, put a bandage on ahead of time to cut down on the friction, Frisch suggests. Often, the friction point is the pinkie toe, especially in closed-toe shoes, or the heel, he says.
Flip-flops are another point of contention with foot specialists. Skip the flip-flops," Ross says. Thats especially true, he says, if you overpronate. "Your feet will roll in even more," if you have a flip-flop habit. "There is no protection, there is no support, there is no stability."
When pressed, Ross says occasional flip-flop wear may be OK for dedicated lovers of the shoe style -- but only if you are not doing a lot of walking."
For those who cant give up their flip-flops, Frisch suggests considering the flip-flop styles with built-in arch support. Manufacturers note the arch support feature prominently.

6. Pick Your Baoot Moments

When in the warmth of your home in winter, or on a warm summer day, its tempting to shuck your shoes and socks.
But its easier to have an accident when baoot," Frisch says. You can easily step on something, especially outdoors, or stub your toe on furniture indoors.
People with healthier, pain-free feet are safer going baoot than people with foot problems, Ross says. If your foot still has an adequate fat pad and no calluses, its OK sometimes, he says. But if you have foot problems to begin with, he advises against going baoot.
Consider the environment when deciding whether to go baoot, Ross says. In a health club, for instance, you may be risking a fungal infection if you shed shoes and socks.

 

Hi,

I thought I was going to be able to share about the "coconut oil" experiment, but Im not yet convinced either way on that one, yet. Im not much into taking the spoonfuls straight as I had thought I could do. Its just too much, so I cook my eggs with it and I make a little concoction for a snack that seems to help my appetite, which I eat about once a day and that is about it. What I started off doing was using some dry unsweetened coconut, about an equal portion of coconut oil and bakers chocolate, with a little sprinkle of xylitol and vanilla to make a kind of thick coconutty chocolate syrup. I only used the xylitol about twice when I switched to plain white Stevia.

I dont really like Stevia that much, but the xylitol was simply too sweet for my palate. After I ran out of desicated coconut, I switched to walnuts, and when those were gone, I simply ate the syrup. The only thing I think I can see from this is that I just dont seem to get any cravings for forbidden foods when I eat it, once day. If I eat it about 30 minutes before a meal, it does set my mouth to water for the food I am preparing but the food seems to satisfy me and I dont even recall when I last had a craving for something that I should not have. So far so very good.

In my investigating different diet programs I think I got way off track again. I keep believing it when some expert says that a little oatmeal is good for you. Well I should know better by now. A little oatmeal is not good for ME! I actually started to put weight on with one serving a day of oatmeal. When I got back up to 330 pounds and the complete frustration of watching the scale go up every day, I put a stop to the oatmeal all together. Perhaps I was eating too much oatmeal at a serving. I started off with 1 cup of uncooked old fashioned oats, as was recommended in something I was reading at the time. This makes a pretty huge amount of oatmeal. The next time I cooked only 1/2 cup of oatmeal and it still seemed like a lot to eat.

I dont like it the way my mom used to make it, which is pretty much like it says in the recipe on the box. I never pour milk or anything over it and I season it with garlic, pepper, curry powder and real salt and relate to it like it was a sort of soft meat loaf without the meat. I just like it that way. I learned to do that when I was a vegan for a while a few years ago. At that time I, of course, did not eat meat, but wanted something like meat loaf so I just made the oatmeal with real rolled oats which are firmer and seasoned it like I would a meat loaf and tried it. I really liked it and have eaten it that way ever since -- that is, when I eat it. I hope I never eat it again.

I started reading about the true gluten free diet and realized that I really need to get back on my original protein and raw veggies with occasional cooked veggies plan. Turns out my plan is actually gluten free. I did that about four days ago and have lost weight every morning since I stopped eating the oatmeal. Thank God!!  Im back down to 325 with hopes of going lower.

I had clicked on a link from a trusted e-mail source and went to: http://www.glutenfreehealthsolution.com/index1.shtml  which is the "infomercial" for the book on true gluten free eating plus another book with 103 true gluten free recipes. They sell it for $49 which seemed like a lot to me, so I tried the "leave the site method" to see if they had a better offer and I got it for $29 which seemed much more reasonable to me.

I have found the e-book to be packed with good information about gluten and true gluten free eating. It explained a lot of things, is easy to read, and I think that everyone should read it -- especially if you have some sort of chronic disease like rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune diseases. It also explains the difference between Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

It seems that gluten sensitivity is not a disease but it causes other diseases, especially ones that are hard to nail down, like thyroid functioning that is "off" and even acid lux, irritable bowel syndrome, and asthma or osteoporosis. It is written by Dr. Peter Osborne who is a nutritionist and chiropractor who has helped thousands to go what he calls "true gluten free."  He calls it that because the traditional grains that were thought to cause Celiac disease and other gluten sensitivities were wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oatmeal. But he points out that every single grain there is has some kind of gluten in it. There are different kinds of gluten and even rice has another form of gluten that is different from the gliadin of wheat, but still affects certain individuals by causing mystery diseases.

He even lists all the ingredients that can be found in not only food but cosmetics, too that can affect the body in adverse ways. Ive witnessed the problems that a good friend of mine who has full blown Celiac disease goes through. It even sometimes affects her personality making her very sensitive and hyper. This is no joke and it is no fad diet. She suffers from abdominal pain and all sorts of problems if she even touches wheat flour. It severely limits her life, but she makes sure to carry clean food with her and keep herself on track most of the time. I feel for her.

Dr Osborne explains how you can tell if you are gluten sensitive and where to get the right kind of testing -- DNA testing -- so you can truly find out if you should go this route to heal yourself or not.  There are certain DNA markers for gluten sensitivity that some individuals have and the only way to find out for absolute sure is to do that kind of a test. He shares how to get that testing done at www.GlutenFreeSociety.org

It has a charge to become a member and then a yearly fee, too, so I did not join, but if you find that you need what they have to offer, it seems like the perfect place to find out all you need to know about going true gluten free.

From what I read, you need to pay close attention to the ingredients on the labels of processed foods because there is no legal definition of what "gluten free" means. It is all voluntary and there has been some testing done of foods that say they are "gluten free" on the label but when tested they had gluten in them. My friend even pays attention to see if there are any notices on the label that say where the food has been processed.

His final program is pretty much like my original program that included veggies and animal protein. He also includes fruit, and potatoes, but being glucose intolerant, I need to limit those foods, too.

As far as I can tell, from my own experience and from observing my friend, it is a little difficult to completely give up all the processed foods we are used to, but it can be done. And when it is done, a person simply begins to feel alive and healthy again. Dr Osborne says that if your gluten sensitivity is severe it may take from six months to a year to finally clear everything up, but you can see real improvements after about two months on the program. I personally know that some changes will show up after only six days on the program -- it usually takes about six days of not eating any kind of bread for my pain levels to greatly reduce.

I noticed with eating the oatmeal that my back and hip pain returned with a vengence, so much so that I even had to ice my back a couple of times like in the old days. So that is it for me. I am back on the program that works for me, and glad of it.

One of the things that really surprised me was to discover that there are some mental disorders that clear up when that person stops eating grain.  I had that confirmed by a family friend, with experience in this area, too. So... if you suffer from mystery aches and pains and never seem to find relief, check out the "true gluten free" information and see if it helps you regain your pain-free life back again. If you dont want to buy the books at this time, just attempt to leave the web site a third time and you can get a free PDF and MP3 recording that is very helpful, too, at: http://www.glutenfreehealthsolution.com/index1.shtml

Im glad it helped me get back on track.

Heres to your good health, Hip Hip, Hooray!!

Be back soon,

Marcia

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the same group involved in the upcoming Diabetes Forum in NYC, is offering a set of modules that can be used as a curriculum for diabetes education.

You can access them here:
IDF Diabetes Education Modules

Although they were designed to be used for instruction (and are an excellent resource for that purpose), anyone can download and view their content.

Below is a sample from Module 1 (most of the modules are in PowerPoint slide format):

(Rejected titles for this post: “Free Cooking Lessons Part II: Electric Cookaloo,” “Free Cooking Lessons Part II: The Cookening”)

Months ago, CHG featured two pieces about finding cooking lessons for free on the internet. One was cleverly called Free Cooking Lessons, while the other, a rundown of web-based slicing and carving techniques, was titled Chop ‘til You Drop. Today’s article is a sequel to those posts, focusing on television instead of the web.

See, while many might of us not have access to high speed internet, many of us get some form of basic cable or cable TV. This means that morning, noon, and night, we’re exposed to some of the best chefs and cooks on Earth, from flame-haired, Dionysian Italians to entrancingly mom-esque Hampton doyennes. These folks can teach us TONS, as long as we’re patient, observant, and know how to navigate through the programming. That last part is where CHG comes in.

What follows is a basic guide to 21 instructional cooking shows, including brief descriptions and links. It’s designed to give beginners an idea of where to start, and to direct more advanced cooks to series that might interest them. It focuses mostly on the Food Network, though several PBS shows and a few Martha Stewart ventures are included. Air times should be included in the links.

Before getting started, a word: while I usually try to avoid injecting my opinion into Wednesday articles, it’s not the case here. This post is 99% personal opinion (1% bad jokes), with my favorite shows marked as “suggested viewing.” That said, I urge readers to chime in with brilliant suggestions, supportive comments, terrible insults, and threats to turn me into a tablescape.

Lets get this thing started...

BEGINNER

America’s Test Kitchen with Christopher Kimball (PBS)
Good for: anyone
Bad for: N/A
America’s Test Kitchen is PBS in a nutshell: calm, informative, and most excellent. The sister show to Cook’s Illustrated magazine, it’s chock full of equipment tests, product tastings, and painstakingly researched recipes. The cuisine is mostly traditional American, though international dishes do make frequent appearances. Suggested viewing.

Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger (Food Network)
Good for: healthy eaters, dieters
Bad for: sumo wrestlers
Oh, I like Ellie a lot. Her measured, sweet demeanor is a soothing oasis in a land of yappers. As FN’s resident healthy chef, she creates sane, lo-cal dishes with a dollop of nice flavor. I’ve prepared several of her recipes, and their success/failure rate is about 3 to 1. Suggested viewing.

Everyday Food with the Everyday Food Crew (PBS)
Good for: folks on the go, simplicity enthusiasts, fans of Thoreau’s “Walden”
Bad for: N/A
Martha Stewart is the Executive Producer here, and it shows. Simply presented and gorgeously shot, EF’s a solid reference for casual cooks and beginners, both. It covers the basics of preparation quite well, and has some fine-looking recipes to boot. The show’s one downfall? The 14,000 hosts, who switch off every segment. Theyre a tad tough to identify.

Everyday Italian with Giada DeLaurentiis (Food Network)
Good for: anyone, but especially Italian food lovers
Bad for: N/A
Dubbed "Little Big Head" by the denizens of Television Without Pity, the quality of Giada’s food is in direct proportion to the fabulousness of her cleavage. In other words, the lady can cook. By employing fresh ingredients and simple techniques, she creates some seriously good-looking Italian food that’s easy enough for most kitchen novices. GD takes a lot of flack for being an abnormally attractive, thin chef (well, that and the claw hand), but the haters need to back off.

Good Deal with Dave Lieberman
Good for: college kids, first-time apartment owners, anyone
Bad for: N/A
Cute! Smart! A good cook! The eminently date-able Lieberman centers his show on simple, lower (but not low) cost food – the kind most people can procure at the local supermarket. I haven’t made many of his dishes, but the Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs are TO DIE FOR. Worth checking out, especially for younger viewers.

Good Eats with Alton Brown (Food Network)
Good for: anyone
Bad for: N/A
Food Historian, Science Geek, Gastronomic Innovator, Guy You Wish Was Related Somehow: Alton Brown is all of these and then some. It’s really, really hard to find detractors of his show, Good Eats, because I don’t think there are any. Alton pretty much breaks down where meals originate, how they come together on a chemical level, and which ways they’re best prepared. I CAN NOT recommend it (or his cookbooks) highly enough. Suggested viewing.

Guy’s Big Bite with Guy Fieri (Food Network)
Good for: dudes
Bad for: people concerned about their health
Are you a dude? Are you a large dude? Are you a large dude who’ll eat 87 wings in a single sitting and then take enormous pride in farting on your girlfriend? Big Bite is the show for you. Guy’s a spike-haired skater who specializes in Man Food, and his series is a solid resource for Super Bowl Sunday and/or any impending tailgate parties.

Jacques Pepin’s various shows (PBS)
Good for: almost anyone
Bad for: people who don’t understand thick Bourg-en-Bresse accents
Initially, I thought Jacques’ shows consisted entirely of upscale French chef-ery. Alas, I’m dumb. While he does specialize in la cuisine de Paris, he’s also a technique guy, who carefully and methodically demonstrates the proper ways to make a plethora of dishes. Jacques, vous êtes trés bon.

Paula’s Home Cooking with Paula Deen (Food Network)
Good for: southern cooking enthusiasts, comfort food lovers
Bad for: weight watchers, people allergic to “Y’ALL!!!!!!!”
Years ago, PauDain was a relaxed, sweet middle-aged lady who serenely prepared all sorts of indulgent, down-home goodies. Today she cooks the same food, but the personality volume is constantly jacked up to 11. I still harbor happy feelings about Paula and her wonderfully extravagant “27 sticks of butter!” meals, but others may shy away from the loud.

30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray (Food Network)
Good for: people who love Rachael Ray
Bad for: people who hate Rachael Ray
The objective view: Rachael Ray shows viewers how to prepare a diversity of filling meals in under 30 minutes with easily attainable ingredients. Her recipes are do-able for almost anyone, and she’s inspired more home chefs than possibly even Julia Child. Also, she has dogs.
The subjective view: Anyone who uses the word “yummo” in regular conversation deserves ... well, a food empire, apparently.

Sara’s Secrets with Sara Moulton (Food Network)
Good for: Anyone
Bad for: N/A
Repeat episodes of this show are becoming ever so rare, and that’s a big, fat bummer. If you have the good fortune to catch Sara Moulton on anything, you’ll quickly find she’s a lot like my friend K – quiet, competent, and blonde. It’s really a pleasure to watch her cook, and like Alton or the America’s Test Kitchen crew, she’s a great teacher of the basics. Suggested viewing.

Simply Ming with Ming Tsai (PBS)
Good for: anyone, but especially Chinese food lovers
Bad for: people with ginger allergies
America’s most famous Chinese chef, Ming Tsai makes a wonderful case for eating the cuisine exclusively. Also? He’s super-hot. Suggested viewing. (Especially for all the ladies out there.)

Food 911 or Tylers Ultimate with Tyler Florence
Good for: anyone
Bad for: N/A
Tyler specializes in meals fundamental to American menus, but branches out from time to time with positive results. Provided Good Eats and America’s Test Kitchen aren’t broadcasting at the same time, those searching for the end-all-be-all macaroni and cheese recipe could do worse than starting here.

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE

Barefoot Contessa (Food Network)
Good for: anyone - especially if you own a beach house
Bad for: N/A
I put Ina in the intermediate section for two reasons: 1) she tends to use some expensive ingredients, which beginner cooks may not want to experiment with yet, and 2) that Kitchen-Aid standup mixer makes an appearance in 50% of her recipes, and it’s kind of an advanced tool. If neither of these apply to you, please tune in to Barefoot Contessa RIGHT NOW. Ina rules, and her recipes simply do not fail. Even if you don’t give a flying crap about braising, icing, or frying, it’s worth a gander for the soothingness of her voice. Suggested viewing.

Boy Meets Grill with Bobby Flay (Food Network)
Good for: dudes, chile pepper lovers, people with grills
Bad for: people who hate mango
The Flayster. Flayorama. The Flayonator. Food Network built part of their empire on this man’s back, and it’s kind of easy to see why. His food is fun, gorgeous, and unifying, in that it marries a lot of fruit and spiciness to great effect. Like Ina, Flay’s tools and ingredients can be a tad expensive (he works with a bunch of seafood), which is why he’s not in the beginner’s category. Nonetheless, Boy Meets Grill is a great resource for recipe ideas, particularly if you’re planning a backyard shindig.

Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello (Food Network)
Good for: easy entertainers
Bad for: difficult entertainers
For those who need to wow a crowd, Michael Chiarello is the man with the plan. Based in Napa Valley, Easy Entertaining concentrates on classy, crowd-friendly dishes, often created with neato wine pairings in mind. The ingredients could run a buck or two, but otherwise, Chiarello’s fun to watch.

Essence of Emeril or Emeril Live with Emeril Lagasse (Food Network)
Good for: anyone, especially Louisiana food lovers
Bad for: Emeril’s nemesis - Evil Emeril
There’s not much to say about Emeril that hasn’t already been covered by every food blog, ever. Yet, in spite of his tiny-bit-hammy onstage persona - dude can cook like the dickens. Watch and learn.

Lidia’s Italy with Lidia Bastianich (PBS)
Good for: anyone, especially Italian food lovers
Bad for: N/A
Lidia is my secret Italian grandma – the one who whipped up massive Istrian feasts every Sunday without breaking a sweat. Her elegant show is a gentle wonder, and her children’s occasional appearances are always good for comic relief. The abundance of handmade pasta may be a bit complex for newbies, but otherwise, Lidia’s Italy is aces. Suggested viewing.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

Lessons with Master Chefs with Julia Child (PBS)
Good for: the cult of Julia, anyone
Bad for: people who believe this is actually Julia Child
From what I’ve seen of this older show, it’s lovely and not as slick as todays cooking series. There aren’t many beauty shots (of the food) and the techniques seem to fly by fairly quickly, which makes them a tiny bit harder to follow. That said, it’s Julia fargin’ Child. The woman didn’t become the first lady of American cooking for nothing. Plus? Apparently, Meryl Streep signed on to play Julia in the upcoming Julie & Julia movie, so that’s fun.

The Martha Stewart Show with Martha Stewart (NBC)
Good for: moms, organized people, fans of Real Simple, anyone
Bad for: frat guys
Do you spatchcock? Would you like to know how? Martha knows. In fact, Martha knows everything, except possibly how to project enthusiasm loudly (though she can be dryly hilarious, and isn’t above poking fun at herself). Her show is faboo for creative meal ideas, from flavor combinations to placemat patterns to cupcakes that look like toadstools. And while Martha’s recipes can occasionally seem very Sunday Dinner in Cape Cod, those who look past her image will discover a treasure trove of kitchen brilliance.

Molto Mario with Mario Batali (Food Network)
Good for: anyone, especially Italian food lovers
Bad for: N/A
Look, this guy is a GREAT chef (I’ve eaten at two of his restaurants), but preparing his food on my own scares the crud out of me. Those not totally intimidated by Mario’s awesomeness should DVR this show at every possible opportunity. He’s not just a wonder to behold, but a veritable fountain of culinary knowledge as well.

UNCLASSIFIABLE

Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee (Food Network)
Good for: people who hate food
Bad for: everyone else
Two words: Kwanzaa Cake.

UNKNOWN (Input welcomed)

Daisy Cooks! with Daisy Martinez (PBS)
Down Home with the Neelys (Food Network
The Hot Australian Guy That Cooks for People in Their Homes (?)
Jamie at Home with Jamie Oliver (Food Network)
Kathleen Daelemans (Food Network)
Mark Bittman (PBS)
Nigella Feasts with Nigella Lawson (Food Network)
Party Line with the Hearty Boys (Food Network
Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller (Food Network)
Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman (Food Network)

Comments are open and I’d love to hear your input. Thanks!

(Photos courtesy of CelebChefs.net, newasiancuisine.com, and circlealine.com.)