by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 23 2013 9:25AM
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has just completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Its conclusion is rocking the health world with startling bluntness: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption. Consumers should stop buying and eating all processed meat products for the rest of their lives.
Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, sandwich meat, packaged ham, pepperoni, salami and virtually all red meat used in frozen prepared meals. They are usually manufactured with a carcinogenic ingredient known as sodium nitrite. This is used as a color fixer by meat companies to turn packaged meats a bright red color so they look fresh. Unfortunately, sodium nitrite also results in the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines in the human body. And this leads to a sharp increase in cancer risk for those who eat them.
A 2005 University of Hawaii study found that processed meats increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent. Another study revealed that every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent. These are alarming numbers. Note that these cancer risks do not come from eating fresh, non-processed meats. They only appear in people who regularly consume processed meat products containing sodium nitrite.
Sodium nitrite appears predominantly in red meat products (you won't find it in chicken or fish products). Here's a short list of food items to check carefully for sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate (MSG), another dangerous additive:
Beef jerky
Bacon
Sausage
Hot dogs
Sandwich meat
Frozen pizza with meat
Canned soups with meat
Frozen meals with meat
Ravioli and meat pasta foods
Kid's meals containing red meat
Sandwich meat used at popular restaurants
Nearly all red meats sold at public schools, restaurants, hospitals, hotels and theme parks
If sodium nitrite is so dangerous to humans, why do the FDA and USDA continue to allow this cancer-causing chemical to be used? The answer, of course, is that food industry interests now dominate the actions by U.S. government regulators. The USDA, for example, tried to ban sodium nitrite in the late 1970′s but was overridden by the meat industry.5 It insisted the chemical was safe and accused the USDA of trying to "ban bacon."
Today, the corporations that dominate American food and agricultural interests hold tremendous influence over the FDA and USDA. Consumers are offered no real protection from dangerous chemicals intentionally added to foods, medicines and personal care products.
You can protect yourself and your family from the dangers of processed meats by following a few simple rules:
Always read ingredient labels.
Don't buy anything made with sodium nitrite or monosodium glutamate.
Don't eat red meats served by restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels or other institutions.
And finally, eat more fresh produce with every meal. There is evidence that natural vitamin C found in citrus fruits and exotic berries (like camu camu) helps prevent the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, protecting you from the devastating health effects of sodium nitrite in processed meats. The best defense, of course, is to avoid eating processed meats altogether.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 22 2013 8:43AM
MURRAY, Utah – Putting a stop to bullying in schools can be a difficult task for teachers, but one woman from Murray, who found out her daughter was relentlessly teasing another student, decided to teach her a lesson by giving her a taste of her own medicine.
"She really needs to know that this had such an effect on someone else's life," said the mother, Ally, whose last name we have omitted to protect her daughter Kaylee's privacy.
Ally is not the Kaylee's biological mother. She has been in a long term relationship with the girl's father for several years. The girl's father, who has custody of the child, was present during and gave permission for this interview, and he said Ally and Kaylee share a mother-daughter relationship.
Wednesday, Ally received an email from Kaylee's teacher explaining that she had been bullying another student because of how she dressed. The harassment had been taking place for the last three weeks, and according to the teacher, the student no longer wanted to come to school.
"She would take her out on the playground and call her names, and tell her she was a slob and tell her she dressed like a sleaze," Ally said. "Someone not wanting to go to school anymore based off of something that one other little person said to them. I mean, that's huge, that's damaging."
But when Ally addressed the issue with Kaylee after school that day, she said Kaylee did not show any remorse for what she had done. The reaction prompted Ally to instead show her why her behavior was unacceptable.
"I thought this is a perfect moment for us to really teach her, this is right, this is wrong, which path are you going to take? And then it's her choice," said Ally.
Ally went to a local thrift shop and bought about $50 worth of clothing that she knew her daughter would never want to wear. Thursday morning, Kaylee awoke to find an unflattering outfit on the bathroom door with a pair of old sneakers below it. Ally explained to Kaylee that she would be wearing the ensemble to school that day.
"I died. I did," said Kaylee, who admitted she cried when she first looked at the clothes.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 22 2013 7:02AM
Kicking off "The Voice" live elimination episode was a tribute to Oklahoma tornado victims. Resident coach Blake Shelton is an Oklahoma native. He and his wife Miranda Lambert live just 100 miles from Moore, Oklahoma, which was devastated by the storm. The couple offered a subdued performance of their song "Over You" in tribute, while donation information for The Red Cross was presented on-screen. Viewers can donate by going online to redcross.org or by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW.
"As Oklahoma residents, Blake and Miranda had a special connection to the devastation and they chose to sing a song that was particularly meaningful to them both," Wetpaint said. "The couple co-wrote the tune in honor of Blake's older brother who passed away when he was a teen."
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 22 2013 6:57AM
Give Back.
If you would like to help those people affected by the devastating tornado in Oklahoma, consider making a donation to the following organizations.
Red Cross: Text Red Cross to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Salvation Army: Donations can be made to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK 73157. Designate Oklahoma Tornado Relief on all checks.
Donate by phone: (800) 725-2769
Donate online: donate.salvationarmyusa.org
Feed the Children: Feed The Children is accepting donations from the public on Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the McCormick Distribution Center, 29 N McCormick.
Items that will be accepted are diapers, canned goods, nonperishable food and snack items, water and sports drinks.
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma: To make a tax deductible donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, go to www.regionalfoodbank.org or call 604-7111 or text FOOD to 32333 to give $10 to relief efforts.
Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief: To make a tax-deductible donation to the BGCO's Disaster Relief ministry visit www.bgco.org/donate or call 942-3800. All money goes toward disaster relief and helping victims.
United Way of Central Oklahoma: To donate, go to www.unitedwayokc.org or by mail to United Way of Central Oklahoma, P.O. Box 837, Oklahoma City, OK 73101 with notation for May Tornado Relief.
Tulsa Community Foundation: Contributions to the Moore & Shawnee Tornado Relief Fund can be made securely online at www.TulsaCF.org. Donations can also be mailed to TCF offices at 7030 S Yale, Suite 600, Tulsa, OK, 74136.
Americares: AmeriCares has a long history of helping survivors of U.S. disasters, including tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires and most recently, an ongoing $5 million Hurricane Sandy Relief program. To make a donation to Americares visit www.Americares.org.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 17 2013 9:15AM
America's Big Beer Sale Happy Harry's Bottle Shops "America's Big Beer Sale" is on from May 16th thru May 29th! Over 300 different beer packages on sale!
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 10 2013 9:05AM
Mother's Day Fun
Brunch Cocktails:
Mimosa 75
Recipe courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli
3 ounces Plymouth Gin
Grated Zest and juice of 2 lemons, plus 1 wedge for glasses
Grated Zest and juice of 2 tangerines
1 ½ tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 750ml bottle of dry champagne/sparkling wine (chilled)
Combine the gin, lemon juice, tangerine juice and honey in a cocktail shaker; cover and shake.
Put the sugar on a small plate and sprinkle the lemons and tangerine zests on top. Rub the rims of 6 champagne glasses with lemon wedge, then gently roll in the zesty sugar.
Divide the gin-citrus mixture among 6 glasses and top with champagne.
Pomegranate Smoothie
Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee
3 cups of ice
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups Smirnoff Pomegranate Martini Ready to Drink
4 fresh raspberries, for garnish
To a blender, add the ice, yogurt and pomegranate martini. Blend until smooth. Pour into chilled martini glasses and garnish with raspberries.
Brunch Recipes:
Chocolate Waffles
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
15 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Confectioners' sugar and/or berries, for topping (optional)
Directions
Melt the butter and shortening in a small saucepan, stirring to combine; remove from the heat and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs, milk, chocolate syrup and vanilla in a large liquid measuring cup or a separate bowl. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined. (The batter will be slightly lumpy.) Whisk in the butter mixture until combined.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Preheat a waffle iron and spray with cooking spray. Ladle some of the batter into the waffle iron to within an inch of the edge (1/3 to 1/2 cup batter, depending on your waffle iron); cook until crisp. Transfer the waffle to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Divide the waffles among plates. Dust with confectioners'sugar and top with berries and/or chocolate syrup.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata
From Food Network Kitchens
Prep Time:
5 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Serving suggestion: Crispy potatoes and mesclun salad
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
Whisk the eggs, milk, dill, salt, pepper, and chives together in a bowl. Using two spoons or your fingers, separate the cream cheese into small clumps. Fold the cream cheese and salmon into the egg mixture.
Heat the oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir lightly to make sure the fillings are evenly arranged in the pan. Cook until the bottom is set, but not brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is set, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes.
Invert the frittata onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Omelette with Green Onions
Whisk eggs and heavy cream together in a large mixing bowl.
Take a large nonstick pan and set over medium heat. When the pan is heated add the butter and spread out evenly over the surface of the pan. Once it starts to foam turn the heat down and add eggs. Using a spatula swirl the eggs quickly in a circular motion as you gently shake the pan back and forth to cook evenly, you don't want any color.
Once the eggs begin to set, drop the pieces of salmon, small spoonfuls of cream cheese, and green onions over the top. Season with salt and pepper, then as you slide it out onto your cutting board, roll 1 side over the top as you go to form an omelette.
Slice crosswise into portions and serve.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 10 2013 9:02AM
Mother's Day Fun
Brunch Cocktails:
Mimosa 75
Recipe courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli
3 ounces Plymouth Gin
Grated Zest and juice of 2 lemons, plus 1 wedge for glasses
Grated Zest and juice of 2 tangerines
1 ½ tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 750ml bottle of dry champagne/sparkling wine (chilled)
Combine the gin, lemon juice, tangerine juice and honey in a cocktail shaker; cover and shake.
Put the sugar on a small plate and sprinkle the lemons and tangerine zests on top. Rub the rims of 6 champagne glasses with lemon wedge, then gently roll in the zesty sugar.
Divide the gin-citrus mixture among 6 glasses and top with champagne.
Pomegranate Smoothie
Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee
3 cups of ice
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups Smirnoff Pomegranate Martini Ready to Drink
4 fresh raspberries, for garnish
To a blender, add the ice, yogurt and pomegranate martini. Blend until smooth. Pour into chilled martini glasses and garnish with raspberries.
Brunch Recipes:
Chocolate Waffles
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
15 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Confectioners' sugar and/or berries, for topping (optional)
Directions
Melt the butter and shortening in a small saucepan, stirring to combine; remove from the heat and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs, milk, chocolate syrup and vanilla in a large liquid measuring cup or a separate bowl. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined. (The batter will be slightly lumpy.) Whisk in the butter mixture until combined.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Preheat a waffle iron and spray with cooking spray. Ladle some of the batter into the waffle iron to within an inch of the edge (1/3 to 1/2 cup batter, depending on your waffle iron); cook until crisp. Transfer the waffle to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Divide the waffles among plates. Dust with confectioners'sugar and top with berries and/or chocolate syrup.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata
From Food Network Kitchens
Prep Time:
5 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Serving suggestion: Crispy potatoes and mesclun salad
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
Whisk the eggs, milk, dill, salt, pepper, and chives together in a bowl. Using two spoons or your fingers, separate the cream cheese into small clumps. Fold the cream cheese and salmon into the egg mixture.
Heat the oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir lightly to make sure the fillings are evenly arranged in the pan. Cook until the bottom is set, but not brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is set, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes.
Invert the frittata onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Omelette with Green Onions
Whisk eggs and heavy cream together in a large mixing bowl.
Take a large nonstick pan and set over medium heat. When the pan is heated add the butter and spread out evenly over the surface of the pan. Once it starts to foam turn the heat down and add eggs. Using a spatula swirl the eggs quickly in a circular motion as you gently shake the pan back and forth to cook evenly, you don't want any color.
Once the eggs begin to set, drop the pieces of salmon, small spoonfuls of cream cheese, and green onions over the top. Season with salt and pepper, then as you slide it out onto your cutting board, roll 1 side over the top as you go to form an omelette.
Slice crosswise into portions and serve.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 8 2013 8:38AM
Where would the Founding Fathers stand on a right to bear pencils?
A second-grader was suspended from school for two days for pretending his pencil was a gun while playing with his friend in class Friday.
"It's an effort to try to get kids not to bring any form of violence into the classroom, even if it's violent play," school spokesperson Bethanne Bradshaw said.
During a game of make-believe, Christopher Marshall, 7, imagined he was a Marine like his father Paul Marshall, who thinks his kid was just being a typical boy. He and his wife Wendy Marshall said the Driver Elementary School in Suffolk, Va. is overreacting.
"I find it ridiculous that he cannot use his imagination and be a boy," Wendy Marshall told the Daily News. "When my son wants to pretend he's a Marine or a Navy pilot like his granddad or an auto mechanic like his other granddad, I don't think that should be an issue."
Bradshaw said that the school has a zero-tolerance policy for weapons. She thinks that a pencil can be considered a weapon if someone makes gun noises while pointing the weapon at another person in a threatening way.
Christopher said that he is sorry and will not pretend to play with guns in school any more. His parents were quick to point out that, according to the suspension note, Christopher stopped when the teacher told him to do so.
The other student, also 7, was suspended as well.
Paul Marshall understands that people feel uneasy about guns in schools considering the onslaught of recent school shootings but feels that Driver Elementary School failed to use common sense.
"It's gone too far. Enough is enough," he told local station Fox 43. "Where do we draw the line? A pencil - was it sharpened? Was it now? Is it a No. 2? I mean what's the big deal? He's just being a kid."
This is only the latest in a series of gun-play suspensions that have occurred since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 3 2013 9:13AM
Kentucky Derby Fun
Drinks: Woodford Reserve Classic Mint Julip 2 ounces Woodford Reserve 1 ounce water 1 teaspoon sugar 4 srpigs fresh mint Muddle three sprigs of mint, sugar, and water in the bottom of a julep cup or highball glass. Fill glass with crushed ice. Add Woodford Reserve and stir. Dust fourth mint sprig with powedered sugar for garnish. Woodford Reserve Sweet Bourbon Punch 2 cups ice tea (unsweetened) 1 cup sugar 1 12 ounce can frozen orange juice 1 12 ounce can frozen lemonade 1 750ml bottle Woodford Reserve 7 cups water Mix all ingredients and chill. Makes one gallon. Grey Goose Oaks Lily
1 oz. GREY GOOSE® Vodka
1 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
3 oz. Cranberry Juice
Splash of Triple Sec
The Offical Drink of the Kentucky Oaks
Once the ingredients are mixed, place the Grey Goose® Oaks Lily® in a tall glass with crushed ice, add a straw and garnish with an orange wedge and cherry.
If you want to make the drink truly official, pour the Lily into the official glass found here. The glass makes a nice party favor to your guests to take home.
Derby Appetizers: Brie Delight
Thinly glaze a round of brie cheese with Honeycup mustard, sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Bake in oven at 350F - 375F until cheese is runny and nuts slightly brown. (Approx. 5 minutes)
1 cup grated smoked Cheddar cheese, plus additional for garnish
Kosher salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 lime
1 cup Crispy Shoestring Potatoes (recipe follows)
Directions:
In a large pan of salted water, cook potatoes in 140ºF water for 20 minutes, then bring to a boil until potatoes are soft. Drain.
In a sauté pan over high heat, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for 1 minute; add chipotle chiles and adobo sauce; lower heat to medium; continue cooking until onions are soft and translucent, 2 to 4 minutes.
Combine potatoes, stock or water, cream, cumin and coriander in large saucepan. Bring to gentle boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat; let cool about 5 minutes.
Purée with immersion blender until smooth, gradually adding cheese. Season to taste with kosher salt and white pepper.
Prepare Crispy Shoestring Potatoes: Using a mandolin, cut potatoes into shoestrings. Pat dry. Deep-fry in 350ºF peanut oil until crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain; set on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt; reserve.
In small bowl, mix together bell peppers, cilantro and onion. Squeeze lime over; mix in juice. Season to taste with salt.
Per portion: Garnish each bowl of soup with 1 to 2 tablespoons pepper mixture, 1 tablespoon cheese and 1/4 cup Crispy Shoestring Potatoes.
1 lb cooked, peeled and de-veined, tail-off shrimp, cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Place the sugar, vinegar and salt in a non-metallic bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the cucumber and stir to combine. Set the pickled cucumber aside.
Place the rice and water in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a non-metallic bowl and stir until dissolved. Spread the hot rice over the base of a large, shallow non-metallic dish and sprinkle with the vinegar mixture. Gently fold the rice and vinegar together with a spatula until cool to the touch. Line a 8 X 10 cake pan with plastic wrap. Line the base of the pan with the shrimp. Spread the rice on top of the shrimp and evenly and firmly press down. Place a sheet of plastic wrap or non-stick baking paper on top of the rice and fold the plastic wrap up over the sides to enclose. Place a piece of cardboard on top and weigh down with cans. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup white soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
3 English cucumbers, seeded and rough chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and veined, rough chopped
pickled ginger and wasabi paste for garnish
Combine the vinegar, soy, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Place the cucumbers, cilantro and jalapenos into a food processor and pulse until it resembles a rough, chunky salsa. Pour into the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
Turn the chilled shrimp/rice out onto a cutting board and cut into bite sized cubes. Garnish with the salsa and serve garnished with additional soy, ginger and wasabi.
by Jesse & Amanda with Pike in the Morning,posted May 1 2013 8:05AM
With the economic downturns of the 2000s, many industries were effected. Among them has been the housing sector, with many people being unable to afford to buy homes. Even now it is difficult form many realtors to make a living.
One such company, Rapid Realty of New York, gave an incentive to their 800 employees. Their boss offered a 15% raise to anyone that would get the company's logo tattooed on them. Forty of these employees took up the offer and got inked. The company tweeted a group photo of the employees.
The employees got their tattoos a a show of loyalty to their employer Employee Adam Altman saw the tattoo as a motivator to push himself to succeed and work harder to make sure that Rapid Realty to succeed.
Such acts of loyalty to employees can work to help their employee to gain more advertising, and also ensures a loyal workforce. Will other employers attempt such actions as a way to maintain their workforce, and encourage better teamwork and dedication?
